SSP Daily Digest: 5/18 (Morning Edition)

  • NV-Sen: Looks like the chicken may have gotten hit by a bus while crossing the road: Sue Lowden is getting ripped for apparently accepting what might be an illegal campaign donation of a luxury RV. Though she says her campaign is leasing it from a supporter, her name appears on the title to the bus. The vehicle costs more than $100,000, so that would sorta exceed the $2,400 FEC limit.
  • PA-Sen: After campaigning for Creigh Deeds, Jon Corzine, and Martha Coakley, I can understand why Barack Obama suddenly thinks Arlen Specter’s developed a case of the cooties. But even if the president hopes to avoid swirling in some stink lines now, he’s not going to be able to be that choosy in the fall. P.S. How come he never made an appearance in Hawaii? He could have done a joint event for Case & Hanabusa, and the locals would have gone nuts for it.

    Meanwhile, this seems remarkably douchey: Joe Sestak said he’s “looking forward” to Arlen Specter’s support after Tuesday, but wouldn’t say whether he’d do the same! I’m not sure how you can be so nakedly hypocritical with a straight face and expect to get away with it.

  • CA-Gov: Social issues just haven’t seemed to dominate Republican primaries this year, but Steve Poizner seems to be throwing everything he can at Meg Whitman these days. He has a new ad (no word on the size of the buy, natch) attacking Whitman for creating a special porn-only section on eBay. I feel bad for that poor teenager on the laptop feature in the spot. Also, I find it odd that he mentions Whitman “cleaned up” gun sales on eBay in something of a positive light. Shouldn’t that be a bad thing, too?
  • KS-04: Richard Pompeo, the GOP’s Chosen One to succeed Rep. Todd Tiahrt, is coming under fire for a D.C. fundraiser held by convicted (and later pardoned) Iran-Contra felon Bud McFarlane. John McCain was in attendance, but so were a ton of lobbyists – something Pompeo originally tried to deny. Not a good year to be sucking up to D.C. vampire squids, but Pompeo is well ahead in the money race in his primary.
  • MA-10: State Rep. Jeff Perry’s record as a police sergeant is coming under scrutiny, for two abusive strip searches of teenage girls conducted by an officer under his command in the early 1990s. The officer, Scott Flanagan, was later convicted of assault, and Perry and the town were sued, with both cases settling. Perry resigned his job six months after the allegations were made public in 1993, but he claims the two were not related.
  • MI-07: A little dust-up in the GOP primary: A surrogate for ex-Rep. Tim Walberg blasted Brian Rooney for failing to show up at an anti-abortion dinner (sounds lovely, right?) so that he could instead attend a fundraiser at the home of a past president of the “liberal” Republican Main Street Partnership. Rooney says he’s super-duper anti-abortion, yadda yadda, this is divisive, etc. Keep it up, Walberg!
  • NY-01: Stuck behind Newsday’s paywall is a tantalizing story that suggests GOPer Randy Altschuler is getting blasted by his primary opponents for – get this – his one-time membership in the Green Party. Not exactly a sterling credential for someone hoping to land the Republican nomination.
  • VA-05: Earlier this month, the GOP 5th CD convention held a straw poll, and teabagger Feda Kidd Morton won with 30%. State Sen. Rob Hurt, who Republican activists really seem to love to hate, was second with 25%. Despite also getting the endorsement of the Family Research Council, Morton has no money, and the field is pretty fractured.
  • NY-Comptroller: Eliot Spitzer says he won’t make a comeback attempt – at least this year – for comptroller or any other office. Since petition time is almost upon us (and petitioning is very difficult in NY), he can’t really change his mind at this point.
  • 17 thoughts on “SSP Daily Digest: 5/18 (Morning Edition)”

    1. I think Sestak was within his right to be that “douchy” as you put it towards Specter. That man switches parties at every full moon, and has been nakedly honest about the reasons for his switch, which was because he couldn’t win as a Republican. And let’s face it, you can’t go into a primary with the momentum behind you and act as though you DON’T think you’re going to win.

    2. Nice to see Tim Walberg is up to his hypocrisy in Michigan 7.  Too bad hes out taking the endorsements and support from people that the Republican Main Stream Partnership have financed.  For example:

      Candice Miller

      http://www.walbergforcongress….

      Dave Camp

      http://www.walbergforcongress….

      Evidence of the Republican Main Street Partnership’s support to both Miller and Camp can be found here:

      Candice Miller For Congress $7,000

      Dave Camp For Congress 2010 $5,000

      http://www.opensecrets.org/pac

      If Walberg and his supporters oppose the group so much, why doesn’t he renounce support from people that they finance?  Oh wait, it wouldn’t be to his advantage.

      We do not hypocrite Tim Walberg back in office.  It should really be Anybody But Walberg in Michigan 7.  In fact, we should create a group to advocate that!

    3. Oh well a Spitzer for Comptroller campaign would have been way too much fun too watch! The evil joy I would have gotten out of reading all about it each day in the NY Post would have been more than any political junkie deserves.

      It would have without a doubt been the most fun to watch Comptroller campaign ever! I thought nothing would have topped the “Driving Mrs. Hevesi” theme of 2006 but this would have been the Mother of all Comptroller races.

      On a side note I am super pissed about the NYS budget mess. My softball league had to cancel all our games at Riverbank State Park because Gov Patterson decided to close the parks to save money.

      Because padlocking an astroturf softball field saves the state so much freak’n money! I mean really? Maybe I am missing something but I can’t see how preventing people from playing softball on a field that is already built saves the State any money. Maybe the Governor might want to take a look at the $51 billion NYS spends on medicaid, but that would take political courage and we cant have that in NYS.

    4. PPP Poll

      Democratic Primary

      Bennet 46% (40%)

      Romanoff 31% (34%)

      Republican Primary

      Norton 31% (34%)

      Buck  26% (17%)

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