NV CD-2 loser wants “do-over” vote; Hefley slams GOP nominee; FL candidate breaks US House spending records; and news from AK, ME, DC, MN; more
Continue Reading August 29th, 2006
WEDNESDAY NEWS UPDATE.
NEVADA: CD-2 PRIMARY LOSER SUES FOR “DO-OVER” VOTE.
On August 15, Nevada Secretary of State Dean Heller won the Republican primary for the CD-2 seat being vacated by the gubernatorial candidacy of Congressman Jim Gibbons. Heller — a GOP centrist — narrowly edged out State Assemblywoman Sharron Angle by a 36% to 35% vote, a difference of just 421 votes. State Assemblywoman Dawn Gibbons, the early frontrunner and wife of the current incumbent, was third with 25%. The Club for Growth spent roughly a million dollars on the race to support of Angle, running a sustained barrage of attacks labeling Gibbons and Heller as pro-tax and social “liberals.” Since Heller’s office is responsible for overseeing state elections, Angle decided to skip any administrative remedies available by law from Heller’s office and instead she filed suit in court on Monday to overturn Heller’s primary win. According to the Las Vegas Review Journal, Angle said that election day “problems at the polls disenfranchised a large number” of Washoe County. The local elections office there concedes some precincts opened late on primary day. In her lawsuit, Angle is seeking a primary re-vote. Surprisingly, State GOP Chair Paul Adams told reporters he supports Angle’s call for a special primary re-vote — although it would be likely cause division and additional expenses likely to weaken the eventual GOP nominee in November against State University System Regent Jill Derby (D). For that reason, others in the Republican Party have openly urged Angle to drop her demand for a new primary election. In other Nevada news — despite a pre-primary pledge to support the winner of the GOP gubernatorial primary — the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports term-limited Governor Kenny Guinn (R) has thus far “shunned Gibbons” and declined to endorse him. For his part, Gibbons made a point of offering “scathing … criticism” of Guinn’s record in a media interview last week, according to the Las Vegas Sun. The two men have been openly feuding for the past three years.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.30.06
COLORADO: RETIRING HEFLEY SLAMS GOP NOMINEE FOR HIS OPEN CD-5 SEAT.
Retiring ten-term Congressman Joel Hefley (R-CO) says he and other Republicans in CD-5 are still so upset with the GOP primary campaign waged by nominee State Senator Doug Lamborn that he will not support Lamborn in the general election. “I feel that [Lamborn] ran the most sleazy, dishonest campaign I’ve seen in a long, long time, and I can not support [him],” said Hefley to the Colorado Springs Gazette. Hefley’s designated successor — former Hefley aide Jeff Crank — narrowly lost to Lamborn in the crowded primary. Hefley also reported a group of prominent GOP activists in the district tried to convince him to jump into the general election contest against Lamborn by waging a write-in bid — but Hefley rejected the idea. The newspaper reported the write-in effort “had involved national political consultants and elected officials [and] was a reaction to widespread dislike of Lamborn” by some Republicans. Lamborn defends his primary campaign. saying he ran on issues and had no control over the harsh negative ads paid for by some social conservative 527 groups. Hefley also stopped short of endorsing retired USAF officer Jay Fawcett (D) for the seat. Hefley told the Gazette it would be “very difficult” for him to endorse Fawcett because he “wants Republicans to keep control of the House” — but yet Hefley left the door open to a future endorsement of the Dem: “I don’t know what I’m going to do at this point about that.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.30.06
FLORIDA: CONGRESSIONAL HOPEFUL SETS FUNDRAISING RECORD.
Automobile dealer and Republican fundraiser Vern Buchanan is blowing away spending records in his run for GOP Congresswoman Katherine Harris’ open CD-13 seat. The Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported Buchanan just put $300,000 more of his personal money in his campaign, bringing his total out-of-pocket contribution to $2.1 million. Add in the more than $2 million that Buchanan has raised to date from donors and that brings his fundraising total to over $4.1 million — more than any other House candidate. “Wouldn’t it have been cheaper just to pay us all to drop out,” sardonically asked State Representative Nancy Detert, one of the four Republicans facing Buchanan in next week’s primary.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.30.06
ALASKA: PALIN CALLS FOR MURKOWSKI’S STATE GOP CHAIR TO RESIGN.
Former Wasilla Mayor Sarah Palin last week handily ousted unpopular Governor Frank Murkowski in the GOP gubernatorial primary. Since then, Palin has repeatedly called on Murkowski’s allies to resign their positions in the Alaska Republican Party leadership so that she may designate new leadership supportive of her candidacy. State GOP Chair Randy Ruedrich is defiant, saying he won’t resign under any circumstance and doesn’t care what Palin wants: “I was re-elected in April, and let me remind you, Palin had the opportunity to run someone against me at that time [and she didn’t].” Former State GOP Chair Tuckerman Babcock sides with Palin, explaining to the Anchorage Daily News that “it’s time now for Murkowski’s guy at the head of the party to step aside.” Palin faces former Governor Tony Knowles (D), former GOP State Representative Andrew Halcro (Independent) and three others in November.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.30.06
MAINE: INDY CANDIDATE QUITS GUV RACE.
Former Democratic State Representative John Michael lost an initial appeal this week in his attempt to qualify for state campaign financing under Maine’s Clean Elections Law. Based upon the ruling, Michael has ended his run against Governor John Baldacci (D). “Because it is unlikely that I will remain in the race as a privately funded candidate, I feel it is only fair to the public, the various issues groups and the press that I suspend campaign activity at this time,” said Michael, who explained he will take steps to withdraw from the ballot. Michael said he will not appeal the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics & Election Practices decision to the state courts because he does not believe it “is likely to make a difference,” reported the Lewiston Sun-Journal. State Senator Chandler Woodcock (R), former Democratic State Representative Barbara Merrill (Independent), 2004 Green Party Vice Presidential nominee Pat LaMarche, and four others are challenging Baldacci in the general election.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.30.06
BY THE NUMBERS: LATEST INDEPENDENT NUMBERS.
DC - MAYOR - DEM PRIMARY: City Councilman Adrian Fenty - 45%, City Council Chair Linda Cropp - 35%, former Verizon CEO Marie Johns - 9%, attorney Michael Brown - 3%, City Councilman Vincent Orange - 3%. (WUSA-TV/SurveyUSA).
MINNESOTA - GOVERNOR - DEM PRIMARY: Attorney General Mike Hatch - 68%, State Senator Becky Lourey - 23%, frequent candidate Ole Savior - 1%. (KSTP-TV/SurveyUSA).
RHODE ISLAND - GOVERNOR: Governor Don Carcieri (R) - 45%, Lieutenant Governor Charlie Fogarty (D) - 41%. (WPRI-TV/Fleming & Assoc.).
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.29.06
POLITICAL TRIVIA: CAN YOU IDENTIFY THESE CAMPAIGN BUTTONS?
Within the community of collectors of “locals” campaign buttons, I’m viewed as one of the leading experts for successfully identifying obscure campaign buttons. But these items, pictured below, absolutely stump me. To solve these (and I’ll say up front I don’t know the identity of any of these pins), you’ll need to figure out things like “Who were the Regular Freedom Democrats?” and “What candidate named Sundquist ran in Indiana?” and “Where did a Dem candidate named Lewis run for Congress in the 20th District?” (which also means Lewis was from a “big state” with at least 20 congressional districts). It has been suggested the “Andy/US Congress” button is from Tennessee in the 1970s and the “GTO” button may be from Ohio or Midwest — but these tips I was given could both prove inaccurate. The Lattimore, Lamoreaux, GTO and Regular Freedom Dems could prove “too local” to identify, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. So, can you identify any of these for me? If you think you know the answers, please post them in the thread. Thanks!
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.30.06
FREE SPEECH ZONE.
Tropical Storm Ernesto arrived in Florida Tuesday evening as just some some rain and wind — much like the normal heavy rains and squalls we experience frequently throughout every summer. It is expected to move out on Wednesday. Overall, no big deal … Also, longtime Politics1 blogger Jeremiah “DemoGog” Brewer was in the news: click here to see Jeremiah with Hillary Clinton (although I still maintain US Senator Russ Feingold would be a much better Presidential nominee who truly embraces a winning progressive Democratic agenda).
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.29.06 | Permalink | postCount(’083006h’);
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.
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