Tag: FEC

CT-Sen: Yet another thing the New York Times appears to have gotten wrong: Dick Blumenthal was on his college swim team, and no, he never claimed to have been the captain. In light of recent revelations, SSP is retracting the accusation we made in our first post on the NYT article that Blumenthal “lied.” Subsequent information has show that the NYT’s piece was misleading, at best.

NV-Sen: Chicken Lady is up on the air with an ad attacking Crazy Lady, aka enriched weapons-grade wingnut Sharron Angle, for some pretty lulzy stuff. No word on the size of the buy. Meanwhile, Danny Tarkanian is also aiming (indirectly) at Angle, with a press release criticizing the Tea Party Express, which endorsed her and not him.

NY-Sen-B: Even I had given up on all the people who have given up, but it looks like there may be yet one more name on the list of people who want to challenge Kirsten Gillibrand. Gail Goode, a staffer for the NYC Corporation Council (the city attorney’s office) supposedly wants to give it a go. Goode has a pretty unimposing pedigree and would have to go through the arduous and expensive process of petitioning to get on the ballot. Meanwhile, one of the hapless Republicans trying to take down Gillibrand, David Malpass, is on the air with a TV ad (this early? really?), but of course, no word on the size of the buy.

AL-Gov: Mystery wingnutty (?) birthery (?) teabaggy (?) group New Sons of Liberty was caught making prank calls to Moe’s Tavern said “psych!” and cancelled their vaporware $1 million ad buy that was set to asplode in the Alabama governor’s race. If this was just a gambit to gain free media by pretending to buy paid media, it’s an awfully weird one, since we know little more about this group now than we did a week ago. Anyhow, how come ad buyers don’t have to put down deposits, especially when they book so much airtime during ad peak season?

IA-Gov: Chet Culver has raised $1.5 million this year so far, but more than half his haul came directly from the Democratic Governors Association. Chief rival Terry Branstad raised $1.6m in the same timeframe. Culver leads in cash-on-hand, $3.3m to $1.2m. You also may have seen that Culver lost his campaign “briefing book,” the bible by which any campaign is run. Reminds me of when the Indiana Pacers lost their playbook right before a playoff series with the Knicks. (The Knicks won.)

AL-05: Mo Brooks, mankind’s last, best hope of defeating turncoat Parker Griffith in the GOP primary, announced a whole slew of endorsements from local elected officials and party bigwigs. Interestingly, on the list was the GOP chair for Limestone County, who elected not to support the incumbent, which is a fairly unusual move for a party official.

AR-03: Damn – looks like we won’t have Gunner DeLay to kick around anymore, at least for this cycle. The ex-legislator, who narrowly missed out on the runoff, backed off his plans to seek a recount and instead endorsed second-place finisher Cecile Bledsoe, a state senator. She squares off against Rogers (pop. 39K) Mayor Steve Womack. With Gunner gone, we’re getting desperately low on awesome names.

CA-11: After previously saying he wished he could issue “hunting permits” for liberals because we “need to thin the herd,” Republican jackass Brad Goehring isn’t backing down in the least – rather, he says he’s “proud” of all the flack he’s been getting. What a guy!

ID-01: In his ongoing quest to assume the title of Bill Sali 2.0, budding SSP fave Vaughn Ward repeatedly referred to Puerto Rico in a debate as a “country.” When corrected by his Puerto Rican opponent, he proudly reveled in his ignorance, saying he didn’t “care what it is.” That alone should garner him some good wingnut cred.

LA-03: Make them sweat? Despite not really having a candidate in this deep-red seat that most Dems have mentally given up on, the DCCC put out a press release walloping former Louisiana Speaker Hunt Downer, who just got into the race. They accuse Downer, who just retired as a major general from the National Guard, of abandoning his state in favor of his political ambitions instead of dealing with the BP oil spill. Dunno if this charge is really going to stick, though, seeing as Downer said he planned his retirement long ago.

MN-06: It’s always rich when anti-tax zealots fuck up paying their taxes – something Michele Bachmann just did by failing to pay her own property taxes on time.

NY-13: Vito Fossella is shocked, shocked!… I mean, surprised! that he was nominated for his old seat by the Staten Island GOP on Wednesday. (Read this if you need to catch up on one of the most remarkable bits of WTF? this cycle.) He says he’ll “take a short period of time” to decide if they like him, they really, really like him – i.e., whether to take the plunge. I’m not buying the “short period of time” business, since Fossella said he wants to talk this over with “loved ones,” which ought to take him quite a while, given how many families he has.

Meanwhile, Michael Allegretti, one of two candidates (not including Vito Fossella) seeking the GOP nomination to take on Rep. Mike McMahon, says he plans on staying in the race regardless of what Vito does. There had been some chatter that local Republicans wanted him to run for the state Assembly instead, but that would be a pretty sucky alternative, to say the least.

FEC: Instant SSP hero Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA-53) offered an amendment to the DISCLOSE Act (the bill designed to take the Citizens United ruling down a peg or two) which would require that all independent expenditures be filed electronically with the FEC, and be “searchable, sortable and downloadable.” The amendment passed unopposed, so hopefully it will emerge intact in the final bill. Now if only the damn Senate would join the 20th century and file electronically, too.

Spoilers: Don’t even think about talking about LOST.

• CA-Sen: Everyone has been treating Carly Fiorina as already running for Senate, but she’s never officially announced anything. It looks like Nov. 6 is her launch date, though; she has a “very important announcement” scheduled at a Pleasanton event.

• NV-Sen: With right-wing former Assemblywoman Sharron Angle’s entry into the GOP primary a few days ago, I hinted at the prospect of a bloody civil war erupting in Nevada — and here’s some more fuel for that fire. Movement conservatives in the Silver State are setting up a specifically anti-Sue Lowden PAC, dedicated to stopping the media-designated frontrunner. The Fair Nevada Elections PAC seems run by Paulists, who remain upset over Lowden’s actions in the 2008 caucus, when she was the state GOP party chair, which ended with voting being shut down when it looked like Ron Paul would wind up winning delegates. While there’s no explicit Paulist in the primary (unlike, say, Kentucky and Connecticut), Angle seems like the most kindred spirit for these types.

• CA-Gov: Meg Whitman’s sputtering campaign got a boost when she nailed down the endorsement of popular GOP moderate Richard Riordan, the former Los Angeles mayor — which might keep her from losing votes to ex-Rep. Tom Campbell on her left. Her other opponent, state Treasurer Steve Poizner, also announced his own endorsement, from American Conservative Union head David Keene. Not that any Californian would have any idea who Keene is, but this seems like a more fruitful endorsement vein to mine, as all three candidates are on the party’s moderate side — good for the general, but bad for making it out of the primary dominated by California’s rabid base.

• MA-Gov: There’s a new poll of the Massachusetts governor’s race showing embattled Dem incumbent Deval Patrick walloping his opponents — and it comes from Rasmussen, of all places. Despite only 36% of respondents thinking Patrick should run (49% say don’t run), Patrick leads GOPer Christy Mihos and independent Tim Cahill 34-23-23, and leads Charlie Baker and Cahill 34-24-23. This doesn’t jibe at all with their previous poll from August, which gave the GOP candidates leads over Patrick but didn’t account for Cahill’s presence, absorbing anti-Patrick votes — but it does pretty closely match Suffolk‘s September poll, so maybe Patrick is stabilizing a bit after some terrible numbers over the summer.

• NJ-Gov: After a week of unadulterated good news, the two most recent polls from New Jersey show Jon Corzine taking a slight turn for the worse. And the reason seems to be clear — Chris Daggett is starting to lose votes, perhaps as a share of soft Daggett voters who dislike Corzine more than they dislike Chris Christie are realizing that they’re contributing to a spoiler effect and shifting to Christie, helped along by RGA ads attacking Daggett. PPP (pdf) finds Christie leading Corzine and Daggett 42-38-13. Rasmussen gives toplines (based on their re-allocation of Daggett leaners) of 46-43-7 for Christie, while their “initial preference” this time, interestingly, gives an even better result for Christie, at 42-38-14. (Discussion underway in DCCylone and JFM110‘s diaries.

• OH-Gov (pdf): The Ohio Newspaper poll (conducted by University of Cincinnati) projects a close race in the Ohio gubernatorial race, as Democratic incumbent Ted Strickland leads GOP ex-Rep. John Kasich 49-46 among likely voters. Contrary to what one might expect, Kasich pulls closer among all registered voters, with a 48-47 Strickland lead.

• VA-Gov: Three different polls in Virginia, all of which showing Creigh Deeds trailing by double digits. (Ooops, almost typed “triple digits.”) The Washington Post is the most encouraging with a mere 55-44 lead for Bob McDonnell; Deeds has a 56-43 lead in northern Virginia, which may help retain some of the tight House of Delegates seat there. PPP (pdf) sees the race as 55-40 for McD (with similar-sized leads for the GOP’s LG and AG candidates); SurveyUSA has the widest spread, at 58-41 for McD. Deeds’ fundraising seems to be dying down, also, as the establishment realizes this one is over; McDonnell outraised Deeds $4 million to $3.1 million in the first 3 weeks of October (with most of Deeds’ money coming from the Tim Kaine-led DNC).

• FL-08: Alan Grayson saying something bombastic is getting to the point of not being newsworthy anymore (he called a Fed official a “K Street whore” on a radio show a month ago, although the pearls are just getting clutched today), but fellow camera-hogging Rep. Anthony Weiner gets some ups for saying what we’re all thinking: “Is this news to you that this guy’s one fry short of a Happy Meal?”

• IL-07: Rep. Danny Davis, after a drawn-out period of vacillation, finally got off the fence, and filed to run for President of the Cook County Board (although he plans to also file for his 7th District seat too; he has until Nov. 9 to withdraw one of his petitions). Assuming that he continues to follow through, this creates an open seat in the dark-blue, African-American-majority 7th and a hotly contested Dem primary.

• KY-St. Sen.: The special election is on, in Kentucky. GOP state Sen. Dan Kelly was appointed to a state circuit court judgeship yesterday, creating an open seat that Dems have a shot at picking up. The election is set for Dec. 8, the same day as a House special election to fill the seat of Dem Robin Webb (who was promoted to the state Senate in another recent special election).

• Mayors: The Charlotte mayoral race will go down to the wire; PPP finds that Anthony Foxx and John Lassiter each poll at 45. Foxx leads among African-Americans 80-9, while Lassiter leads among whites 63-29 (Charlotte is 33% black).

• Blue Dogs: Here’s an interesting fundraising tidbit: donations to the Blue Dog PAC fell to only $12,500 in September (from only three donations — from Ernst & Young, the Food Marketing Institute, and the NRA). They had averaged more than $176K per month in the first half of the year. Is this a blip, or a sign of things to come?

• FEC: If you can’t get enough about campaign finance disclosures and regulations, we’ve got the blog for you. The FEC has its own blog now… if you can consider something that has no bomb-throwing invective or pictures of hilarious cats to be a blog.

Reiterating My OPPOSITION to Tolling I-80 as PA Turnpike Commission Reveals Plans to Spend I-80 Toll Money:

This week the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission released details of their plans to repair Interstate 80 using the funds generated from tolls paid by users of the highway.  It was stated by the Turnpike Commission and their consultants that “An assessment of the interstate showed that more than half its length has not been repaved since it was built some 40 years ago”.  In press accounts, Barry J. Schoch, identified as Project Manager, also detailed plans to build a “cashless open road tolling system” that will utilize the EZ Pass system to collect a portion of the tolls.  Mr. Schoch also described how vehicles not equipped with EZ Pass will have their tolls collected saying “a driver without E-ZPass will have his or her license plate photographed, generating a mailed-out bill for the vehicle owner”.  He also stated that this non EZ Pass system “is not currently used on any U.S. highway.”

As a county commissioner in a county that is on the I-80 corridor I have been, and remain, strongly OPPOSED to the tolling of I-80.  The press barrage this past week from the Turnpike Commission only serves to make me more skeptical of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s decision, via legislation known as Act 44, to turn the operation of Interstate 80 over to the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.  

There are many disturbing aspects of this week’s announcement.  First, the statement that “An assessment of the interstate showed that more than half its length has not been repaved since it was built some 40 years ago”, I find ridiculous.  Anyone who regularly traveled I-80 over the last 40 years knows that annual maintenance is done to the roadway for at least 9 out of the 12 months each year.  I also find it hard to believe that there are portions more than “half it’s length” that have not been repaved since I-80 was built.  How often do travelers on I-80 deal with lanes being shutdown for months at a time or the infamous “rumble strips” before the abrupt crossovers that lead to miles and miles of 2 way traffic separated by concrete barriers.   These stretches of crossovers and 2 way traffic are typically done while the other lane is completely torn up and replaced.  

I also find the “cashless open road tolling system” to be a major concern.  It sounds to me like the Turnpike Commission is trying to move toward privatizing the collection of tolls.  If I were an employee working collecting tolls on the existing Pennsylvania Turnpike, I would be very interested to know what future plans the executives at the Turnpike Commission have for “cashless open road tolling systems”.  I also have grave concerns about any government entity tracking the movements of our free citizens.  Isn’t this what they did in the former USSR?

It is clear that Harrisburg still isn’t listening to the citizens, businesses and elected leaders from the I-80 corridor.  How many times do we have to state “NO TOLLS ON I-80” before they get the message?  Rural counties that rely on Interstate 80 as the only route to deliver commerce to and from our counties have designed our economic development and tourism promotion plans, both long and short range, around a toll free I-80.  In many situations we are at a disadvantage and this ill conceived plan just adds to our problems.

While I was optimistic that the US Department of Transportation could put a stop to this plan, I found the following quote from an AP story dated June 27th 2008 from US Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters.  When questioned about giving approval to tolling I-80, Secretary Peters said “If that’s the decision that state leaders make, then I think we should be in a position to support that or allow them to make that decision,” Peters said, according to The Patriot-News of Harrisburg. “I do not think the federal government should make that decision.”

FEC Second Quarter Reports Filed — Fundraising Goals Met:

July 15th was the deadline for the FEC Second Quarter Financial reports for all candidates running for federal office.  Campaign Treasurer Tim Fannin filed our reports electronically on Monday July 14th and the reports were up for public review late that day.  I want to stress the goals the campaign committee set for the second quarter reports were met.  As a campaign team, we wanted to make sure that we raised funds that would allow us to conduct all campaign activities necessary over the summer months.  That goal was easily achieved and we have been able to purchase all the campaign materials necessary to hand out to voters including campaign badges, lapel stickers, pens, magnetic bumper stickers, balloons and about a ton of candy for the parades.  We’ve also been able to travel all over the district and have had several successful “Meet the Candidate” events.  I want to give special recognition to Campaign Chair Henry Guthrie and his wife Molly, fundraising consultant Keith Bierly and Centre County Coordinator Tim Wilson for their hard work and dedication during the second quarter.  

While we met our goals and we are able to do the summer events, I need to stress to everyone that the campaign needs your help in raising money for the fall campaign.  We have the best message, the best ideas and the best people working on the campaign — but it will mean nothing if we are unable to run a competitive media campaign in the fall.  2008 is a year of great promise and opportunity, we just have to pull together and get the job done.

Weekly Review:

Tuesday and Wednesday were County Fair Days.  On Tuesday evening, Kelly, Amanda and I attended the Jefferson County Fair and Wednesday afternoon we made the long trip to Hughesville for the Lycoming County Fair.  Wednesday in Lycoming County was very hot but we spoke with a number of people while working about 4 hours at the Lycoming County Democratic Committee booth.

Our campaign events in Clearfield and Tioga counties this week went very well.  Thursday night in Clearfield we had a good turnout for the dinner.  I had the chance to speak with the people who turned out and we had some very good feedback about the campaign.

On Friday, Henry Guthrie, Tim Wilson and I traveled to Hills Creek State Park in Tioga County to attend a picnic event organized by Ann Gazda, Sarah Davis, Bonnie Kyofski and Jean Leibatt.  Everyone had a great time and I got the chance to speak with group and did a Q & A session were we talked about gas and oil prices, wind power, public education issues and other issues of concern in Tioga County.  This was my 7th trip up to Tioga County and I really enjoy seeing the people up there.

Photo from the Tioga County Picnic

NOTE — We postponed the Sunday reception in Lock Haven, Clinton County until a later date.

Mark B. McCracken

Your Candidate For Congress

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This diary is cross-posted at McCracken’s campaign blog, PA’s Blue Fifth

Mark McCracken for Congress

ActBlue page

(crossposted to Dkos)

President Kennedy once invoked the old axiom that “a raising tide lifts all boats.”

He might have been thinking about the fortunes of Democrats in the State of Ohio. What an INCREDIBLE change since 2004, when Ohio, thanks in large part to “values voters” who turned out to support an idiotic Hate Amendment to the state Constitution, thereby returning the Shrub to the White House by 218,000 votes.

First came 2006: Sherrod Brown goes to the Senate and Ted Strickland leads a near sweep of statewide offices (notable exception: the state Supremes, now all neo-con.) But we only picked up one US House seat, by Zach Space, in OH-18.The GOP thinks that they can take Zach out. FAT CHANCE! Zach raised $274519.00 with $591905.47 Cash on Hand. It’s a VERY tough District but Zach can get the job done.

So let’s review how things are going heading into the US House elections. It’s pretty amazing. There are FOUR open seats, three by retirement, and one death. That’s out of a total of 18 Districts in the state.

And all of the open seats had been held by Republicans.

And unfortunately for the GOP, in OH-02, Mean Jean Schmidt DIDN’T decide to retire!

Folks,in the last several election cycles, it was not uncommon for Democratic Congressional challengers to raise so little money that they didn’t even have to file ANY reports (let alone quarterly.) Let’s take a gander at today’s FEC filings:(my how things have changed!!!!)

First things first, Robin Weirauch is already up and running for the OH-05 special election following the death of Paul Gillmor. She had her crew have been out working HARD. She has been endorsed by most of the county Democratic Party organizations and with the withdrawal of her only significant primary challenger, is overwhelmingly the presumptive nominee. (Because it’s a special election, the FEC reporting schedule is a little different.)

In OH-01, State House Minority leader Steve Dreihaus is taking on Rep Steve Chabot. Driehaus raised $120612.31 with $251011.77 CoH. Steve is a veteran campaigner who is going to run an excellent campaign.

In OH-07, GOP Rep. Dave Hobson has announced his retirement and the DCCC and ODP are working to recruit a top level candidate for the District.It’s very tough District but as an open seat, everything changes. Stay tuned!

In OH-14, former appellate Judge Bill O’Neill has set fundraising records for a Democrat in the District.His totals for his first quarter of fundraising:$102872.00 with $77976.74 on hand.

In OH-15, where Rep. Deb Pryce has decided not to run again, Franklin County Commissioner Mary Jo Killroy raised $342423.64 this quarter, with $383659.05 CoH. So far, the GOP has gotten nothing but rejections for their attempts to find SOMEBODY to run for this seat, following Pryce’s decision not to run again.

In OH-16, where Ralph Regula FINALLY made his decision to retire public,  Air Force Major and State Senator John Boccieri was able to raise $118857.83 with $224847.24 CoH.

Once again, OHIO is clearly going to be the compelling story of this election cycle.