The Most Comprehensive Guide to U.S. Politics ... since 1997
| DIRECTORY:
Home | The Presidency
| P2008 Race | State/Federal
Candidates | Political Parties Calendar | Campaign Products & Services | Issues | News Blog | News Links | Job Bank FAQ | Site of the Day Award | Bookstore | Our Awards | Advertise | About Us | Email Us |
|
BLOG ARCHIVE: JANUARY 16-31, 2006
NEW
YORK. A Siena College poll released yesterday showed
billionaire businessman and perennial candidate Tom Golisano to
be the strongest possible GOP candidate for Governor against Attorney
General Eliot Spitzer (D) -- even though Golisano trailed by 26
points. Well, now the New York Republicans cannot even count on
Golisano. He announced Tuesday that he will not make a fourth
run for Governor in 2006. With Golisano out, the new GOP frontrunner
for Governor is ... actually, who cares ... this race is already
over. Move this one into the Safe Dem column. LOUISIANA.
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin was viewed as a safe bet
to win re-election -- but that was all before Hurricane Katrina.
On Tuesday, he drew a major opponent in his April re-election
contest. Lieutenant Governor Mitch Landrieu (D) -- brother of
US Senator Mary Landrieu (D) -- contacted supporters in the city
this week to let them know he will challenge Nagin. Audubon Institute
Chief Executive Ron Forman -- also viewed as a potentially viable
challenger -- says he, too, is looking at the race.
SITE
OF THE DAY: Our site of the day winner is the
Steve Laffey for US Senate
(R-Rhode Island). FREE
SPEECH ZONE. President Bush -- former President of Bush
Exploration Oil & Gas Company -- used his State of the Union
Address to call on the US to end our addiction to oil. The speech
was warmly applauded by Vice President Dick Cheney, the former
Chairman of the Halliburton oil company. And, while I'm on this
little rant, is there anyone who thinks we would have gone to
war in Iraq if the country didn't have oil? Just my two cents. KENTUCKY.
The Dems have managed to put another House seat into
play for 2006. Former Congressman Ken Lucas (D) -- a 72-year-old
"Blue Dog" Democrat -- announced his candidacy for the
CD-4 seat held by freshman Congressman Geoff Davis (R). "Over
the last year, I've grown concerned about the widespread public
corruption news coming from Congress and the increased partisanship
in the US House of Representatives. I'm disappointed that Geoff
Davis has done nothing to separate himself from many of the figures
involved in those scandals," Lucas explained. Lucas retired
in 2004. Lucas and Davis previously faced-off in 2002, with Lucas
winning the race. Now Davis will have the incumbency fundraising
advantage, but this still promises to be a close, competitive
election. Move this one into the "Leans GOP" column.
NEW
YORK. According to a new Siena College poll, US Senator
Hillary Clinton (D) will TENNESSEE.
A new Rasmussen Reports poll shows the open US Senate
race remains hotly contested, although Congressman Harold Ford
Jr. (D) has lost a few points against each of the leading GOP
contenders since the last poll. Former Congressman Van Hilleary
(R) leads Ford by the widest margin: 43% to 37%. Former Congressman
Ed Bryant (R) and former Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker (R) both
led Ford by identical votes of 43% to 40%. Hilleary and Bryant
have positioned themselves as staunch conservatives, and are splitting
that large base of GOP primary voters. Corker, a more moderate
candidate, is counting on that split to win the nomination.
SITE
OF THE DAY: Our site of the day winner is the
Centrist Coalition. FREE
SPEECH ZONE. Your turn. CALIFORNIA.
Anti-war activist OHIO.
A new independent poll conducted by McLaughlin &
Associates for the Ohio Republican Party has Secretary of State
Ken Blackwell holding a comfortable lead over Attorney General
Jim Petro in the GOP primary for Governor. The poll -- conducted
last week following the withdrawal of State Auditor Betty Montgomery
from the primary contest -- shows Blackwell leading Petro by a
vote of 40% to 30%, with 1% for "Others" and 29% undecided.
This isn't good news for Petro, as these numbers come just a short
time after he finished a $1.6 million statewide TV ad blitz. WEST
VIRGINIA. Candidate filing closed on Saturday. Multimillionaire
media mogul and former State GOP Chairman John Raese filed to
run against US Senator Robert C. Byrd (D). Five other Republicans
-- including 2004 Attorney General nominee Hiram Lewis -- also
filed for the primary. MINNESOTA.
The latest Rasmussen Reports tracking poll shows the
US Senate race here remains very close. Hennepin County Attorney
Amy Klobuchar (D) held a razor-slim lead over Congressman Mark
Kennedy (R) by a vote of 43% to 42%. Multimillionaire philanthropist
and veterinarian Ford Bell -- who is challenging Klobuchar for
the Democratic nomination -- trailed Kennedy by a vote of 41%
to 36%. Klobuchar led Kennedy by 7-points and Kennedy led Bell
by 10-points in the last Rasmussen poll. In related news, wealthy
trial attorney Mike Ciresi (D) -- a 2000 candidate for US Senate
-- plans to announce this week whether or not he'll enter the
race. ABRAMOFF
UPDATE. Time magazine is reporting some good news for
the Republican Party. According to a new poll, 57% of American
voters said "they have not been following the Jack Abramoff
case very closely or at all." Meanwhile, President Bush last
week nominated Noel Hillman -- the chief of the Justice Department's
Office of Public Integrity -- to a federal judgeship in New Jersey.
Hillman is the hands-on prosecutor who spearheaded the Abramoff
investigation. A Justice Department spokesperson said the Hillman
nomination had been in the works for nearly a year. Hillman's
departure from the case, however, will likely increase Congressional
pressure on the White House for the appointment of a Special Prosecutor.
SITE
OF THE DAY: Our site of the day winner is
Dan Maffei for Congress (D-New York). FREE
SPEECH ZONE. Go. US
SENATE. SurveyUSA is ALITO
UPDATE. Senator John Kerry (D-MA) is trying to kick-start
his 2008 Presidential effort by organizing a filibuster of Supreme
Court Justice nominee Sam Alito. It's a win-win for Kerry, even
if (or, much more likely, when) Alito is confirmed. If the filibuster
succeeds, Kerry is a hero to the party's liberal base that was
unenthused about him in 2004. If the the effort fails, Kerry still
scores points for attempting to organize the filibuster. Meanwhile,
the campaign manager for US Senator Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) told
the Washington Post the Alito vote "is a lose-lose
situation" for Chafee. If Chafee votes against Alito, conservative
Cranston Mayor Steve Laffey may be able to use the issue in the
GOP primary to defeat Chafee for renomination. But, if Chafee
votes for Alito, the Dem nominee will use it against Chafee in
the general election. OHIO.
Embattled Congressman Bob Ney (R) officially kicked-off his re-election
effort on Thursday. SITE
OF THE DAY: Our site of the day winner is
David Kramer for US Senator (R-Nebraska). FREE
SPEECH ZONE. Unlike some of my liberal colleagues who
are upset with the choice of centrist Governor Tim Kaine (D-VA)
to give the Democratic response to the President's State of the
Union address next week, I'm not angered. However, I'm certainly
disappointed at this squandered opportunity. John Murtha or Russ
Feingold would have been two substantially better choices -- both
men of integrity, courage and with agendas distinctively different
from the Republican agenda. Instead, we went with an option that
presents us as yet again as "Republican-Lite." Just
my two cents. IMPEACHMENT?
This story took me by surprise, as I'm rather jaded every time
some liberal group talks about "impeaching President Bush
for [fill-in-the-blank]." Then again, after impeaching President
Clinton for lying about a blow job, Congress certainly lowered
the bar for what constitutes an impeachable offense. Still, it's
worth taking notice when Insight magazine -- MASSACHUSETTS.
Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey (R) is trying to avoid
an Independent gubernatorial candidacy this fall by multimillionaire
convenience store magnate Christy Mihos (R). Retiring Governor
Mitt Romney -- who has already endorsed Healey -- previously appointed
to the State Turnpike Authority. Romney is encouraging Mihos to
instead run against US Senator Ted Kennedy (D). Mihos, however,
has made is clear he is interested only in the Governor race.
That's why Healey is proposing a deal with Mihos: If Mihos agrees
to stay in the GOP, Healey will guarantee Mihos the support of
enough convention delegates to qualify him for the Republican
gubernatorial primary against Healey. "We want [Mihos] in
the party. We want him running as a Republican," explained
State House Minority Leader Brad Jones, who is Healey's convention
chairman. Mihos' campaign said the offer was not enough as "Christy
wants to run as a Republican. We just have concerns about the
process ... [our] concerns have not been alleviated yet."
ARIZONA.
A new Behavior Research Center of Phoenix poll -- conducted
for local media -- shows US Senator Jon Kyl (R) holding a solid
lead over multimillionaire developer and former State Democratic
Chair Jim Pederson (D). The numbers: Kyl-55%, Pederson-26%. The
same poll also showed Governor Janet Napolitano (D) holding a
massive 28-point lead over her nearest GOP challenger. SITE
OF THE DAY: Our site of the day winner is
Peter Hutchinson for Minnesota Governor. FREE
SPEECH ZONE. Reading the campaign platform of Conservative
Party Leader Stephen Harper -- Canada's new Prime Minister --
gave me a chuckle. He supports the Iraq War but promised no Canadians
would ever serve in Iraq, supports a total ban on handguns, opposes
same-sex marriage but supports gay civil unions, wants an improved
national health insurance system, called for a new government
program to pay all parents $100 per month per child under age
6 to spend on child care, etc. If he was running in the US on
that platform, Republicans would bash Harper as being from the
left-wing of the Democratic Party. OHIO.
State Auditor and former Attorney General Betty ALABAMA.
Democrats got some good news in the gubernatorial contest
this week. Former Democratic State Representative Nathan Mathis
-- a supporter of casino gaming -- had previously announced his
candidacy for Governor as an Independent. In a close race, his
candidacy could have made him into a spoiler. Now Mathis has backed
off his independent candidacy. Mathis says if the state legislature
enacts casino legislation this spring, he won't run for Governor.
If they fail to enact casino legislation, Mathis says he will
then run in the Democratic primary. In either instance, this ensures
the Dems will not have someone on the November ballot siphoning
off votes. Lieutenant Governor Lucy Baxley is favored to win the
Democratic primary over indicted former Governor Don Siegelman.
The GOP primary features a contest between Governor Bob Riley
and former State Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy "The Ten
Commandments Judge" Moore. MICHIGAN.
A new Rasmussen Reports poll shows US Senator Debbie
Stabenow (D) continuing to hold a commanding lead in her race
for re-election. Stabenow lead Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard
-- the NRSC recruited candidate -- by a 56% to 31% vote. She also
held a 54% to 35% advantage over former Detroit City Councilman
Keith Butler. Think tank director Jerry Zandstra trailed Stabenow
by a 58% to 30% vote. SITE
OF THE DAY: Our site of the day winner is
Jim Esch for Congress (D-Nebraska). FREE
SPEECH ZONE. From north of the border, it appears Conservative
Party Leader Stephen Harper will become Canada's next Prime Minister,
as Canadians elected a Tory minority government and ended the
12-year reign of the Liberal Party. Click
here for more results and info from the CBC. ABRAMOFF
SCANDAL. Earlier this month Presidential Press Secretary
Scott McClellan told reporters that it appeared corrupt Republican
lobbyist Jack Abramoff had only "low-level" staff contact
with the Bush White House. Just like he assured the press corps
in 2004 that no one in the White House was involved in leaking
the info on former CIA covert agent Valerie Plame. Turns out his
new denials were as accurate as the Plame-gate ones. Time magazine
reports they were shown six photos of President Bush meeting with
Abramoff -- but the magazine was not able to get copies of the
pix. "While Time's source refused to provide the pictures
for publication, they are likely to see the light of day eventually
because celebrity tabloids are on the prowl for them," explained
the magazine (translation: the source wants to sell them and the
tabloids are willing to pay his price). The White House initially
sought to explain away the photos, describing them as having been
taken when "the President stopped by a meeting with 21 state
legislators and two tribal leaders." However, Time said "most
of the pictures have the formal look of photos taken at Presidential
receptions." In response, the White House acknowledged Abramoff
attended some events at the Executive Mansion -- but the Abramoff
pix are insignificant because "The President has taken tens
upon thousands of pictures at such events," said a Bush spokeswoman.
GEORGIA.
Congressional candidate Jay Fisher (Libertarian) is making
a serious attempt to become the first third-party nominee to appear
on the ballot for Congress from Georgia in the last 63 years,
reported Ballot Access News. "In 1943 Georgia enacted
a law that requires minor party and independent candidates for
U.S. House to submit a petition signed by 5% of the registered
voters in that district. No independent has managed this since
1964, and no minor party nominee has ever done it," explained
the newsletter. Fisher, an attorney, must collect 15,000 valid
signatures from CD-6 voters to qualify for the ballot.
Freshman Congressman Tom Price (R) currently holds the CD-6 seat,
which is a safe Republican district.
SITE
OF THE DAY: Our site of the day winner is
Kirsten Gillibrand for Congress (D-New York). FREE
SPEECH ZONE. Don't know if any of you saw it over the
weekend, but check out the new column by liberal icon Molly Ivins
blasting Hillary Clinton's Presidential ambitions.
PENNSYLVANIA.
If former pro football player Lynn Swann wins the GOP
nomination for Governor, incumbent Ed Rendell (D) could be in
trouble. According to the new Rasmussen Reports poll, Swann now
narrowly leads Rendell by a 45% to 43% vote. However, if former
Lieutenant Governor Bill Scranton III is the GOP nominee, Rendell
holds a comfortable 46% to 36% advantage.
HAWAII.
While he probably expected this reaction, Hawaii Democratic
Party leaders appear solidly united against Congressman Ed Case's
Dem primary challenge to US Senator Dan Akaka (D). The 81-year-old
incumbent appeared unfazed, saying that winning a challenge like
this will only make him politically stronger. US Senator Dan Inouye,
the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and Congressman Neil
Abercrombie all quickly threw their weight behind Akaka. Abercrombie,
in particular, seemed miffed -- but that's probably because he'd
been waiting years for a US Senate seat to open while Case just
cut in front of him in the line. Several Democrats
quickly announced their candidacies or potential candidacies for
Case's solidly Dem CD-2 seat. SITE
OF THE DAY: Our site of the day winner is
Robert W. Churchill for Congress (R-Illinois). OPEN
THREAD. Sun, waves, breeze, another weekend at the beach
... so I'm outta here. You pick 'em 'til I post new stuff for
Monday. HAWAII.
US Senator MINNESOTA.
In a surprising development, child advocate Patty Wetterling
(D) appears on the brink of an imminent exit from the open US
Senate race. Her campaign late Thursday quickly announced plans
for a major announcement on Friday -- but refused to confirm it
is a withdrawal speech. The rumor mill is buzzing that Wetterling
-- currently viewed as the second-place candidate for Dem nomination
-- will either announce she is jumping into the open CD-6 congressional
race or will become a Lieutenant Governor runningmate for one
of the announced gubernatorial hopefuls. Wetterling's move essentially
solidifies Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar as the solid
favorite to win the Democratic nomination. Independent polls in
recent months also show Klobuchar leading Congressman Mark Kennedy
-- the likely GOP nominee -- by several points.
P2008.
Today is just filled with surprising news -- including
this item. Governor Bill Richardson (D-NM), a likely Presidential
candidate, unexpectedly announced he will include a medical marijuana
bill in his requested legislative package for the upcoming session
of the legislature. Earlier in the week, Richardson and the State
House Speaker had said they didn't think they had enough time
in the upcoming 30-day session to deal with the issue. Explaining
his quick turnabout, Richardson said: "After speaking with
many seriously ill New Mexicans, I have decided to include this
bill on my call. This issue is too important, and there are too
many New Mexicans suffering to delay this issue any further."
A similar bill won easy approval last year in the State Senate,
but died without a vote in the State House. SITE
OF THE DAY: Our site of the day winner is
Sue Jeffers for Minnesota Governor -- our first Libertarian
campaign to be so honored. OPEN
THREAD. Friday is January 20th, so we only have to wait
exactly three more years for President
Russ Feingold's inauguration. See you there!! (Also, for
button collectors, please check out my
eBay auctions.) LOUISIANA.
TENNESSEE.
Move Governor Phil Bredesen (D) from "Dem Favored"
to the "Safe Dem" column. State Representative and former
State GOP Chair Beth Harwell announced she would not challenge
Bredesen. With Harwell's exit went the last viable Republican
who was looking at the race. The only announced GOP challengers:
little-known building contractor and attorney Mark Albertini and
Native American activist and paralegal Carl "Two Feathers"
Whitaker. The news will allow the Tenneessee Republican Party
to write-off the gubernatorial contest and instead focus on the
open US Senate seat and down-ballot contests. ARKANSAS.
A new Rasmussen Reports poll shows Attorney General Mike
Beebe (D) continuing to hold an advantage in the open race for
Arkansas Governor. According to the poll, Beebe leads former Congressman
Asa Hutchinson (R) by a 46% to 40% vote. VIRGINIA.
US Senator George Allen (R) looks very strong in his race for
re-election, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports poll. The
numbers: Allen-57%, tech industry lobbyist Harris Miller (D)-27%.
Democratic leaders are still trying to entice author and former
Reagan Administration Navy Secretary James Webb to enter the contest.
Webb has been a sharp critic of the Iraq War and -- this week
-- authored a
scathing New York Times column on Republican-organized
efforts to dishonor and spread false slurs about decorated veterans
who criticize the Bush Administration. SITE
OF THE DAY: Our site of the day winner is
CREW: Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. OPEN
THREAD. Whatever. (Also, for button collectors, please
check out my
eBay auctions.) MISSISSIPPI.
US Senator COLORADO.
State Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald (D) and State
Representative Tom Plant (D) say they will try to place a matter
on the state ballot in November to grant domestic partner rights
to same-sex couples. "This is about economic fairness and
equality. Knowing there are people out there who can never legally
marry, we're leaving it to the voters to decide if there isn't
something we can do so that they can inherit property, make medical
decisions and enjoy other rights," said Fitz-Gerald. By taking
the legislative referendum approach to place the measure on the
ballot, Governor Bill Owens (R) would not be able to veto the
proposal if it is adopted by voters. Owens last year vetoed a
law that banned workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation.
According to the Rocky Mountain News, the Fitz-Gerald/Plant
proposal would extend the following rights to gay couples that
register as domestic partners: hospital and nursing home visitation
rights; protection of property rights, inheritance and pension
benefits; the right to make medical decisions for an incapacitated
partner; access to a partner's health-care benefits; access to
family-leave benefits to care for an ill partner; and the right
to take possession of a deceased partner's remains. Meanwhile,
religious conservatives told the newspaper they oppose the domestic
partner proposal and are considering placing a constitutional
measure on the Colorado ballot this year to ban gay marriage. TEXAS.
The Club for Growth surprisingly endorsed -- for the
first time -- a FLORIDA.
Here's a bizarre and amusing story. Candidate filing closed last
week for the March municipal elections in South Florida. In the
city of Parkland -- located right here in my home county -- embattled
Mayor Bob Marks filed for reelection. He's currently under criminal
investigation for having voted to help a developer on matters
in which he had secret ties between his business and the developer.
Here is where it gets strange: the three candidates who filed
against him were reformer City Commissioner Michael Udine, Marilyn
Krantz (she appears to be an anti-Udine plant by Marks) ... and
Carolyn Marks, the Mayor's wife. No, it's not a divorce situation
-- as Bob and Carolyn are happily married. Here is how Carolyn
explained her candidacy to the Sun-Sentinel: "If
Bob gets indicted .. there will still be a Marks on the ballot."
And here's a report I got from someone who attended a candidates
forum last week: "It was the strangest thing you have ever
seen. The stump speech by Carolyn Marks was ridiculous. At first
she said she and her husband are 'kind of running as a team. I
am fully supporting my husband.' Then she said 'Vote for Bob,
but if he can’t be on the ballot, then vote for me. But,
if Bob is still on the ballot, then vote for him. But, he might
not be on the ballot, so vote for me.' She went on like that three
more times." Pretty pathetic. SITE
OF THE DAY: Our site of the day winner is
Jennifer Granholm for Michigan Governor. OPEN
THREAD. I got emails asking why didn't I write up the
Al Gore speech bashing Dubya? Simple answer: Lots of Dems bash
the President (hey, I've been known to do it from time to time)
so that, in and of itself, isn't the kind of thing I cover. If
he was a potential Presidential candidate for 2008 -- and he'd
be a strong candidate for the nomination if he'd run -- I'd have
covered it. But Gore already made it clear months ago he won't
run. In fact, he clearly said he will never again be a candidate
for any elective office. Thus, he's just another Dem critic of
this Administration. I thought his remarks were great, but it
wasn't the kind of thing we usually cover. (Also, for button
collectors, please check out my
eBay auctions.) QUICK
TAKES. The Monday MLK Holiday was a fairly slow day for
political news (and we already covered the weekend's news on Monday).
Still, there are a few items worth mentioning. OHIO:
The GOP gubernatorial campaign of Attorney General Jim Petro suffered
a stunning blow on Monday when Lieutenant Governor runningmate
Phil Heimlich quit his ticket. The rumor was floating for weeks
and Petro staffers repeatedly (and even very recently) said the
buzz of a looming political Heimlich Maneuver was completely false.
Turns out it was true. Heimlich instead plans to seek reelection
this year to his county commission seat. The Cleveland Plain
Dealer also reported SITE
OF THE DAY: Our site of the day winner is
CodePink: Women for Peace. OPEN
THREAD. Long weekend over, so it's back to work.
(Also, for button collectors, I've posted several more groups
of campaign buttons from TX, ND, FL, MA , SC, NY and AK ... so
check out my
eBay auctions.) HOUSE
REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP. House Majority ABRAMOFF
SCANDAL. Congressman Bob Ney (R-OH) bowed to pressure
from Speaker Denny Hastert to resign as the House Administration
Committee Chair. Ney -- the leading federal target of the ongoing
Abramoff scandal -- on Sunday issued a statement he will "temporarily
step-down" as chairman. And, in case you were wondering how
solid is the FBI case against Ney, then check out this new report
from Time magazine. Time obtained copies of
an email exchange between Abramoff and lobbying partner Michael
Scanlon -- both of whom already pled guilty and are cooperating
with prosecutors. Here are the two key emails: GOVERNOR
RACES. In NEW YORK, Nassau County Executive
Tom Suozzi filed paperwork Friday to start raising money for a
gubernatorial Democratic primary challenge to Attorney General
Eliot Spitzer. Spitzer remains the heavy favorite in the race.
In OREGON, former Governor Jon Kitzhaber (D)
announced he will not challenge incumbent Governor Ted Kulongoski
in this year's Democratic primary. With Kitzhaber out of the picture,
Kulongoski looks to be in good shape to win renomination. CONGRESSIONAL
RACES. In TEXAS, a Houston Chronicle/Rice
MINNESOTA.
Last month we reported on self-proclaimed
Satanic Dark Priest Jonathon
"The Impaler" Sharkey and his candidacy for Minnesota
Governor. While many of us laughed at the report of his gubernatorial
ambitions, some people were apparently not amused. Although I
would never vote for Sharkey -- and SITE
OF THE DAY: Our site of the day winner is
Charlie Crist for Florida Governor. OPEN
THREAD. Happy MLK Day. Also, for button collectors,
I've posted several more groups of campaign buttons from TX, ND,
FL, MA , SC and AK ... so check out my
eBay auctions. |
BLOG
ARCHIVE:
POLITICAL BLOG ROLL: KINDA
NEUTRAL: DEM/LEFT: GOP/RIGHT: OTHER: |
P2008.
US Senator John Kerry (D-MA) continues laying the groundwork
for a second Presidential run in 2008. According to the AP, Kerry
raised $5.6 million in 2005 and now has at least $10 million in
the bank for another run.
MINNESOTA.
Self-proclaimed Satanic Dark Lord and gubernatorial
candidate Jonathon "The Impaler" Sharkey promised that
he would curb crime if elected by impaling dangerous criminals.
That's why it is particularly amusing that Sharkey is sitting
in a Minnesota jail cell today on an outstanding felony warrant
from Indiana for stalking and escape. The police dispatcher recognized
the name "Rocky Flash" -- Sharkey's former pro-wrestling
and GOP congressional candidate name -- from all the news coverage
about his gadfly campaign for Governor.
cruise
to a lopsided reelection victory over former Yonkers Mayor John
Spencer, who now appears to be the likely GOP nominee. Clinton
led Spencer by a 58% to 31% vote. In the gubernatorial race, Attorney
General Eliot Spitzer (D) is so safe he can start planning his
move into the Executive Mansion. Spitzer led billionaire businessman
and perennial candidate Tom Golisano (R) by a vote of 55% to 29%.
By contrast, former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld (R) loses
to Spitzer by a 60% to 17% landslide. Amazingly, Spitzer even
beat Weld by a 41% to 36% vote among Republican voters. If Nassau
County Executive Tom Suozzi (D) bolts to the GOP to make a run
for Governor -- as has been speculated -- Spitzer defeats him
by a vote of 58% to 20%. Finally, it appears Westchester County
District Attorney Jeanine Pirro (R) isn't doing much better in
the Attorney General race than she did in her brief run against
Senator Clinton. The poll showed Pirro trailing former US Housing
Secretary Andrew Cuomo (D) by a vote of 49% to 36%.
NEW
JERSEY. Governor Jon Corzine (D) has decided he will
not call an early special election to fill the US House vacancy
in CD-13. The seat came open this month when Corzine appointed
Congressman Bob Menendez (D) to the open US Senate seat. Corzine's
move means that district voters will hold the special election
in November 2006, along with the regular election. The winner
-- presumably the winner of both parallel races -- would get a
slight advantage in seniority and in picking a Hill office location
over the other incoming members of the House freshman class. State
Assembly Speaker Albio Sires (D) and Perth Amboy Mayor Joe Vas
(D) are the frontrunners for the CD-13 seat.
Cindy
Sheehan -- the mother of a young US soldier killed in Iraq --
gained national attention in her unsuccessful vigil outside the
President's ranch in Crawford to gain a private audience with
him to discuss the war. Since then, she's become the cause célèbre
of the anti-war community. This weekend Sheehan was a high-profile
attendee at the leftist World Social Forum gathering in Venezuela
-- and used the media attention generated by the trip to mention
she's planning a primary challenge to US Senator Dianne Feinstein
(D). "[Feinstein] voted for the war. She continues to vote
for the funding. She won't call for an immediate withdrawal of
the troops ... I think our Senator needs to be held accountable
for her support of George Bush and his war policies," said
Sheehan, already sounding like a candidate. Feinstein's campaign
manager scoffed at the attacks: "[Feinstein] doesn't support
George Bush and his war policies. She has stated publicly on numerous
occasions that she felt she was misled by the Administration at
the time of the vote ... Senator Feinstein's position is: 'Let's
work toward quickly turning over the defence of Iraq to Iraqis,
so that we can bring the troops home as soon as possible."
Even Sheehan readily acknowledges Feinstein would easily defeat
her in the primary, but says her candidacy "would bring attention
to all the peace candidates in the country." In related news,
the Republicans finally have a sacrificial candidate against Feinstein:
retired State Senator Dick Mountjoy, who comes from the social
conservative wing of the GOP. Four third-party candidates are
also in the race.
Raese,
who was the 1984 GOP nominee for US Senate and a 1988 candidate
for Governor, has the ability to self-finance his campaign. "The
biggest issue I'm going to run on is a rebirth of capitalism in
this country," said Raese. He also added he did not plan
to make any attacks on Byrd but had "no control" over
"outside coalitions" like the National Republican Senatorial
Committee that may run attack ads. The aging incumbent still remains
a strong favorite, but Raese could make it competitive. CD-2 incumbent
Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito (R) will yet again face a competitive
challenge. South Charleston 
Richie
Robb was a late entrant into the race. Robb was a 2004 GOP candidate
for Governor and chosen as a Republican Electoral College member
for President Bush. By November 2004, however, Robb -- a Vietnam
War veteran who did not like the tone of the Swift Boat ads attacking
John Kerry -- made it clear he was disillusioned with Bush and
thought the Iraq war was a mistake. Three months ago he completed
his political transformation, switching to the Democratic Party.
On Friday, Robb announced his candidacy as a Democrat against
Capito. However, before Robb gets to face Capito, he first needs
to get past a Dem primary against former State Democratic Chair
Mike Callaghan and State Delegate Mark Hunt. Robb -- who supports
a fixed date for a withdrawal from Iraq -- says that Capito is
"part of the Washington establishment that’s hooked
into special interests." Capito remains the frontrunner in
this race, but these Dems both help keep this seat in play as
a competitive race in 2006. The other two Congressional incumbents
also drew challengers. State Delegate Chris Wakim (R) filed against
Congressman Alan Mollohan (D) in CD-1 and Cabell County Sheriff
Kim Wolfe (R) filed against Congressman Nick Rahall (D) in CD-3
-- but neither of these races are viewed as very competitive.
out
with the latest round of 50-state approval rating polls on the
US Senators. Of the 100 Senators, the top of the list -- all with
approval ratings of 70% or better -- were Dan Inouye (D-HI), Olympia
Snowe (R-ME), Barack Obama (D-IL), Susan Collins (R-ME), Jack
Reed (D-RI), John McCain (R-AZ) and Tim Johnson (D-SD). At the
opposite end of the spectrum were the four Senators with disapproval
ratings larger than their approval numbers: Jim Bunning (R-KY),
Rick Santorum (R-PA), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Conrad Burns
(R-MT). While these numbers don't looks good for the 2006 reelection
odds for Santorum and Burns, low ratings do not mean certain political
death. Senator Jon Corzine (D-NJ) was ranked a dismal 92nd place
-- with 48% approval and 40% disapproval scores -- yet he handily
won election as New Jersey Governor back in November.
"2006
promises to be a vigorous campaign, and I am ready for the fight,"
said Ney to the Cincinnati Enquirer. Ney remains the
top Congressional target of federal investigators in the bribery
and corruption probe related to corrupt lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
With a likely indictment looming, the State GOP Chair said he
would call on Ney to quit the race if indicted. Ney, in response,
said he'd stay in the race even if he was under indictment. The
newspaper noted Ney is still very popular in his CD-18 district.
A spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee
said the party would back Ney for reelection -- even if Ney is
indicted and even if the Ohio Republican Party wants him to step
aside. "Any incumbent running for re-election that needs
our support will get it ... If Bob Ney is running for re-election,
he'll have our full support," said NRCC spokesman Carl Forti.
Ney addressed the Abramoff scandal in his announcement speech.
"The last several months have not been easy. I have seen
my name savaged by the national media ... And I have watched as
the liberal establishment in Washington has engaged in a coordinated
smear campaign against me. Fiction will soon be separated from
fact. My name will be cleared. I will be vindicated at the end
of the day," he said. With the district's county GOP chairs
quickly lining up behind Ney, a serious primary challenge is starting
to look rather unlikely -- especially as the filing period closes
February 16.
a
sister publication of the pro-Bush Washington Times newspaper
-- is writing about a possible impeachment of Bush. The purported
charges would purportedly focus on the controversial secret electronic
surveillance program that monitored domestic phone conversations
and emails without any court authorization. The publication --
which has warm relations with the Administration -- quotes a few
unnamed White House sources. One source said the "Bush administration
is bracing for impeachment hearings in Congress" and a "prelude
to the impeachment process could begin with hearings by the Senate
Judiciary Committee in February." The article said Republicans
-- including Committee Chair Arlen Specter (R-PA) -- are helping
the Democrats by moving this probe forward. "Our arithmetic
shows that a majority of the committee could vote against the
President. If we work hard, there could be a tie," said a
White House source. Specter, a critic of the secret program, told
the magazine he is not seeking an impeachment vote -- but added
it is a possible outcome of the hearings. "Impeachment is
a remedy. After impeachment, you could have a criminal prosecution.
But the principal remedy under our society is to pay a political
price," said Specter. The magazine also notes conservative
US Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) -- a likely Presidential candidate
-- is another Republican who has openly rejected the President's
position and is viewed as a possible pro-impeachment vote. According
to a source, this will be the White House's defense: "the
American people will never forgive any public official who knowingly
hurts national security. We will tell the American people that
while we have done everything we can to protect them, our policies
are being endangered by a hypocritical Congress."
MISSOURI.
A new St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Research 2000
poll confirms what other recent polls have shown: US Senator Jim
Talent (R) is trailing in his race for re-election. The numbers:
State Auditor Claire McCaskill (D) - 47%, Talent - 44%. Also relevant
were the respective approval ratings. Talent has a 50% approval
and 42% disapproval rating. McCaskill had a 50% approval rating
and a 36% disapproval rating.
Montgomery
(R) is set to announce her withdrawal from the gubernatorial contest
on Tuesday. Montgomery's campaign never gained traction. Her withdrawal
will largely benefit Attorney General Jim Petro (R), as Montgomery
and Petro both drew support from the same centrist base. Although
there are minor GOP hopefuls remaining in the race (including
one who 
PENNSYLVANIA.
US Senator Rick Santorum (R) continues to stay at the
top of the Senate's "most endangered" list this year.
According to the new Rasmussen Reports poll, challenger State
Treasurer Bob Casey Jr. (D) leads Santorum by a vote of 53% to
38%.
FLORIDA.
After spending almost a year trying to find someone to
challenge Congresswoman Katherine Harris in the GOP primary for
US Senate, Republican leaders are giving up their efforts and
endorsing Harris. Over the weekend, Governor Jeb Bush and other
party leaders officially endorsed Harris at a rally in Orlando.
They were worried Harris had negative ratings that simply made
her unelectable against US Senator Bill Nelson (D). Governor Bush
and the NRSC open talked about how weak Harris was -- and tried
to get various elected officials to enter the race -- for month.
Now they're kissing and making nice. Resigned to the fact that
Harris will be the GOP nominee for the Senate seat, they are now
trying to present a unified front to bolster her chances. Bush
told attendees he will do "the best I can" to help Harris
win because "I think she can beat Bill Nelson." Polls
continue to show Harris trailing Nelson by wide margins.
MINNESOTA.
As we predicted yesterday, child advocate Patty Wetterling
(D) quit the open US Senate race Friday afternoon. She also endorsed
Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar, who is now a safe bet
to win the Democratic nomination. Wetterling did not announce
any future plans, but party officials confirmed she's already
engaged in talks with the leaders of the CD-6 Democratic organization.
Sounds like Wetterling is going to make a second run for the Congressional
seat. Congressman Mark Kennedy is the GOP candidate. Also running
is nurse Michael Cavlan (Green) and public access TV group executive
Robert Fitzgerald (Independent).
Dan
Akaka (D), 81, was cruising to an easy re-election over very minor
opposition ... until Thursday. Two-term Congressman Ed Case (D),
53, shocked the Democratic establishment by announcing a primary
challenge to Akaka. Case has long established himself as a crusading
political outsider, butting heads for years with the state's entrenched
Dem leadership. "Our Hawaii has been served ably and with
great distinction by generations of US Senators, including Senator
Daniel Akaka. Like all of our Hawaii, I have the deepest aloha
for Senator Akaka and truly honor his decades of selfless service.
But we all know that we are in a time of transition our Hawaii's
representation in Congress and especially in the Senate. This
transition requires that we phase in the next generation to provide
continuity in that service," said Case. He warns the state
would lose all clout in Washington if the state's two US Senators
-- both octogenarians -- leave office within a short time of each
other. Akaka had no immediate response -- as this was a contest
no one really saw coming. Republicans are not expected to field
any major candidate for the seat.
HOUSE
REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP. Despite last weekend's claim by
House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO) that he already has pledges
for more than the 117 votes needed to win the race for House Majority
Leader, rival candidate Congressman John Shadegg (R-AZ) is starting
to gain some impressive endorsements this week. House Judiciary
Committee Chair Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) and House Republican
Study Conference Chair Mike Pence (R-IN) endorsed Shadegg, as
did some of the rising "Young Turks" in the GOP caucus.
They seem drawn to Shadegg as an uncompromising Club for Growth-style
voice for fiscal conservatism. Shadegg is counting on the secret
ballot to enable him to win an upset victory over frontrunners
Blunt and Congressman John Boehner (R-OH). No real gains this
week touted by the Boehner camp. 
Governor
Kathleen Blanco (D) -- who faced extensive attacks for her purportedly
poor handling of Hurricane Katrina and the New Orleans tragedy
in the days that followed -- doesn't want anyone to think she'll
retire next year. Instead, Blanco announced this week her plans
to seek a second term in 2007. "I plan to run for re-election
... By the time this election comes around, we will have a zooming
economy," said Blanco. She also repeated her account that
she did everything possible to respond to Katrina -- but it was
the White House that dropped the ball and delayed the an effective
response. "Not one of us on my staff has walked a slow step
since this storm hit," she added. Even with an early start
on 2007, Blanco remains high on the politically endangered list.
Trent
Lott (R) announced Tuesday he will seek reelection this year.
With his house destroyed by Hurricane Katrina -- and most of his
life savings along with it -- Lott sued his insurance company
and openly talked in recent months of retiring in order to make
more money as a lobbyist. "We've been through an awful lot
here in the past few months. We've struggled with the events of
history; now we're struggling to deal with the events of nature.
It's given us a new and difficult challenge ... For me, it became
a choice. Do I spend the future with my wife and Tricia spending
more time with the grandchildren or do I continue to ask the people
to allow me to serve this great state. I've made a choice,"
said Lott. He's a safe bet to win reelection -- and look for him
attempt a return to the GOP leadership by challenging Senator
Rick Santorum (R-PA) for Whip next year ... if Santorum
wins another term.
Democrat:
Congressman Henry Cuellar (D). Well, a pseudo-Dem ... as the conservative
Cuellar is one of President Bush's favorite Dems. Bush, when he
was Texas Governor, appointed Cuellar as Secretary of State. According
to National Journal, Cuellar's campaign said group never
contacted them the endorsement and it came "out of left field."
Well, right field would be more accurate. Cuellar is locked in
a competitive primary rematch on March 7th with liberal former
Congressman Ciro Rodriguez, whom Cuellar narrowly ousted after
a lengthy recount in 2004.
ABRAMOFF TO
SCANLON: "Would 10K for NRCC from Suncruz for Ney help?"
University
poll released Saturday shows Congressman Tom DeLay (R) badly trailing
in his race for re-election. According to the poll, former Congressman
Nick Lampson (D) is at 30%, DeLay is at 22%, and arch-conservative
former Congressman Steve Stockman (Independent) is at 11%. Even
more troubling for DeLay, half of all voters who said they supported
DeLay in 2004 said they were uncertain they would vote for him
this year. DeLay's numbers were even weak among likely Republican
primary voters: 10% back one of DeLay's opponents and 40% said
they were still undecided. In NEW YORK, it appears
Governor George Pataki (R) is working behind the scenes to help
defeat Congressman John Sweeney (R). According to the New
York Post, Saratoga County GOP Chairman Jasper Nolan wants
the NY Republican Party to fire part-time political consultant
Patrick McCarthy. Nolan said that McCarthy -- a close Pataki ally
and former Executive Director of the state GOP -- is helping attorney
Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat running against Sweeney. Nolan
said "he believes that Pataki himself approved of McCarthy's
alleged efforts." Gillibrand is the daughter of a powerful
Albany lobbyist closely associated with Pataki. Nolan said McCarthy
and Gillibrand were spotted dining together. McCarthy tells the
newspaper he was just "having a few sodas" with her,
but the meeting involved nothing substantive.