Archive for October, 2006
October 31st, 2006
My life was disrupted this weekend by a funeral, the second loss of a father within my circle of friends. Since this was also a weekend I was counting on going out into the community to put signs on shop windows and chat up the camp, it was nice to get some help in this from a couple of other IU students.
My goal for this week — in addition to writing a paper due Thursday — is to expand that base of promotional support, and to get some local media to write a story about it. Email just doesn’t cut it, convenient as it is. I’m going to have to use the phone and my feet.
Continue Reading October 31st, 2006
In addition to the campaign of Rick Jore in Montana, the Constitution Party has another really attractive state house race. This one is in Utah’s 58th district and features an extremely viable candidate campaigning with the incumbent’s endorsement.
The follow email is appeal for support sent out by the national …
Continue Reading October 31st, 2006
TUESDAY: POLITICS1 ELECTION FORECAST - PART 1.
Over the next several days, in lieu of the normal news postings, I’ll be making these state-by-state election forecasts that have been a regular feature on Politics1 since the site’s launch during the 1998 election cycle. Some years I was highly accurate in calling these federal and gubernatorial contests (2000 and 2004, in particular). Then again, I’ve been way off the mark once in a while, too (2002). Also important to note: these are predictions based upon a combination of analyzing all the data on the various contests, and then mixing in a healthy dose of my political gut instincts gained from having worked as a professional campaign consultant on over 130 races since the mid-1980s. They are not, however, endorsements — nor are they my hopes as to who I would like to see win these races.
ALABAMA:
GOVERNOR: If a week can be a lifetime in politics, then Governor Bob Riley (R) is very fortunate that his abysmal approval ratings of a 1-2 years ago are now ancient history. Riley earned the high negatives after his unsuccessful attempt to push through the highest tax hike in state history. Ousted State Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy “The Ten Commandments Judge” Moore — a hero to the most hardcore of Religious Right activists — challenged Riley in the primary. After what initially looked to be a tough primary, Riley rebounded strongly and defeated Moore by a wide margin. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Lucy Baxley (D) cruised to an equally strong primary win over former Governor Don Siegelman. Although the Riley-Baxley matchup once looked competitive, Riley has held a solid lead in the polls for months. Don’t look for any upset here, as Riley will score a comfortable victory.
US HOUSE: Democrats have credible challengers who are running spirited campaigns in CD-1 and CD-3, but I don’t see any House incumbents losing in Alabama.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 10.31.06 | Permalink | postCount(’AL06′);
ALASKA:
GOVERNOR: Unpopular Governor Frank Murkowski (R) — with the second lowest approval ratings in the nation — was routed in his primary. Embarrassingly, Murkowski placed a distant third in the vote. Former Wasilla Mayor Sarah Palin (R), who lost a 2002 race for Lieutenant Governor, scored an impressive primary victory. Palin is running as a political outsider, and has had considerable momentum since the primary. The Democratic nominee is former two-term Governor Tony Knowles, who lost a 2004 race for US Senator. Knowles was clearly the strongest possible candidate the Dems could have placed into the race, and he’s steadily narrowed the gap over the past month. Former Republican State Representative Andrew Halcro is running as an Independent, and touting himself as the only real conservative in the race. Both Palin and Knowles are political centrists. The final numbers will be fairly close, due to Halcro drawing votes that normally go to the GOP. However, Palin is a fresh, attractive candidate who will ride into office on the crest of the same anti-Murkowski wave that also helped her win the primary. RESULT: GOP HOLD.
US HOUSE: Congressman Don Young (R) is safe and will get two more years to continue pushing his costly “bridge to nowhere” boondoggle. RESULT: NO CHANGE.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 10.31.06 | Permalink | postCount(’AK06′);
ARIZONA:
GOVERNOR: Governor Janet Napolitano (D) will cruise to a landslide victory over Religious Right activist and attorney Len Munsil (R). RESULT: DEM HOLD.
US SENATE: US Senator Jon Kyl (R) has held the lead in the polls from the start. Wealthy businessman and former State Democratic Chair Jim Pederson (D) has run an aggressive campaign. From time to time, Pederson has even narrowed his deficit to the 6-10 point range. Conventional wisdom dictates that Kyl wins — and I agree he will, too, but by a very thin margin. However, it would not surprise me if the national wave is strong enough to give Pederson an upset win. RESULT: GOP HOLD.
US HOUSE: The Democrats will register a surprisingly strong showing in the Arizona congressional races. CD-1: Congressman Rick Renzi (R) was hit in the closing month with news reports he is the subject of at least two preliminary federal corruption investigations. Wealthy attorney Ellen Simon is running an energetic campaign and is lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. The combination of the national wave, along with Renzi’s own ethics problems, will help Simon score a very unexpected victory. CD-5: Conservative firebrand Congressman J.D. Hayworth (R) is being challenged by State Senator and former Democratic State Chair Harry Mitchell (D). Hayworth is another one of the Republican incumbents hit with extensive bad press due to his ties to disgraced former lobbyist and felon Jack Abramoff. Polls regularly show this contest as close. Mitchell will score an upset win. CD-8: Former State Senator Gabrielle Giffords (D) will score a third Dem gain in this open seat race. Former State Representative Randy Graf (R) is far too conservative for this swing district — so much so that even retiring Congressman Jim Kolbe (R) declined to endorse Graf after he won the crowded primary. Graf is an avowed acolyte of radical anti-immigration Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO). Giffords will win big. RESULTS: DEMS GAIN 3 SEATS.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 10.31.06 | Permalink | postCount(’AZ06′);
ARKANSAS:
GOVERNOR: Governor Mike Huckabee (R) — gearing up for a 2008 Presidential run — is term-limited. Republicans initially had high hopes for Lieutenant Governor Win Rockefeller holding the seat. Sadly, Rockefeller became ill, withdrew from the race in late 2005 and died earlier this year. By default, that left Rockefeller’s primary opponent — former Congressman and former Drug Enforcement Administration head Asa Hutchinson — as the only real candidate for the GOP nomination. From the start, Hutchinson has trailed Attorney General Mike Beebe (D) in the polls by wide margins. Several independent polls have even placed the gap in the 20+ point range. I think Hutchinson’s deficit is less, probably in the 10-15 point range. Beebe has has run a safe campaign and will win by a comfortable margin. Democrats also appear poised here to sweep all of the other statewide offices this year. RESULT: DEM GAIN.
US HOUSE: The most competitive House race is the CD-2 contest between Congressman Vic Snyder (D). and former State Economic Development Department official Andy Mayberry (R) — and Snyder will still win by a double-digit margin. All the other incumbents are safe, too. RESULTS: NO CHANGE.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 10.31.06 | Permalink | postCount(’AR06′);
CALIFORNIA:
GOVERNOR: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) has yet again transformed himself politically. Gone is the conservative, union-bashing “Governator” of 2005. Now he has retooled himself back into the moderate, socially liberal, consensus-builder Arnold of 2003. State Treasurer Phil Angelides (D) depleted his campaign dollars in his costly primary against State Controller Steve Westly, allowed the incumbent to be on the air with TV spots from months with virtually no response. The resourceful Schwarzenegger will defeat the hapless Angelides, despite the big advantage Democrats traditionally hold in California. The only question is who will be Governor next year: Arnold the moderate or Arnold the conservative? RESULT: GOP HOLD.
US SENATE: Republicans failed to recruit a first-tier candidate to challenge US Senator Dianne Feinstein (D) this year. She’ll easily defeat former State Senator Dick Mountjoy (R) by a landslide margin. RESULT: DEM HOLD.
US HOUSE: Only a handful of the state’s 53 congressional districts appear to merit any attention. CD-4: Congressman John Dooliittle (R) is one of the top targets of federal prosecutors in the Abramoff corruption case that already resulted in several felony indictments against others on Capitol Hill. Democrats have a strong candidate in retired Air Force office Charlie Brown. He has done everything right and hammered home the Abramoff/corruption message for months. Unfortunately, the district is so heavily Republican that it would be nearly impossible for any Democrat to even come close here. Brown will come close — which is a big achievement — but I don’t think it will be close enough to oust Doolittle. CD-11: Congressman Dick Pombo (R) is also under an ethics cloud, giving Dems hope for an upset here. Wind turbine manufacturer Jerry McNerney unexpectedly won the Democratic primary, defeating a highly touted military veteran who was recruited into the race by the DCCC. McNerney’s win dampened the DCCC’s enthusiasm, but McNerney remains feisty and undeterred. Like CD-4, this is another heavily Republican district that make a Dem win rather unlikely. Pombo will win another term. CD-22: State Assemblyman Kevin McCarthy (R) — retiring Congressman Bill Thomas’ hand-picked heir — will keep this seat in the GOP column. CD-50: A late October poll, coupled with news reports of ethics problems for Congressman Brian Bilbray (R), placed this seat back into play. Congressman Duke Cunningham (R) pled guilty to bribery and other corruption charges and resigned in 2005, setting up the special election Bilbray won in June. College professor Francine Busby (D) is making her third run for this seat within the past two years. However, if the “culture of corruption” message didn’t carry Busby to victory when the Cunningham scandal was fresher a few months ago, don’t look for it to produce a different result this time. RESULTS: NO CHANGE.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 10.31.06 | Permalink | postCount(’CA06′);
COLORADO:
GOVERNOR: Former Denver District Attorney Bill Ritter (D) has run a very strong campaign for this open seat. By contrast, Congressman Bob Beauprez (R) has run a largely inept campaign to succeed term-limited Governor Bill Owens (R). This is an easy call: Ritter will handily win. In fact, Ritter may have strong enough coattails to help some of his Dem runningmates score pickups with other statewide offices. RESULT: DEM GAIN.
US HOUSE: Several hot races in the Rocky Mountain State. CD-4: Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave (R) is facing a hard-charging challenge from State Representative Angie Paccione (D). Complicating the race — and hurting Musgrave — is the candidacy of Eric Eidsness (Reform), a former top-ranking EPA official during the Reagan Administration. Eidsness, a lifelong Republican, believes Musgrave’s nearly single-issue focus in Congress (sponsoring a series of anti-gay rights legislation) has embarrassed and financially hurt the district. Polls have shown the race to be close, but I believe Musgrave will survive yet another close call (and I’d like to be wrong on this one). CD-5: State Senator Doug Lamborn — the most conservative of the hopefuls — won the crowded GOP primary for this open seat after a nasty primary contest. In so doing, Lamborn defeated the hand-picked heir of retiring Congressman Joel Hefley (R). Hefley, in turn, publicly announced he was so disgusted with Lamborn’s primary campaign that he would not endorse Lamborn and urged Republicans who felt likewise to consider abstaining in this race. Dems were hopeful that Hefley’s comments would help the candidacy of retired USAF office Jay Fawcett (D). It may, but not nearly enough for Fawcett to win. Lamborn will win this race by at least several points. CD-7: This is a swing district, so highly competitive races here are not uncommon. With Congressman Beauprez giving up this seat to run for Governor, expect it to be especially competitive. Former State Senator Ed Perlmutter (D) has held an advantage over former State Higher Education Commission Chair Rick O’Donnell (R) for months. O’Donnell — after some early stumbles — has gained ground on Perlmutter in the final weeks by sharply distancing himself from President Bush and questioning the need for the US to remain in Iraq. Perlmutter, however, will still win this seat and score a Democratic pickup. RESULTS: DEMS GAIN 1 SEAT.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 10.31.06 | Permalink | postCount(’CO06′);
CONNECTICUT:
GOVERNOR: Governor Jodi Rell (R) is immensely popular, holding one of the strongest approval races of any governor in the nation. She will cruise to a big victory over New Haven Mayor John DeStefano (D). RESULT: GOP HOLD.
US SENATE: US Senator Joe Lieberman may not have been a team player when he decided to stay in his race for re-election as an Independent after narrowly losing the Democratic primary to businessman and anti-war activist Ned Lamont. However, it was an astute move for Lieberman. Former State Representative Alan Schlesinger (R) has only been a nominal factor in the race, as the GOP and the White House seem generally aligned with Lieberman. While Lieberman is a social liberal and repeatedly vowed to caucus with the Dems if reelected, he is also a staunch supporter of the Iraq War (thus explaining the Bush Administration’s support for him). Lamont, by contrast, has had trouble solidifying the Democratic base after the primary — as the blue collar Dems have remained fairly loyal to Lieberman. Look for Lieberman to win a fourth term. RESULT: INDY/DEM HOLD.
US HOUSE: Three GOP centrist incumbents in swing districts are facing very aggressive Democratic challengers, all of whom are running on anti-war platforms. All of the embattled GOP incumbents are running campaigns stressing their purported political “independence.” CD-2: Congressman Rob Simmons (R) has significant clout in the House on the Iraq War and other similar foreign policy matters because of his experience as a former CIA officer. Simmons is a supporter of the Iraq War. Former State Representative Joe Courtney (D) — who lost to Simmons in 2002 — is making a second run for the seat. The change in the national political climate makes the rematch much more competitive than the original race of four years ago. This race will be very close, but look for Simmons to narrowly win a fourth term. CD-4: The CD-4 race is also another rematch. Ten-term Congressman Chris Shays (R) is another supporter of the Iraq War, although he recently seems to be waffling on his stance. Former Westport First Selectwoman Diane Farrell (D), the ‘04 nominee, is making a second run after a narrow defeat last time. She got a boost from some recent Shays gaffes and from the withdrawal of the Green nominee from the contest. Shays had a very long run in a very Democratic district, but I think his time is up. Farrell will defeat Shays. CD-5: Twelve-term Congresswoman Nancy Johnson (R) for months looked well-positioned to hold her swing seat. Unfortunately for Johnson, State Senator Chris Murphy (D) seems to be building momentum and peaking at just the right time. Like Shays, Johnson will come close — but not close enough — to win again. RESULTS: DEMS GAIN 2 SEATS.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 10.31.06 | Permalink | postCount(’CT06′);
DELAWARE:
US SENATE: US Senator Tom Carper (D) will score a landslide re-election victory over law professor and former INS Assistant Commissioner Jan Ting (R). RESULT: DEM HOLD.
US HOUSE: Despite recent medical problems (two minor strokes), Congressman Mike Castle (R) will win big in his race for an eighth term. RESULTS: NO CHANGE.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 10.31.06 | Permalink | postCount(’DE06′);
FREE SPEECH ZONE.
Happy Halloween.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 10.31.06 | Permalink | postCount(’103106a’);
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. OUR THANKS TODAY GO TO: Teton County School Board Chair and Internet executive Gary Trauner, Democrat for Congress in Wyoming.
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Continue Reading October 29th, 2006
MONDAY NEWS UPDATE.
BY THE NUMBERS: US SENATE RACES.
FLORIDA: US Senator Bill Nelson (D) - 56%, Congresswoman Katherine Harris (R) - 30%. (St. Petersburg Times).
MAINE: US Senator Olympia Snowe (R) - 74%, progressive activist Jean Hay Bright (D) - 14%, peace activist Bill Slavick (Independent) - 6%. (Critical Insights).
MARYLAND: Congressman Ben Cardin (D) - 54%, Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele (R) - 43%. (Washington Post).
MARYLAND: Cardin (D) - 50%, Steele (R) - 45%. (Rasmussen Reports).
MASSACHUSETTS: US Senator Ted Kennedy (D) - 66%, language school owner Ken Chase (R) - 25%. (Boston Globe).
MICHIGAN: US Senator Debbie Stabenow (D) - 50%, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard (R) - 38%, UAW local president David Sole (Green) - 1%. (Detroit News/WOOD-TV/EPIC-MRA).
MASSACHUSETTS: US Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) - 60%, attorney Barbara Ann Radnofsky (D) - 34%. (Rasmussen Reports).
MINNESOTA: Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar (D) - 54%, Congressman Mark Kennedy (R) - 39%. (Rasmussen Reports).
MISSOURI: US Senator Jim Talent (R) - 47%, State Auditor Claire McCaskill (D) - 47%, businessman Frank Gilmour (Libertarian) - 2%. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Research 2000).
MONTANA: State Senate President Jon Tester (D) - 51%, US Senate Conrad Burns (R) - 48%. (Rasmussen Reports).
NEW JERSEY: US Senator Bob Menendez (D) - 48%, State Senator Tom Kean Jr. (R) - 42%. (Bergen Record/Research 2000).
OHIO: Congressman Sherrod Brown (D) - 54%, US Senator Mike DeWine (R) - 43%. (Rasmussen Reports).
PENNSYLVANIA: State Treasurer Bob Casey Jr. (D) - 54%, US Senator Rick Santorum (R) - 38%. (Philadelphia Inquirer/Temple University).
PENNSYLVANIA: Casey (D) - 55%, Santorum (R) - 42%. (Rasmussen Reports).
RHODE ISLAND: Former Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse (D) - 43%, US Senator Lincoln Chafee (R) - 33%. (Rhode Island College).
WASHINGTON: US Senator Maria Cantwell (D) - 54%, insurance executive Mike McGavick (R) - 42%.(Rasmussen Reports).
BY THE NUMBERS: GOVERNOR RACES.
CALIFORNIA: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) - 53%, State Treasurer Phil Angelides (D) - 40%. (Rasmussen Reports).
COLORADO: Former Denver District Attorney Bill Ritter (D) - 50%, Congressman Bob Beauprez (R) - 38%, Three Others - 5%. (Denver Post/Mason-Dixon).
FLORIDA: Attorney General Charlie Crist (R) - 48%, Congressman Jim Davis (D) - 42%. (St. Petersburg Times).
FLORIDA: Crist (R) - 52%, Davis (D) - 41%. (Rasmussen Reports).
IDAHO: Congressman Butch Otter (R) - 44%, newspaper publisher Jerry Brady (D) - 43%, Ted Dunlap (Libertarian) - 1%. (Idaho Statesman/Mason-Dixon).
ILLINOIS: Governor Rod Blagojevich (D) - 47%, State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka (R) - 38%, attorney Rich Whitney (Green) - 11%. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Research 2000).
MAINE: Governor John Baldacci (D) - 42%, State Senator Chandler Woodcock (R) - 25%, State Representative Barbara Merrill (Independent) - 11%, radio talk show host Pat LaMarche (Green) - 7%. (Critical Insights).
MARYLAND: Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley (D) - 55%, Governor Bob Ehrlich (R) - 45%. (Washington Post).
MARYLAND: O’Malley (D) - 50%, Ehrlich (R) - 47%. (Rasmussen Reports).
MASSACHUSETTS: Former US Assistant Attorney General Deval Patrick (D) - 54%, Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey (R) - 29%, businessman Christy Mihos (Independent) - 8%, affordable housing activist Grace Ross (Green) - 2%. (Boston Globe).
MICHIGAN: Governor Jennifer Granholm (D) - 44%, businessman Dick DeVos (R) - 37%, engineer Doug Campbell (Green) - 1%, hospital worker Greg Creswell (Libertarian) - 1%. (Detroit News/WOOD-TV/EPIC-MRA).
MINNESOTA: Attorney General Mike Hatch (D) - 45%, Governor Tim Pawlenty (R) - 44%. (Rasmussen Reports).
NEVADA: Congressman Jim Gibbons (R) - 47%, State Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus (D) - 41%, Others - 2%, None Of The Above - 4%. (Reno Gazette-Journal/Research 2000).
OHIO: Congressman Ted Strickland (D) - 58%, Secretary of State Ken Blackwell (R) - 36%. (Rasmussen Reports).
OREGON: Governor Ted Kulongoski (D) - 51%, former Portland School Board Member Ron Saxton (R) - 44%. (Rasmussen Reports).
PENNSYLVANIA: Governor Ed Rendell (D) - 56%, former pro football player Lynn Swann (R) - 38%. (Rasmussen Reports).
RHODE ISLAND: Governor Don Carcieri (R) - 49%, Lieutenant Governor Charlie Fogarty (D) - 35%. (Rhode Island College).
SOUTH CAROLINA: Governor Mark Sanford (R) - 58%, State Senator Tommy Moore (D) - 31%. (Clemson University).
TEXAS: Governor Rick Perry (R) - 38%, former Congressman Chris Bell (D) - 22%, State Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn (Independent) - 21%, musician Kinky Friedman (Independent) - 11%, software sales analyst James Werner (Libertarian) - 1%. (Houston Chronicle/Zogby).
VERMONT: Governor Jim Douglas (R) - 51%, former State Democratic Chair Scudder Parker (D) - 41%. (WCAX-TV/Research 2000).
BY THE NUMBERS: US HOUSE RACES.
ARIZONA - CD-1: Congressman Rick Renzi (R) - 45%, attorney Ellen Simon (D) - 32%. (Northern Arizona University).
ARIZONA - CD-8: Former State Senator Gabrielle Giffords (D) - 48%, former State Representative Randy Graf (R) - 38%, Libertarian Party co-founder David Nolan (Libertarian) - 2%, architectural metal shop owner Jay Quick (Independent) - 2%. (Arizona Daily Star/KVOA-TV/Zimmerman).
IDAHO - CD-1: State Representative Bill Sali (R) - 39%, businessman Larry Grant (D) - 37%, USAF veteran Dave Olson (Independent) - 2%, advertising executive Andy Hedden-Nicely (Natural Law/United) - 1%. (Idaho Statesman/Mason-Dixon).
MAINE - CD-1: Congressman Tom Allen (D) - 62%, State Representative Darlene Curley (R) - 18%, peace activist Dexter Kamilewicz (Independent) - 6%. (Critical Insights).
MAINE - CD-2: Congressman Mike Michaud (D) - 62%, former Lisbon Falls Town Selectman Scott D’Ambroise (R) - 25%. (Critical Insights).
PENNSYLVANIA - CD-8: Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick (R) - 48%, Iraq War veteran Patrick Murphy (D) - 39%. (Philadelphia Inquirer/Keystone Poll/Franklin & Marshall Univ).
SOUTH CAROLINA - CD-5: Congressman John Spratt (D) - 61%, State Representative Ralph Norman (R) - 28%. (Clemson University).
VERMONT - CD-AL: Senate President Pro Tem Peter Welch (D) - 51%, former State Adjutant General Martha Rainville (R) - 41%. (WCAX-TV/Research 2000).
WYOMING - CD-AL: Congresswoman Barbara Cubin (R) - 44%, Teton County School Board Chair Gary Trauner (D) - 40%, substance abuse counsellor Thom Rankin (Libertarian) - 5%. (Wyoming Tribune-Eagle/Aspen Media).
P2008: HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE CHAIR TO ANNOUNCE WHITE HOUSE RUN.
Nobody inside the Beltway — and possibly nobody outside of the candidate’s own staff — saw this one coming. In a surprise move, House Armed Services Committee Chair Duncan Hunter (R-CA) plans to announce Monday he is forming an exploratory committee to seek the Republican nomination for President in 2008. Hunter, a Vietnam War veteran and the father of an Iraq War veteran, is a solid conservative. During his 13 terms in Congress, Hunter has supported significant increases in the military, including increased spending, an increased role in stopping illegal immigration into the US, and an increased position to influence the intelligence-gathering agencies. An attorney, Hunter was first swept into Congress when he defeated an 18-year Democratic incumbent on the coattails of the 1980 Reagan landslide. Despite his clout in the House and political strength within his district, Hunter is little-known elsewhere to most Republican primary voters and will need to struggle just to get noticed in the crowded pack of “second tier” GOP hopefuls. The timing of Hunter’s announcement also seems curious. However, it could possibly be attributed to wanting to be described as the “Armed Services Chair” — instead of “Ranking Minority Member” — in the news coverage, if Hunter is worried his party will lose majority status in the House in next week’s elections.
PA-18: DAILY SCANDAL-RAMA VISITS CONGRESSMAN MURPHY.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Congressman Tim Murphy (R-PA) may have violated House ethics rules by using taxpayer-funded congressional staff and interns for campaign work. Several congressional staff told the newspaper in interviews that Murphy may have acted unethically, but they have not filed a formal complaint. The staffers, some anonymous, claimed that Murphy used his congressional office and its equipment for campaign purpose; congressional interns were instructed to canvas neighborhoods and distribute campaign literature during the summer; and congressional staff members devoted time last December to mailing Christmas cards to campaign donors. Staffers said that they were highly pressured, though not forced, to engage in these campaign activities. However, the newspaper noted such allegations are difficult to prove “because workers are permitted to perform campaign tasks when on voluntary personal time, and there is no clock they punch to switch time. But it’s clear that multiple staff members believed that what they were instructed to do crossed an ethical line.” Voters in Murphy’s suburban Pittsburgh district could be somewhat concerned about these type of allegations, as a local state representative went to prison earlier this year for similar violations related to state law. However, despite the district’s large Democratic registration edge, Murphy is heavily favored to defeat telecommunications executive Chad Kluko (D).
FREE SPEECH ZONE.
Your thread for everything else that’s going on today in politics.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 10.30.06 | Permalink | postCount(’103006f’);
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. OUR THANKS TODAY GO TO: Attorney and Navy veteran Rich Sexton, Democrat for Congress in New Jersey’s CD-3.
WANNA TRADE?
I’m interested in building up my collection of Canadian campaign buttons. If you’ve got Canadian political buttons to trade, I’m interesting in swapping with you for some great US pins. Please drop me a note!
WRITERS WANTED: WRITE FOR POLITICS1.
Claim your 15 minutes of online fame with the political crowd. Click here to learn more about writing for Politics1.
Continue Reading October 29th, 2006
Riding a wave of Joementum that has him up by more than ten points in the latest polls, Joe Lieberman is launching a campaign to seal his likely independent re-election victory by educating voters about the location of his name on the ballot. Lieberman will appear much further down …
Continue Reading October 29th, 2006
Bruce Guthrie, Libertarian candidate for Senate in Washington, is going on television. With about 2 weeks left before the election and over a million dollars in his bank account, he could still have a major impact on this race.
The press release follows…
Today, the Guthrie campaign launched a new television …
Continue Reading October 29th, 2006
Rex Bell is within 2% of the Republican candidate in a state house race in Indiana. Imagine having a Libertarian state representative in a state other than Vermont, New Hampshire, and Alaska. Heck, imagine having a Libertarian in any state house at all! This sounds like a …
Continue Reading October 29th, 2006
The Greens have formed an alliance with Connecticut Democrats to help defeat Republican Representative Christopher Shays.
From the Hartford Courant…
With polls showing a tight matchup in this year’s 4th Congressional District race, the Green Party is withdrawing its candidate and throwing support to Democrat Diane Farrell.
“We decided to have a strategic …
Continue Reading October 29th, 2006
Reform Party Congressional candidate Eric Eidsness picked up a nice little newspaper endorsement yesterday.
From the Fort Morgan Times…
There’s something for everyone in the race for the 4th Congressional District seat.
There’s the reserved conservative Republican incumbent versus the highly animated Democratic challenger versus an equally animated Reform Party candidate who also …
Continue Reading October 29th, 2006
Well, I don’t really know what to make of this poll.
Survey USA has Green Party gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney polling at 14% as of yesterday. This comes from a survey of 578 likely voters and the margin of error is only around +/- 4%.
Click here to see the results …
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