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Saturday, August 05, 2006

Weekly Open Thread: What Races Are You Interested In?

Posted by James L.

Lamont, Lamont bo-babont
Banana-fana, fo-famont
Fe-fy-mo-mamont!
LAMONT!

Well, you know what's on my mind 24/7. How about yours? I hope you've all perfected your primary-day results-watching set-up: multiple computers, plasma screen feeds, plenty of beer nuts, etc. Me? I just do it the old-fashioned way: one laptop and a lot of heart.

Anyway, before I descend into even more unintelligible blathering, I just wanted to give you all notice that I'll be taking a short break from the Swing State Project--from now until Aug. 14--to take a vacation and entertain a guest from out of town. Furthermore, to make the timing even less-than-ideal, DavidNYC is taking a well-deserved vacation during this period, too. So, SSP will be left in the good hands of RBH for the time being. Treat him well, gentle readers.

I hope you all have a very great weekend and an absolutely rockin’ August 8th!

Posted at 11:16 AM in Open Threads | Technorati

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Comments

There may be some quibbling here and some quibbling there about who the smarmiest member of Congress is. When it comes to corruption it's hard to beat Jerry Lewis. And Bob Ney doesn't take a back seat to anyone. And there's Virgil Goode, Jr., Katherine Harris, Duncan Hunter, Dirty Dick Pombo, Roy Blunt, John Boehner... and that doesn't even get to the Senate where future prison system inhabitants Conrad Burns, Rick Santorum and Bill Frist are still running loose. But no matter who makes the list, it would be incomplete without the inclusion-- really in the #1, 2 or 3 slot-- of California crooked pol, John Doolittle (CA-04).

And as corrupt and extremist and vile as Doolittle is, the Democrat who's running against him in November, Charlie Brown, is a shining example of an individual whose entire life has been lived as a rebuke to self-servers and slimeballs like Doolittle. With Charlie's campaign picking up steam, he's going to be doing some live blogging at Firedoglake's weekly Blue America series today. Please come on over at 11 AM (West Coast time) for a q&a session with Charlie.

Posted by: DownWithTyranny at August 5, 2006 12:46 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment

I agree all the people you mention are viable contenders in the "smarmiest Congressman of the year" award -- but I'm afraid I'd have to give the title to Bill Jefferson. Anyone who not only brazenly steals that much money, but then uses law enforcement and military rescue personal to help cover up his crime while his constituents are literally dying around him is a special kind of disgusting -- regardless of party label. And unfortunately it doesn't seem like he's going to be ousted in the fall.

Posted by: IndianaProgressive at August 5, 2006 01:08 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment

Haha the 8th is my birthday and I'm hoping for a special present from CT.

Posted by: D in FL. at August 5, 2006 03:35 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment

Unless somebody shows up in time, I also get to do the Liebermania post for Tuesday Night. Whoo.

Posted by: RBH at August 5, 2006 04:45 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment

PA-10, where Fighting Dem Chris Carney has a great chance to knock off scandal-ridden Don Sherwood, whose recent assault on Murtha lead to this denunciation in a local newspaper's editorial: http://tinyurl.com/namas

Posted by: Jeff Hauser at August 5, 2006 04:53 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment

I'm excited by the new TX-23, where GOPer Henry Bonilla might just get the challenge of his career from a familiar liberal lion: Ciro Rodriguez, former Congressman and former opponent of Henry Cuellar. Cuellar's victory over Rodriguez was voided by a judge yesterday, and while Cuellar's new district is tailor-made for him, Rodriguez's home base just got moved into Bonilla's district, which is now a swing district.

Go Ciro redux!

Posted by: Nonpartisan at August 5, 2006 05:29 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment

Their was a thread about Lois Murphy made a couple days ago. Right now I'm looking at the other Murphy running in PA, Patrick Murphy.

Bucks county has commonly been called a barometer for the country, and I think this race will indicate which party will be in control. This really is precisely the type of race, that we have to win if we are going to take back the House. A freshman congressman who is significantly more conservative than those who elected him in 2004 thought he would be, a young, charismatic candidate with a great background and a great story running for us. I think the results of this race will give a very good indications of the partisam makeup of the 110th Congress.

Posted by: safi at August 5, 2006 05:42 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment

I'm working for Al Weed, so it's sort of assumed that I'm interested in that race, but here's a bit of an update.

The shady dealings between Wade and Goode are now a part of every local news article about Virgil Goode. The $15M center Goode established at Wade's request (after taking 90k from his employees, much of which was really Wade's money) is closing down, and Martinsville is going to lose all those jobs.

To boot, the City of Martinsville may be forced to repay the state for the grants it got, because Goode wrote the contract to place the liability on the city, not the company. The corruption just got real local, real fast. Goode has previously said he'd only answer questions in written form, but he's been pressured into breaking that policy a few times now, and it's only getting worse. This is Goode's month off of congress and he should be campaigning like mad, but his head is firmly in the sand and he's not showing up at any of the local events.

When people ask why Al is here but not Virgil, I get to say "Oh, well he doesn't want anyone to ask questions about MZM." To top it all off, with Katherine Harris's secret subpoena no longer secret, reporters are starting to wonder whether Virgil Goode is hiding one of his own. Goode took more money from Wade, actually secured the contract, and has the same exact excuse as Harris "I didn't know the contributions were illegal, I was just trying to bring jobs to my district." Add to that the fact that the feds are investigating the facility, and that it shut down after Wade was in jail and the campaign contributions stopped coming, and Virgil's feeling the heat.

This race is getting to be a lot of fun. Or maybe I just enjoy watching that smarmy millionaire twist in the wind.

Check out the Al Weed blog for more.

Posted by: mikesnoo at August 5, 2006 08:12 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment

I have been doubly occupied of late, living in a bi-state city (KCMO). Kansas voted last week, sending the conservatives on the state BOE packing, and the Republicans selected their sacrificail lamb to face the wildly popular Kathleen Sebelius in the governors race in November.

In Missouri, we have a lot of local initiatives to consider, like overhauling the city charter, dating to 1925 and signed by the brother of former political boss Tom Pendergast. But mostly, we need to turn out a lot of state level representatives and senators, so we can lame duck Matt Blunt, who is in contention for the title of Worst.Governor.Ever. Those not in Missouri probably don't know the damage that Roy Blunt's son has done to our fair state, but tourism is off 30% under him, not only due to high gas prices, and he gutted social programs. People unable to get batteries for wheelchairs, cancer patients with suspended chemo because they lost medicaid...A hell of a lot is riding on the return of at least one of the chambers of the state house to the Democrats. Many sitting Republicans are facing primary challenges, and the opponents have gained many more critical endorsements than the incumbents. The dark horses are gaining fast, from the Jackson County legislature and county executive races, all the way up to opposing Sam Graves for his ringing, fawning, fellating endorsement of a candidate for State Auditor (Missouri has 115 counties - the import of this is about to be revealed...) that managed to misplace $195,000 of funds for Platte County as their auditor, and failed to bring in the budget on time. Graves and the Governor endorse her. (She will be easy to control.)

Graves sent out a fundraising letter for her, this is my favorite part:

By knocking out an entrenched Democrat in Claire McCaskill ...MissouriRepublicans can prevent future liberal politicians from troubling great Republican Leaders like U.S. Senator Jim Talent and Governor Matt Blunt.

Of course, Claire McCaskill is going to have to leave several audits still in progress, some involving malfeasance by the Blunt administration, when she takes her seat in the senate after she defeats Jim Talent(less) Hack in November...

I could go on, but I won't. If you are interested in the Jackson County/Missouri races, visit my place and either leave a comment or send me an email. Otherwise I'll shut up now, because chances are I am the only one who cares about these races.

Posted by: Global Citizen at August 5, 2006 08:21 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment

Jeez, by all means lets focus on other races besides CT. Isn't anyone worried about winning back the Senate and the House?

Ohio is probably our most underrated opportunity to win in November. The pundits seem to be fixated on portraying Mike DeWine as a victim of circumstance. Far from it. He is simply one of the least accomplished Senators in DC.

Sherrod Brown is a terrific candidate and deserves our support.

Posted by: samrayburn at August 5, 2006 08:28 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment

I'm interested in OH-02. I'm pumped because I've been thinking about turnout. Jean Schmidt's voters won't be going to the polls for three reasons:
1. The primary is over and most republican voters don't think there's any challenge to Schmidt.
2. Schmidt is out of money, and has little way of getting her voters to the polls.
3. Victoria Wulsin is now using Paul Hackett to influence voters and just last week, she helped rebuild a families home who had fallen into hard times.

Victoria Wulsin is motivated and she's gaining ground. In a way she's like Ned Lamont. She's an underdog (or in Lamont's case was) who is running a grassroot funded campaign. She's taken an incredibly anti-war stance and with Jean Schmidt's approval ratings worse than bush's she can win. I've started a page on actblue that's dedicated to beating Jean Schmidt.

www.actblue.com/page/beatjeanschmidt

Please donate, Victoria Wulsin can win this.

(Edited to fix broken link. -- James L.)

Posted by: Craig at August 5, 2006 11:14 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment

I'm following the Michigan Governor's race.

Granholm is running almost as inept a campaign as Joe Lieberman.

Posted by: Hesiod at August 6, 2006 01:35 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment

Another primary has just entered my field of vision (thanks to an AP story) is the GOP primary in MI-07 with incumbent Joe Schwarz against right-wing challenger Tim Walberg. What's the GOP index of this district? Is there any chance that a Democrat could beat Walberg or a primary-bloodied Schwarz?

Posted by: Mark at August 6, 2006 02:51 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment

Gov. Tim Kaine - D-VA and former State Chair of Joe L's failed 2004 Prez bid has urged his buddy not to run as an Indy:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/05/AR2006080500780.html
I'm hearing reports that Lieberepublican has pulled his election day ground effort, am searching for verification in print.

Posted by: Predictor at August 6, 2006 06:14 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment

Here is the link to Lieberman's campaign manager commenting on scaling back tuesday's GOTV efforts:
http://www.courant.com/news/local/statewire/hc-06174130.apds.m0674.bc-ct--connaug06,0,7154756.story?coll=hc-headlines-local-wire

Posted by: Predictor at August 6, 2006 06:24 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment

MI-07:Think it is very likely that the Club for Growth candidate Walberg will topple Cong.Shwarz.Unfortunetly there is no top tier Dem running in this district. The most likely nominee, Paralegal & Musician Sharon Renier lost to Shwarz 58-42% in 2004. The district supported Bush with 54% in 2004, 51% in 2000.
If Walberg wins the nomination, who knows, Renier may just have a chance against a rabid conservative in an otherwise moderate district that gave Bill Clinton narrow majorities in 92 & 96.
http://www.renier4rep.com/

Posted by: Predictor at August 7, 2006 12:28 AM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment

Global Citizen - I, for one, would appreciate it if you'd highlight a couple of races in the Missouri state legislature.
Both chambers are currently very red, but the longest journey begins with a couple of well-selected first steps.

Recommendations?

Oh, and anent the Kansas Board of Education,
we only picked off two of the creationists, so far.
We get another shot at the remaining two who are up this time, in November.
They beat Republican challengers in the primary, which
would have been the easiest way to get rid of them,
but both of them face democrats in November.
And both democrats believe in science
(I guess you can't take that for granted, in Kansas)

Posted by: Christopher Walker at August 7, 2006 11:21 AM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment

In New York, the Working Families Party went up with radio ads in NY20 and NY24 over the weekend. You can listen to them here - http://www.workingfamiliesparty.org/radioads

Posted by: Steve at August 7, 2006 03:40 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment

From John Edwards PAC "One America..." (via e-mail):"With so many strong Democratic candidates, the competition was fierce. I am pleased to announce the two top vote-getters: Patty Wetterling (MN-06) and former U.S. Rep. Nick Lampson (TX-22).

Already in this election cycle, I've raised $6.65 million for Democrats and I'm committed to helping as many candidates as possible before November. I'm looking forward to heading to Minnesota and Texas to headline fundraisers for these two outstanding candidates this fall."

Great work & Thanks John!!

Posted by: Predictor at August 9, 2006 04:47 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment