414 thoughts on “Weekly Open Thread: What Races Are You Interested In?”

  1. http://www.politico.com/blogs/

    that comparison is so offensive I don’t even know where to begin. To say nothing of the fact that Scott Brown’s not even from Boston! (unless they were taking a potshot at him by alluding to his time on Beacon Hill. hmm. maybe the Globe’s still on our team after all)

  2. http://www.theatlantic.com/pol

    The possibility that the GOP may elect a woman as national party chairman for just the second time in its history is raising that prospect for candidates for the party’s often-overlooked No. 2 post. That’s because RNC rules require the co-chairman to be of the opposite sex of the chairman.

  3. 1: What “possible improbable” would you most like to see happen in politics? The kind of thing that most likely won’t happen, but there’s still a chance that it can. Something along the lines a brokered convention, or Michelle Bachmann being caught in a lesbian tryst with Katherine Harris.

    2: If you could make any change to the way this country conducts elections what would it be? E.g. federal funded elections, parliamentary style democracy, proportional representation etc.

  4. Special election coming January 18, as Branstad appointed the current state senator to head the Department of Public Safety. Republicans picked their candidate on December 30; Democrats will pick a candidate on January 3. It’s a Republican leaning district covering several rapidly growing suburbs/exurban areas in northern Polk County.

  5. They have officially assumed office. Gov.-elect Rick Snyder is expected to succeed Gov. Jennifer Granholm in Michigan later today.

    Happy Feast of the Circumcision of Christ, everyone!

  6. Michigan now has a Gov. Snyder.

    Are there any other governors to be sworn in this weekend? I know that the new Congress starts Monday, and then Florida gets Gov. Scott on Tuesday.

  7. all of you Californian SSP’ers here’s the schedule for when Brown and all of the constitutional officers will be sworn in:

    Monday:

    Governor Jerry Brown (D)

    Controller John Chiang (D)

    Attorney General Kamala Harris (D)

    Treasurer Bill Lockyer (D)

    Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson (D)*

    Insurance commissioner Dave Jones (D)

    Tuesday:

    Secretary of State Debra Bowen (D)

    January 10th:

    Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom (D)**



    *Technically a nonpartisan position but Torlakson is a Democrat.

    **Newsom is delaying his swearing in until this date so a more moderate board of superiors (City Council) can be sworn in and they can appoint a more moderate mayor. Outgoing GOP Lt. Gov Abel Maldonado will remain lieutenant governor until Newsom is sworn in.

    http://blogs.sacbee.com/capito

  8. The great liberal revolt lasted about two weeks according to Gallup – 91% of liberal Democrats now approve of Obama’s job performance. Overall, still holding up remarkabley well all things considered. 47-45 positive today. In comparison at this point Bush II was at 63% while Clinton was at 40, Bush I at 58 and Reagan 41. And he went as low as 35 at the end of January 1983. All to play for.

    http://www.gallup.com/poll/124

  9. Someone mentioned above about Puerto Rico becoming a state and getting representation in both the House and the Senate.  I know a resolution was passed that Puerto Ricans could hold a vote to decide on their status…what ever became of that?  Is that now a moot point with the new congress?

    Is there any real likelihood of PR actually becoming a state in the near future?  I’m sure that would cause a lot of strife in the House, as I believe it would be awarded 6 House districts based on population.

  10. what is the lowest number where all districts of that number have congresscritters of the same party? (so for instance, 19 refers to CA-19, NY-19, TX-19, PA-19, IL-19, and FL-19, while 1 refers to the 1st district of every state.)

    Bonus: what will that number be when the new congress convenes?

  11. some political help. Can a Congressman serve in two offices at once? I do not think so. There is a huge wikipedia debate going on right now that I’m on the losing end of. Some users are changing all the dates on wikipedia articles of special Congressional election winners to say that they assumed office the day they won. I think it should be listed as the date they were sworn in. I know for a fact Marlin Stutzman didn’t resign from his Senate seat for at least a week after he won. I also know Garamendi didn’t resign from LG for at least a couple of days after leaving office. If I can prove that they couldn’t have served in both offices at the same time it would help my case. If anyone could get me a link I would appreciate it. Thanks.  

  12. So Fred Upton thinks they’ll get close in their symbolic vote for HCR repeal.

    http://www.reuters.com/article

    They would need 290 if everyone voted. By my count there are only 14 Dems left who voted against it either time. Even if they all voted for repeal (which clearly they won’t) that makes 256. Sounds like setting themselves up for a fall, no?

           

  13. When I go on Dave’s App, I like to listen to music for the usually two-hour-long endeavor for large states. I would imagine a lot of you do the same.

    My question: what songs do you like to listen to while you redistrict?

    I’ll start, I’ve been getting into The National. Been listening to their albums over and over while I redistrict.

  14. When I go on Dave’s App, I like to listen to music for the usually two-hour-long endeavor for large states. I would imagine a lot of you do the same.

    My question: what songs do you like to listen to while you redistrict?

    I’ll start, I’ve been getting into The National. Been listening to their albums over and over while I redistrict.

  15. So I was doing LA on DRA. I did the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th district. All but the 1st were over around 150, and the 1st was under less than 100. Then, after I finished the 6th, it was still 8,000 people under, and everything was assigned. How is this possible?  

  16. In CA SD-1, Republican Ted Gaines is running against Dem Ken Cooley for the seat of David Cox (R), who passed away on July 13.

    In IA SD-48, Republican Ruth Smith faces off with Dem Joni Ernst, for Lt. Gov-Elect Kim Reynold’s (R) seat.

    Here is a list of legislative special elections this year: http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/in

  17. Gentry Collins is out, not that he ever looked like he was in a position to win. Iowa has had four previous RNC chairs; the last was pro-choice moderate Mary Louise Smith in the 1970s (still the only woman ever to have headed the RNC).

    Wisconsin GOP chair Reince Priebus looking like the favorite unless supporters of the also-rans coalesce around a different alternative to Steele.

  18. *Includes people who have not yet taken office, but will this month

    Who is the youngest_____:

    US Senator?

    Female US Senator?

    Governor?

    Female Governor?

    US Rep?

    Female US Rep?

    Statewide office holder?

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