• NY-20 (pdf): Last evening’s total from the BoE had Scott Murphy leading Jim Tedisco by 401. With his chances approaching the “statistically impossible” realm, we may reportedly see a Tedisco concession today.
• MN-Sen: Norm Coleman could take a few pointers from Jim Tedisco. The five justices of the Minnesota Supreme Court who’ll hear the election contest (two justices who’ve been actively involved in the count recused themselves) announced that their expedited hearing isn’t all that expedited: it’ll happen on June 1, to give the parties adequate time to file briefs and replies. In the meantime, that gives Minnesotans more than one more month with just one senator.
• GA-Gov, GA-03: Just one day after his name was suddenly floated for GA-Gov, Rep. Lynn Westmoreland flushed that idea, saying he’ll stay in the House.
• PA-Gov: Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato was bandied about as the early front-runner for the Democratic nomination for the open governor’s race in 2010, but we’ve heard nary a peep from him on the matter. Apparently, he is in fact interested, as he says he’s “laying the groundwork” and expects a formal announcement later in the year.
• TN-Gov: Businessman Mike McWherter made official his candidacy for the Democratic nod in the open Tennessee governor’s race. McWherter hasn’t held elective office, but benefits strongly from links with his father, popular ex-governor Ned McWherter.
• SC-Gov: Lawyer Mullins McLeod (and apparent scion of a political family, although one that pales in comparison to the Thurmonds or Campbells) announced his bid for the Democratic nomination in the open governor’s race. He joins two Democratic state senators Vincent Shaheen and Robert Ford in the chase.
• CA-10: Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan, who previously issued an internal poll showing her leading senator Mark DeSaulnier, has officially jumped into the special election field. With Lt. Gov. John Garamendi’s entry into the race, splitting the white-guy vote, Buchanan probably feels that her hand has been strengthened.
• CO-03: Rep. John Salazar has drawn a solid Republican challenger in this R+5 district: Martin Beeson, who’s the district attorney for Pitkin, Garfield, and Rio Blanco Counties. Blue Dog Salazar has had little trouble with re-election despite the district’s lean.
• CA-36: Jane Harman’s high-profile role in the still-unfolding wiretap scandal has liberal activists in the 36th, long frustrated by Harman’s hold on this D+12 district, wondering if they finally have an opening to defeat her in a primary. Marcy Winograd, who won 38% against Harman in 2006, has been urged to run again and is “thinking about it.”
• MI-07: For real? Republicans in DC (read: the NRCC) are telling MLive.com’s Susan J. Demas that their top choice to take on frosh Dem Mark Schauer is none other than… ex-Rep. Joe Schwarz, who was ingloriously defeated in a 2006 primary by wingnut Tim Walberg. Schwarz, who went so far as to endorse Schauer over Walberg last fall, tells Demas that he’s not interested in running again. (J)
• NH-02: Democratic New Hampshire State Rep. John DeJoie has formed an exploratory committee for the seat Paul Hodes is leaving open. (D)
• KS-04: Democrats have their first candidate in the open seat in the 4th: Robert Tillman, a retired court services officer, and former precinct committeeman and NAACP local board member. There’s more firepower on the GOP side of the aisle in this now-R+14 district, including RNC member Mike Pompeo and state senator Dick Kelsey.
• Redistricting: Republican Ohio state senator John Husted (who will probably be the GOP’s candidate for SoS in 2010) has introduced legislation that would totally change the way redistricting is done in Ohio. It would create a 7-member bipartisan commission that would draw both congressional and state district lines (removing congressional district authority from the legislature, and legislative district authority from the 5-member panel that Dems currently control). It remains to be seen, though, whether this proposal would make it past the Democratic governor and state house.
• Nostalgia: Yahoo is shutting down the venerable Geocities. What ever will former Louisiana senate candidate John Neeley Kennedy do? (D)
Its amazing how Republicans always discover redistricting reform in states where they no longer control the process. I wonder who long it will take them to start pushing for bipartisan commissions and committees in Michigan and Pennsylvania?
Tedisco just conceded: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo…
🙂
we’ve got some solid candidates lining up. McWherter in TN and even two solid candidates in SC although I wish one of them would take a shot at Demint.
Also. Conrgats to Rep. Murphy.
So far Steele has made a fool out of himself, lost a critical election and may see his party officially urge their main opposition to change their name to the “Democrat Socialist Party.” I really want to win big in VA and NJ in 09.
Unless it’s a very crowded republican primary field he has very little chance of winning their nomination.
Yeah, I’ve never understood how Harman can get away with her Blue Dog Dem tactics in this Venice Beach district. I realize that the liberal beach temperament is counterbalanced by staid, middle-class Torrance, but still, Harman’s views seem more suited for David Dreier’s district in the mountain suburbs of east LA County than Venice!
There is no reason for the sane and pragmatic Joe Schwarz to want to become a part of the GOP caucus and to be harassed by the likes of Eric Cantor and Virginia Foxx. The party of Gerald Ford and Nelson Rockefeller types is dead.
That’s hilarious on so many levels.
I think that’s all that needs to be said.
Mullins McLeod is too young (37) and inexperienced (no elective offices). He should run for state senate or something first, Charleston is turning blue anyway.
Vincent Shaheen is a good choice, and he doesn’t need to spend his firepower in a primary. McLeod is from the best city to be from (Charleston), but that is about all he really brings to the table.
How did State Rep. John DeJoie (D) vote on the same sex marriage bill that passed the NH house?
GA-Gov/03: Looks like Westmoreland is trying not to be too
ambitionsuppity.CA-32: I welcome a primary challenge, at the very least to make sure Representative Harman knows what she’s doing.
MI-07: I wasn’t aware that Schwarz pulled a Gilchrest and endorsed Schauer. Nice.
Redistricting: What’s the other state so far where the Republicans have put up a defense map, in anticipation of the Democrats possibly regaining redistricting control?