Campaign and Election News – Covering Key Races Around the Country
Weekly Open Thread: What Races Are You Interested In?
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57 thoughts on “Weekly Open Thread: What Races Are You Interested In?”
Last week I asked about Harold Stassen-like multiple-election candidates who eventually won the seat they were seeking. Today I’m interested in Stassens who failed — people who ran multiple times for a seat but never won it. I’m not looking for your stereotypical perennial candidate or third party candidates, though — I’m interested in folks who make the ballot time after time, win major-party nominations, may even come close to winning general elections, but can’t seem to close the deal.
Here’s an example: in southern Arizona, there is a virulent racist by the name of Joseph Sweeney. Sweeney has run for Congress somewhere between twelve and fourteen times beginning in 1974, most recently losing to Raul Grijalva in AZ-07. He’s run as a Democrat, a Republican, and a member of the New Alliance Party. However, for many of these races he has actually won the nomination of a major party. In 1988 and 1990, for instance, he was the Republican nominee against Mo Udall. He has been their nominee three times against Grijalva, including a particularly embarrassing campaign in 2006, when the Republicans actually recruited a top-tier candidate against Grijalva (Avondale mayor Ron Drake), only to have Sweeney crush him in the primary. Sweeney used to win because he would run in seats where no respectable Republican would be caught dead. Now he wins because he’s run so many times and reached so many general elections that people recognize his name.
Can you think of any other candidates like this?
I have been miserable having him as a congressman. He is conservative and many people in the district dislike him. The only reason he is a congressman is because he is from Southie and was good at getting people out to vote in the special election primary in 2001. He does not represent any of the views of anyone on this site, or the views of people who blog on dailykos, or the views of residents of Massachusetts. I dont care whether its Martha Coakley, a Kennedy, or any other representative, just anyone but Stephen Lynch. He is a DINO (democrat in name only) and has no business being a senator from Mass.
I really do love this video and this song, lol.
I remember when that trailer dropped. Funniest film trailer of all time. Heard the movie was terrible though.
Ed Cox, Nixon’s son-in-law, is running against Henry Wojtaszek who is backed by Giuliani.
Loser has inside track to dating Jeanine Pirro. May be.
The races that are most interesting me right now are New York City Comptroller, in which I’m still undecided, and Manhattan DA, which I’d love to see polling on.
Just saying. He’s doing a great job. I’m increasingly confident that he can win re-election if he tries.
I’m coming up with a research project on environmental justice that will compare congressional districts and political competitiveness. Does anyone have a spreadsheet containing the results of the presidential election, the congressional representative, the state, and the number of the district?
I cant help but feel like we are at a point where if you want to be the Democratic nominee in a blue state, you have to come out in favor of gay marriage, that is if you have a primary to look forward to and you need to draw in the base.
A while back, I read a really offensive letter to the editor in my hometown paper, The Youngstown Vindicator. With a clear head, I wrote a response that knocked down each of the guy’s ranting points. At the time, I was rather dispirited, not only because of what was happening nationally but also because I had not yet been accepted into grad school in the University of Akron. Heck, I was actively comtemplating going into sewlf-imposed exile (I had had a REALLY 2 weeks leading up to then).
Then, lo and behold, I get accepted in time AND my letter gets published. For the first time since last November, I felt truly empowered and am now ready to fight back for as long as it takes. After all, my namesake never backed down against the Empire, the Yuuzhan Vong, or the Sith, so why should I? As they say: Never give up, never surrender!
Last week I asked about Harold Stassen-like multiple-election candidates who eventually won the seat they were seeking. Today I’m interested in Stassens who failed — people who ran multiple times for a seat but never won it. I’m not looking for your stereotypical perennial candidate or third party candidates, though — I’m interested in folks who make the ballot time after time, win major-party nominations, may even come close to winning general elections, but can’t seem to close the deal.
Here’s an example: in southern Arizona, there is a virulent racist by the name of Joseph Sweeney. Sweeney has run for Congress somewhere between twelve and fourteen times beginning in 1974, most recently losing to Raul Grijalva in AZ-07. He’s run as a Democrat, a Republican, and a member of the New Alliance Party. However, for many of these races he has actually won the nomination of a major party. In 1988 and 1990, for instance, he was the Republican nominee against Mo Udall. He has been their nominee three times against Grijalva, including a particularly embarrassing campaign in 2006, when the Republicans actually recruited a top-tier candidate against Grijalva (Avondale mayor Ron Drake), only to have Sweeney crush him in the primary. Sweeney used to win because he would run in seats where no respectable Republican would be caught dead. Now he wins because he’s run so many times and reached so many general elections that people recognize his name.
Can you think of any other candidates like this?
I have been miserable having him as a congressman. He is conservative and many people in the district dislike him. The only reason he is a congressman is because he is from Southie and was good at getting people out to vote in the special election primary in 2001. He does not represent any of the views of anyone on this site, or the views of people who blog on dailykos, or the views of residents of Massachusetts. I dont care whether its Martha Coakley, a Kennedy, or any other representative, just anyone but Stephen Lynch. He is a DINO (democrat in name only) and has no business being a senator from Mass.
I really do love this video and this song, lol.
I remember when that trailer dropped. Funniest film trailer of all time. Heard the movie was terrible though.
Ed Cox, Nixon’s son-in-law, is running against Henry Wojtaszek who is backed by Giuliani.
Loser has inside track to dating Jeanine Pirro. May be.
The races that are most interesting me right now are New York City Comptroller, in which I’m still undecided, and Manhattan DA, which I’d love to see polling on.
Just saying. He’s doing a great job. I’m increasingly confident that he can win re-election if he tries.
I’m coming up with a research project on environmental justice that will compare congressional districts and political competitiveness. Does anyone have a spreadsheet containing the results of the presidential election, the congressional representative, the state, and the number of the district?
Alexi Giannoulias came out for gay marriage.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/b…
I cant help but feel like we are at a point where if you want to be the Democratic nominee in a blue state, you have to come out in favor of gay marriage, that is if you have a primary to look forward to and you need to draw in the base.
A while back, I read a really offensive letter to the editor in my hometown paper, The Youngstown Vindicator. With a clear head, I wrote a response that knocked down each of the guy’s ranting points. At the time, I was rather dispirited, not only because of what was happening nationally but also because I had not yet been accepted into grad school in the University of Akron. Heck, I was actively comtemplating going into sewlf-imposed exile (I had had a REALLY 2 weeks leading up to then).
Then, lo and behold, I get accepted in time AND my letter gets published. For the first time since last November, I felt truly empowered and am now ready to fight back for as long as it takes. After all, my namesake never backed down against the Empire, the Yuuzhan Vong, or the Sith, so why should I? As they say: Never give up, never surrender!
For those interested, here’s my actual letter:
http://www.vindy.com/news/2009…
What do you think?
Since today is a holiday, do we get a daily digest?
A 26 year-old in the (sit down; this is surprising) solar energy business is challenging Broun. The guys name is Cason Sisk:
casonsisk.com