Archive for August, 2006
Continue Reading August 25th, 2006
SATURDAY NEWS UPDATE.
OHIO: UNITY IN SPECIAL CONGRESSIONAL PRIMARIES.
While candidates quickly crowded the special congressional primaries — Dems in CD-3 and GOP in CD-18 — most exited just as quickly. In CD-18 — the seat being vacated by scandal-tainted Congressman Bob Ney (R) — Republicans are rapidly rallying behind State Senator Joy Padgett. She started with endorsements from Ney and House Majority Leader John Boehner. Dover Mayor Richard Homrighausen filed against Padgett, but withdrew this week and endorsed her. Former Ney aide John Bennett and community activist Greg Zelenitz also quit the race this week. Padgett is heavily favored over her four remaining challengers. In the CD-3 race to replace the withdrawn Democratic nominee, Dems are now unified behind former federal prosecutor and Navy veteran Dick Chema. Wealthy political consultant/’04 nominee Jane Mitakides and former college basketball star Roosevelt Chapman quit the race by Friday in favor of Chema. Chema’s only remaining primary foe is a frequent candidate. Chema will be a decided underdog against Congressman Mike Turner (R) in the general election. The CD-18 primary is September 14 and the CD-3 primary is September 15.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.26.06
P2008: NO SURPRISE, BUT RENDELL TAKES HIMSELF OUT OF ‘08 RACE.
At one time, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell (D) was being touted as a likely candidate because he had national stature and the ability to raise money. A former Democratic National Chairman during the later part of the Clinton Administration, Rendell has contacts with a national network of party leaders. In 2005, Rendell was being mentioned as possible White House hopeful in 2008. However, a somewhat competitive race for reelection this year against former pro football player Lynn Swann (R) forced Rendell to focus his attention and dollars in the Keystone State. On Friday, Rendell made it clear he would not run for President nor for any other office ever again in the future. “This is my 14th election — enough is enough,” he explained to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.26.06
OHIO: A DAY AT THE RACES.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF CONGRESSIONAL RACE: In an interesting twist on the usual public debate on having debates, the Columbus Dispatch and the Cincinnati Enquirer both report physician and CD-2 Democratic nominee Victoria Wulsin on Monday challenged Congresswoman Jean Schmidt (R) to a race. Specifically, Wulsin challenged Schmidt to race: the 5K charity run of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure for breast cancer research. In exchange for which, Wulsin wanted Schmidt — a veteran marathon runner — to agree to hold at least two debates out of the seven Wulsin has been trying to arrange for several weeks. Schmidt replied she was unavailable to run in the Komen event because she is training that day for the upcoming Columbus marathon. Instead, Schmidt counter-challenged Wulsin to compete against her in a 13-mile half marathon race. Wulsin accepted, provided that Schmidt agree to all seven proposed debates. The half marathon takes place later this month, and Schmidt’s campaign said the incumbent will participate in several debates in October with Wulsin. Schmidt is presently projected to win both races. Writer: Jo Valentine-Cooper
PROBABLY MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING: Schmidt is an experienced marathon runner, having completed over fifty marathons. Some are questioning whether she is capable of running a marathon in 3 hours, 19 minutes, 6 seconds — as shown on a photo on Schmidt’s campaign site. The photo shows Schmidt near the finish line at a 1993 race, with a time clock in the background showing 3:19:06, which would have made her a top-finisher. A newspaper article on the race does not name Schmidt as a top finisher, said attorney and social conservative write-in candidate Nathan Noy. Noy believes the photo may be fake or altered. He suggested Schmidt may not have even participated in the race. An attorney representing Schmidt denied the photo was altered and produced an official race results book listing Schmidt as the fifth-place finisher in her age group with a time of 3:19:09. However, a four-member Ohio Elections Commission panel seemed to agree with Noy, ruling Thursday there was enough evidence to look further into the complaint. One board member wondered aloud why there did not appear to be any shadow cast by Schmidt in the photo. State law prohibits candidates from publishing false statements designed to promote their election. In April, Schmidt received a public reprimand from the State Elections Commission for claiming on her website she had two college degrees when she actually only has one. My two cents: I’ve looked at the pic and — as much as I dislike Schmidt — I think the picture is authentic. As for the “missing” shadow, it appears the running in front of her obscures the portion that would appear on the lower portion of the photo.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.26.06
ALABAMA: DEM COMMITTEE DISQUALIFIES LESBIAN DEM STATE REP-ELECT.
According to the AP, Alabama State Representative-elect Patricia Todd (D) — a white, openly gay candidate — may be disqualified from taking her seat because she violated a state party rule that has not been enforced for twenty years. Both Todd and her unsuccessful Democratic primary run-off opponent Gaynell Hendricks failed to file a financial disclosure form with the State Democratic Chairman. Therefore, a state party subcommittee on Thursday — acting on Hendricks’ complaint — disqualified both from the the race. A full committee will decide on Saturday whether or not to remove her from the ballot. Todd faces no Republican opposition in this black-majority district and was guaranteed to become the first openly-gay Alabama legislator. The issue seems to be about her race rather than her sexuality, as a prominent black state legislator is complaining a black person should represent this minority district. State Democratic Chair Joe Turnham said gubernatorial nominee Lucy Baxley and Lieutenant Governor nominee Jim Folsom Jr., both violated the same rule as Todd and yet they have not been disqualified. Stay tuned.
Writer: Alex Mizenko - 08.26.06
FREE SPEECH ZONE.
Congresswoman Katherine Harris (R-FL) told the Florida Baptist Witness newspaper this week that the constitutional separation of church and state is “that lie we have been told.” Further, she added “God is the one who chooses our rulers.” Based upon her comments and her poll numbers, I guess that means Harris believes God is supporting Senator Bill Nelson (D).
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.26.06
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FRIDAY NEWS UPDATE.
FREE SPEECH ZONE.
It was a long day at work, so just an open thread today. I’ll post more over the weekend, including more reader-submitted articles.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.25.06
Continue Reading August 24th, 2006
Personally, I don’t know why in the hell Smither would frame his point about cutting spending in the way that he does. The article says he drew his “fair share of jeers” when he posed the question of why citizens in Arizona should be forced to pay for several …
Continue Reading August 24th, 2006
From the Fort-Bend Herald…
Sugar Land Mayor David Wallace on Monday announced he will no longer seek the office of Congressional District 22 as a write-in candidate.
Wallace said in the Sugar Land City Hall that the Republican Party could not win the four-county seat with two write-in candidates, so he will …
Continue Reading August 24th, 2006
Max Linn, the Florida Reform Party candidate for governor, has launched a television ad to introduce himself to voters. The spot is called “You Know Max” and is available to watch online by clicking here.
Linn has already put $1 million of his own money into the campaign. This …
Continue Reading August 23rd, 2006
THURSDAY NEWS UPDATE.
BY THE NUMBERS: LATEST INDEPENDENT NUMBERS.
CONNECTICUT - GOVERNOR: Governor Jodi Rell (R) - 61%, New Haven Mayor John DeStefano (D) - 31%. (Rasmussen Reports).
CONNECTICUT - US SENATE: US Senate Joe Lieberman (Independent) - 45%, businessman Ned Lamont (D) - 43%, former State Representative Alan Schlesinger (R) - 6%. (Rasmussen Reports).
NEW YORK - GOVERNOR - DEM PRIMARY: Attorney General Eliot Spitzer - 72%, Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi - 15%. (Quinnipiac University).
NEW YORK - GOVERNOR: Attorney General Eliot Spitzer (D) - 65%, former State Assembly Minority Leader John Faso (R) - 17%. (Quinnipiac University).
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.24.06
P2008: McCAIN STAFFING UP FOR ‘08.
US Senator John McCain (R-AZ) unveiled two surprising campaign recruiting wins this week. The first was the news that former Cabinet-rank US Trade Representative and current Deputy US Secretary of State Bob Zoellick will leave the Bush Administration next year to go to work for McCain’s campaign. Zoellick will work on foreign and trade policy issues. Utah Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. (R) — a McCain supporter and close Zoellick friend — was reportedly responsible for recruiting Zoellick. The Hotline reports the most surprising recruit is Nicco Mele, who will work on developing the new McCain campaign website. Mele was the chief webmaster who developed Howard Dean’s official internet sites for his 2004 White House run. Mike Connell of New Media Communications — who developed the Bush websites in in 2000 and 2004 — also committed to McCain. Looks like McCain is going to make a serious net effort for 2008.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.24.06
NEBRASKA: GOP SEC OF STATE BLOCKS PARTY-SWITCHER WITEK FROM BALLOT.
Secretary of State John Gale (R) ruled that, based upon his interpretation of state law, he doesn’t believe the Democrats are allowed to nominated State Auditor Kate Witek to seek reelection in November as a Democrat. Witek lost for Lieutenant Governor in the GOP primary earlier this year, and switched parties just last week. Under the state’s “sore loser” law, Gale said he doesn’t believe Witek should be allowed to run for another office in November after losing for a different one earlier this year. The Dems vow to bring an immediate lawsuit to place Witek on the ballot, saying state law permitted them to name Witek as the nominee as last weekend’s state convention.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.24.06
ALASKA: DOWN BALLOT PRIMARY RESULTS REDUX.
Alaska’s statewide primary election brought saw a strong gust of electoral change for an event that has been historically pretty low-key. Along with the headline event of the highly-contested Republican gubernatorial and Lieutenant Governor primaries and the slightly less lively Democratic Governor and Lieutenant Governor nominations, a closely fought ballot initiative regulating the cruise ship industry is making waves. Also, a number of incumbent state legislators appear to have lost their re-nomination bids. The statewide cruise ship initiative contains language that would — among other things — remove tax exemptions for the industry, instill stricter environmental regulations on cruise ship waste discharges, and impose a $50 head tax for every cruise ship passenger traveling to Alaska. Supporters argued that the cruise ship industry deserved to pay their fair share in taxes for the high cost of public infrastructure maintenance worn down by the hundreds of thousands of cruise ship passengers that pass through Alaska annually and is currently passed on to local and state government. Opponents, however, argued the measure was far too onerous and punitive in its regulations, would create more bureaucracy, and punish Alaska economically with the head tax serving as a disincentive for would-be cruise ship passengers to Alaska. It is important to note the use of present tense as, despite the election having been held Tuesday, only 87% of precincts (due to Alaska’s extremely rural nature) have returned results as of this writing, meaning the cruise ship initiative’s tenuous 52.5%-47.5% lead in the vote count is still too close to call. The same uncertainty belies two of the three state legislators that are currently trailing in the incomplete results. It appears that the primary defeat of an unusually high number of legislators — in combination with Governor Murkowski’s primary defeat — demonstrates a strong anti-incumbent mood present in Alaskan voters.
Writer: Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins - 08.24.06
FREE SPEECH ZONE.
The daily open thread.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.24.06
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 OUT TO: Middlesex County District Attorney Martha Coakley, Democrat for Massachusetts Attorney General.
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Continue Reading August 22nd, 2006
Arif Khan is the former chairman of the Wisconsin state Libertarian Party and, in 2004, received 0.28% of the vote as the party’s nominee for U.S. Senate against Russ Feingold. Now he’s being charged with three counts of sexual assault on a child.
Khan claims he’s the victim of his …
Continue Reading August 22nd, 2006
The Boston Tea Party, a new political entity founded by blogger Thomas Knapp following the 2006 LP convention, held an online convention this weekend.
The press release follows…
At what may have been the world’s first online political convention, members of America’s new libertarian political party organized over the weekend for the …
August 21st, 2006
Here at WikiSym 2006, I’ve had a chance to take a look at what is happening elsewhere in the wiki community. While there are still reasons to continue to work with our own wiki area for platform construction and research, it might be worthwhile to open up the idea of joining another wiki community with similar goals and moving our content efforts there.
On the pro side of leaving, we have benefits from less code to maintain here and greater exposure to ideas and usership. On the con side is the need to have another password and login (avoiding that was one of the big technical focuses this past summer), we wouldn’t control content or mission as a community, and traffic has one less reason to come here.
I’d be interested to hear from members about the pros and cons.
Continue Reading August 20th, 2006
MONDAY NEWS UPDATE.
BY THE NUMBERS: LATEST INDEPENDENT NUMBERS.
MARYLAND - GOVERNOR: Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley (D) - 50%, Governor Bob Ehrlich (R) - 43%. (Rasmussen Reports).
MARYLAND - US SENATE: Congressman Ben Cardin (D) - 47%, former Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele (R) - 42%. (Rasmussen Reports).
MARYLAND - US SENATE: Former Congressman Kweisi Mfume (D) - 46%, Steele (R) - 44%. (Rasmussen Reports).
VIRGINIA - US SENATE: US Senator George Allen (R) - 47%, former Navy Secretary Jim Webb (D) - 42%. (Rasmussen Reports).
WISCONSIN - GOVERNOR: Governor Jim Doyle (D) - 45%, Congressman Mark Green (R) - 44%. (Strategic Vision-R).
WISCONSIN - GOVERNOR: Governor Jim Doyle (D) - 49%, Congressman Mark Green (R) - 41%. (Rasmussen Reports).
WISCONSIN - US SENATE: US Senator Herb Kohl (D) - 59%, attorney Robert Gerald Lorge (R) - 31%. (Rasmussen Reports).
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.21.06
OREGON: GOP TRYING TO REMOVE CONSTITUTION GOV NOMINEE FROM BALLOT.
The most prominent Constitution Party candidate in the nation this election year may lose her ballot status. The AP reports that Republican lawyer and former State Representative Kelly Clark filed a state election complaint against anti-abortion activist and former local TV news anchor Mary Starrett, the CP’s candidate for Oregon Governor. Clark said that the Oregon Constitution Party failed to file the required notice in a general circulation newspaper publicizing the party’s June 3 nominating convention where Starrett was nominated, thereby violating state election laws related to ballot qualifying. “If we are right, and the party didn’t follow proper process, then Mary Starrett doesn’t belong on the ballot,” Clark told the AP. If the Secretary of State rejects the complaint, Clark plans to file a lawsuit in the Circuit Court to invalidate Starrett’s nomination. Clark — a prominent anti-gay rights activist — denies that the suit has any direct links with Republican gubernatorial nominee Ron Saxon or that he is trying knock out a potential “spoiler” in Saxon’s race against Governor Ted Kulongoski (D). However, Clark confirmed to the AP he filed this complaint on behalf of “several individual voters, some of who are supporters of Saxton” who were concerned about the integrity of election laws. Recently, the Democrats lost their own potential “spoiler candidate” when moderate State Senator Ben Westlund (Independent) dropped out of the race.
Writer: David Jimenez - 08.21.06
OHIO: TWO SPECIAL CONGRESSIONAL PRIMARIES SET.
Last Friday we mentioned how eight Republicans filed to run in the special election primary in Ohio’s CD-18 next to replace retiring Congressman Bob Ney (R) on the November ballot. The GOP special primary is set for September 14. In Ohio’s CD-3, veterinarian Stephanie Studebaker (D) abruptly ended her campaign last week just days after both she and her husband were arrested on domestic violence charges for hitting each other. In a quickly called filing period — open for only one day — four Democrats filed to compete in the September 15 special primary. Click here to view all of the CD-3 and CD-18 candidates.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger; Cindy Zawadzki of AsOhioGoes.com also contributed to the story - 08.21.06
FREE SPEECH ZONE.
The DNC confirmed the early Nevada caucus and South Carolina primary dates, as previously reported … and US Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) is yet again criticizing his own party as having lost the values it formerly represented … So, what else is going on?
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.21.06
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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 Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce Director and attorney Jim Esch, Democrat for Congress in Nebraska’s CD-2.
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Continue Reading August 20th, 2006
TUESDAY NEWS UPDATE.
ALASKA: CERTAIN PRIMARY DEFEAT LOOMS FOR GOVERNOR MURKOWSKI.
Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski (R) will see his career in politics end on Tuesday in the same way it began in 1970: with an electoral defeat. Murkowski — a first-term Governor and former 4-term US Senator — regularly scores among the lowest approval races of any governor in the nation. Polls show him lagging in third place in the GOP primary, with former Wasilla Mayor and unsuccessful 2002 Lieutenant Governor candidate Sarah Palin fairly certain to win the race. Former State Senator John Binkley is also expected to finish ahead of Murkowski. Former Governor Tony Knowles is a safe bet to win the Democratic primary, setting up a highly competitive Knowles-Palin contest in November.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.22.06
OKLAHOMA: LT GOV, CD-5 RUN-OFF DAY.
In the open CD-5 race, Oklahoma Republicans have seemingly rallied behind Lieutenant Governor Mary Fallin. After placing first in the six-candidate primary last month, all of the eliminated candidates endorsed Fallin. Polls since then show Fallin gaining traction and increasing her advantage over Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett. Voters in both major parties will cast run-off ballots in the Lieutenant Governor race. Republicans will choose betwen State House Speaker Todd Hiett and State Senator Scott Pruitt. Democrats will pick between State House Minority Leader Jari Askins and former Congressional aide Pete Regan.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.22.06
WYOMING: QUIET PRIMARY DAY ON TAP FOR TUESDAY.
Primary day will be fairly sedate in Wyoming. The top contests are GOP races for some open sate constitutional offices: Secretary of State, State Auditor and State Treasurer. Due to term limits, the three incumbents cannot seek reelection — so two of the three are playing musical chairs by running for different statewide offices. Congresswoman Barbara Cubin (R) again faces a primary challenge, but she should win handily again. Governor Dave Freudenthal (D) faces only nominal primary opposition from a frequent gadfly candidate.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.22.06
TEXAS: GOP UNITY IN CD-22 RACE.
While Houston City Councilwoman Shelley Sekula-Gibbs (R) still remains an underdog as the write-in GOP nominee for Tom DeLay’s open House seat, she got some good news Monday. Sugar Land Mayor David Wallace (R) caved to pressure from state party leaders on Monday, ending his rival write-in bid for Congress. Former Congressman Nick Lampson (D) must still be rated the favorite, despite the historical Republican advantage in the district.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.22.06
BY THE NUMBERS: LATEST INDEPENDENT NUMBERS.
ARKANSAS - GOVERNOR: Attorney General Mike Beebe (D) - 45%, former Congressman Asa Hutchinson (R) - 41%. (Rasmussen Reports).
COLORADO - CD-7: State Higher Education Commission Chair Rick O’Donnell (R) - 45%, former State Senator Ed Perlmutter (D) - 45%, businessman Dave Chandler (Green) - 2%, businessman Roger McCarville (Constitution) - 2%. (KFOR-TV/SurveyUSA).
MAINE - US SENATE: US Senator Olympia Snowe (R) - 68%, liberal activist Jean Hay Bright (D) - 20%. (Rasmussen Reports).
OKLAHOMA - CD-5 - GOP RUN-OFF: Lieutenant Governor Mary Fallin - 61%, Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett - 36%. (KFOR-TV/SurveyUSA).
VIRGINIA - US SENATE: US Senator George Allen (R) - 48%, former Navy Secretary Jim Webb (D) - 45%, businesswoman Gail Parker (Ind. Green) - 2%. (WUSA-TV/SurveyUSA).
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.22.06
P2008: NEW HAMPSHIRE CONTEMPLATES HOLDING PREZ PRIMARY IN 2007.
In the aftermath of the Democratic National Committee vote to add two states — Nevada and South Carolina — to the early voting calendar for the 2008 Democratic Presidential calendar, party and state leaders in New Hampshire are left to discern how to respond to this challenge to their prized “first-in-the-nation” primary status. State law dictates the NH contest be held ‘at least seven days prior to any other similar contest.’ The Iowa caucuses have preceded NH during modern presidential elections for decades, but the AP reports that NH Secretary of State Bill Gardener has broad authority of protect the state’s early status — even if that means moving the primary to late fall 2007. Expecting some turmoil, the DNC also voted to punish candidates who campaign early in states that do not abide by the DNC calendar by denying them delegates elected from those states. Governor John Lynch (D-NH) announced over the weekend he already has letters from ten potential candidates who pledged to campaign in the Granite State no matter when the primary is held.
Writer: Andy W. Davis - 08.22.06
FREE SPEECH ZONE.
Whatever … other stuff.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.21.06
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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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