KS Primary Results; PA GOP’s Green & Murtha news; Fallin stronger in OK CD-5; polls, more.
August 2nd, 2006
WEDNESDAY NEWS UPDATE.KANSAS: SEBELIUS-BARNETT GOV RACE SET FOR NOVEMBER.
Governor Kathleen Sebelius (D) was unopposed for renomination in Tuesday's primary. On the Republican side, conservative State Senator Jim Barnett won the seven-candidate contest with 36%. His nearest opponent, social conservative activist Ken Canfield, was second with 26%. Sebelius is strongly favored to defeat the GOP nominee in November. GOP centrist Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh easily fended off a primary challenge from State Senator Kay O'Connor, a Religious Right conservative who in 2001 infamously proclaimed her opposition to the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote. Another GOP moderate, State Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger also survived a competitive primary challenge by Religious Right conservative State Representative Eric Carter. In the ongoing evolution/creationism fight, continues to play an important role in Kansas politics. Of the three conservative State Board of Education members who supported anti-evolution standards, two appeared headed to primary wins. In the GOP primary in CD-3, wealthy banker Chuck Ahner easily defeated State Representative Scott Schwab and two others. Ahner will be an underdog against popular conservative Congressman Dennis Moore (D) in November, despite the solid GOP registration advantage in the district.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.02.06 | Permalink | postCount('080206a');
BY THE NUMBERS: LATEST INDEPENDENT NUMBERS.
COLORADO - CONGRESS - CD-7 - DEM PRIMARY: Former State Senator Ed Perlmutter - 51%, former State Representative Peggy Lamm - 31%, attorney Herb Rubenstein - 10%. (KUSA-TV/SurveyUSA).
KANSAS - GOVERNOR: Governor Kathleen Sebelius (D) - 51%, State Senator Jim Barnett (R) - 34%. (Rasmussen Reports).
MAINE - GOVERNOR: Governor John Baldacci (D) - 42%, State Senator Chandler Woodcock (R) - 25%, State Representative Barbara Merrill (Independent) - 3%, radio talk show host Pat LaMarche (Green) - 3%. (Strategic Marketing).
MAINE - CONGRESS - CD-1: Congressman Tom Allen (D) - 57%, State Representative Darlene Curl (R) - 11%, peace activist Dexter Kamilewicz (Independent) - 3%. (Strategic Marketing).
MAINE - CONGRESS - CD-2: Congressman Mike Michaud (D) - 62%, medical technician Scott D'Amboise (R) - 14%. (Strategic Marketing).
SOUTH DAKOTA - GOVERNOR: Governor Mike Rounds (R) - 56%, former State Representative Jack Billion (D) - 27%. (Sioux Falls Argus Leader/Mason-Dixon).
WASHINGTON - US SENATE: US Senator Maria Cantwell (D) - 48%, insurance executive Mike McGavick (R) - 37%. (Rasmussen Reports).
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.02.06
PENNSYLVANIA: STATE GOP CHAIR PRAISES MURTHA.
State GOP Chair Robert Gleason has come under fire from conservative activists for some comments he made -- past and present -- about Congressman Jack Murtha (D-PA). Gleason apparently voted for Murtha in the past -- including when Gleason was Cambria County Republican Chair. Gleason explained in an interview with the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: "I cannot deny that Murtha has done a wonderful job for our region. He's brought home the bacon. If that's how you want to judge a Congressman, or any elected official, he gets five stars. I think everything was pretty positive until the past few months, when he started attacking the President and the war and saying things that weren't really positive as far as the troops were concerned." Franklin and Marshall University political science professor Terry Madonna found Gleason's comments odd: "When you're a state chairman, you're expected to not say nice things about the other side." However, despite the outcry from some conservatives in the party, the centrist Gleason appears likely to survive the demands for his resignation.
Writer: Julian Stolz - 08.02.06
OKLAHOMA: EX-FOES FALLING IN LINE BEHIND FALLIN IN CD-5 OPEN SEAT.
Lieutenant Governor Mary Fallin placed first in last week's six-candidate GOP primary with 35%. Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett was second with 24%, and will face Fallin in the August 22 run-off. In a major boost for Fallin, CQ reports she secured the endorsements of all four other candidates eliminated in the primary. Combined, they collected 41% of the primary vote. The four seemed resentful of Cornett throughout the primary campaign, so the news isn't a total surprise. However, if gives Fallin significant momentum heading into the run-off.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.02.06
PENNSYLVANIA: SANTORUM FUNDED GREEN NOMINEE FOR US SENATE.
Green Party State Chair Carl Romanelli -- the party's nominee for US Senator Rick Santorum's (R) -- acknowledged receiving significant financial aid from the GOP in qualifying for the ballot. The AP reports Romanelli received $66,000 from Santorum donors to support his signature gathering effort. As a result of GOP support, Romanelli will submit far more than the 67,070 signatures required under Pennsylvania law. Romanelli did not deny receiving support from the GOP, stating "I have friends in all political parties. It's just that my Republican friends are more confident about standing with me than my Democratic friends. And as a group, my Republican friends are a little better off." Santorum also admitted his desire to see Romanelli on the ballot. "This is politics," Santorum said. "It's no surprise when you're an incumbent, it helps to have more people on the ballot." Santorum -- who trails State Treasurer Bob Casey Jr. (D) by double digits in independent polls -- also acknowledged encouraging his GOP campaign staff and volunteers to help with the signature gathering effort.
Writer: Dustin McKissen - 08.02.06
P2008: RICHARDSON POSITIONS HIMSELF AS FOREIGN POLICY HAWK.
New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson (D), who is preparing to make a run for President in 2008, is attempting to portray himself firmly as a foreign affairs hawk wing. The AP reported today that Richardson, a former U.N. Ambassador, stated his firm support for Israel, as well as urged more United States involvement. According to Richardson, "If we would have had a permanent Middle East envoy in the region, we would have been in a better position to disarm Hezbollah and protect Israel." Richardson went on to say that an international peacekeeping force would help end the violence. The recent placement of Nevada's caucuses ahead of the New Hampshire primary may help the Latino-descent Governor by giving him an early boost to his campaign if he were to win the state's contest. With the race likely to be filled with an unprecedented number of candidates, it will be an important part of every candidate's strategy to differentiate themselves from the others. Richardson's assertion of these views may start to do that.
Posted by Ben Meyers - 08.02.06
FREE SPEECH ZONE.
The winner of the award for worst titled campaign press release (possibly ever) is Congresswoman Katherine Harris (R-FL). In response to the strange story we detailed yesterday about state GOP leaders savagely bashing her US Senate candidacy in a private letter (leaked to the AP), Harris issued a bizarre press release Tuesday entitled: "Letter Not Applicable Monday." In fact, the press release obtusely explained "a previous letter unethically leaked in Monday's news is not applicable to current party beliefs." All of this prompts one question: Is there anyone sane working on the Harris campaign?
Posted by Ron Gunzburger -08.02.06');
SEND A PIN = GET A FREE PLUG HERE.
Here's my open offer for every campaign (and campaign supporter): send me a button or pin from the Governor, US Senate, Congressional, Statewide Office, etc., campaign you are involved in -- feel free to add a sticker and brochure -- and I'll place a link to official campaign site here on our homepage in a daily "thank you" note. My address: Ron Gunzburger, 409 NE 17 Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. TODAY'S THANKS GO TO: former State Representative and attorney Joe Courtney, Democrat for Congress in Connecticut's CD-2.
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