Tag: John Yarmuth

• SC-Gov: You’ve probably already heard, but Mark Sanford finally turned up today, returning not from the Appalachian Trail but freakin’ Argentina, where apparently he decided to go for a spur-of-the-moment visit. Prepare a industrial-sized garbage bag full of popcorn for his 2 pm EDT press conference. [UPDATE: Well, in case you have a computer that only gets SSP and no other news outlets, it turns out that Sanford was in Argentina to break off an affair with an Argentinian woman he’d met via e-mail. He’s very sorry. He’s also resigning as head of the RGA.]

• AR-Sen: The Republican field of contenders to take on Blanche Lincoln just keeps getting bigger, and also keeps becoming more and more amateur-hour. Searcy “businessman” Fred Ramey entered the race (he owns a real estate investment company, which is apparently so successful that he also is a driver for Federal Express). Two other unknowns — retired Army colonel Conrad Reynolds and financial advisor Buddy Rogers — have also come forward to say they’re considering the race.

• FL-Sen: Mike Huckabee officially endorsed former state House speaker Marco Rubio in the GOP Senate primary today (although he had already made his feelings clear in an earlier e-mail to supporters touting Rubio). Seeking to grab the movement-conservative flag as he looks to take advantage of the growing GOP schism as he heads toward 2012, he also tore into the NRSC, who held a big fundraiser for Charlie Crist on Monday attended by 15 GOP Senators. Says Huck: “The establishment Republicans have made this endorsement for the same reason that they’re in so much trouble. They go out there and support stuff like TARP bills and stimulus packages, pork-barrel spending and huge debt, and they wring their hands and act like, ‘This is not good, but we don’t have a choice.'”

• KY-Sen: AG Jack Conway, who’s facing off against Lt. Gov. Dan Mongiardo in the Dem Senate primary, has the endorsement of the state’s entire Democratic U.S. House delegation (all two of them). Ben Chandler and John Yarmuth will both be on hand today for a big Washington DC fundraiser for Conway.

• TX-Sen (pdf): Texas Lyceum released a wide-ranging poll of Texans; one question they asked was who people were supporting in the event of a special election for the Senate. Fully 71% were undecided on this as-yet-non-existent race, but of the eight candidates (all asked together, rather than grouped by party), Democratic Houston mayor Bill White had the most support, at 9%. Other Dem contender John Sharp was at 2%; the top GOPers, AG Greg Abbott and LG David Dewhurst, each were at 4%. (They also polled the gubernatorial primary, finding Gov. Rick Perry beating Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison 33-21.)

• AK-Gov: Rumblings seem greater in the last few days that Sarah Palin is unlikely to run for a second term as Alaska governor, so that she can focus on a 2012 bid (and, in light of her declining statewide approvals, avoid the possibility of a career-ending loss in the governor’s election). (Potential opponent Andrew Halcro sums it up neatly: “If you’re Palin, once you’ve flown first class, you don’t go back to coach.”) With a recent Pew poll finding that Palin is the nation’s most popular Republican (key: among Republicans), striking while the iron is hot for 2012 makes sense. The DGA is certainly noticing, and they’re now touting Alaska as one of their four big pickup opportunities in a new fundraising e-mail (along with Florida, Georgia, and Minnesota… which might suggest they think California and Hawaii are in the bag).

• IL-Gov: A whole lot of longshots are piling up in the GOP column in the Illinois governor’s race, which now includes political consultant and TV commentator Dan Proft. Six other GOPers, none of whom seem known statewide, are already in the hunt.

• TX-Gov: State senator Leticia Van de Putte, whose name had cropped up a lot in connection with the Democratic nomination for Governor in recent weeks, released a statement yesterday saying she won’t run. Interestingly, instead of endorsing Tom Schieffer — whose Democratic credentials are kind of iffy — she suggested that fellow state Senator Kirk Watson should run instead.

• AL-02: No time for Congress, Dr. Love! Republican State Rep. and 2008 losing candidate Jay Love decided against a rematch with freshman Rep. Bobby Bright. The exit of Love, who barely lost in this R+16 district last time, means that Montgomery city councilor Martha Roby may escape a noxious primary (the GOP’s main problem last time).

• CA-11: Two Republican members of the Board of Supervisors of San Joaquin County (where almost half of this R+1 district’s votes are located) endorsed Democratic Rep. Jerry McNerney yesterday, pleased with his constituent services and work to bring a VA hospital to the area.

• CA-50: We’re looking at a three-way Democratic primary in this R+3 district in northern San Diego county. Solana Beach city councilor Dave Roberts (a former Brian Bilbray supporter) is considering the race and will decide by July whether to jump in. He’d bring one advantage to his race against two-time candidate Francine Busby and attorney Tracy Emblem: he’s actually been elected to something.

• PA-06: PA2010’s Dan Hirschhorn observes that with a series of top-tier hires, Doug Pike is looking more and more like he’ll have the Dem field to himself. Pike has hired Neil Oxman’s Campaign Group to do his media, who’ve worked not only for Gov. Ed Rendell but also for former Senate candidate Joe Torsella and ’02 candidate Dan Wofford — both of whom have had their names tossed around as the most likely other people to run in PA-06. I’d initially assumed the never-before-elected journalist was something of a placeholder until someone higher on the food chain got in the race, but with these hires and the DCCC constantly touting him, it seems clear that Pike is impressing the right people.

• PA-15: Good news out of the Lehigh Valley: Bethlehem mayor John Callahan, who a few months ago had rebuffed requests that he run against Rep. Charlie Dent, may have had a change of heart. Callahan has approached Democratic party leaders about the race, and is now reportedly “seriously considering” running in this D+2 district.

• TN-03: Attorney and radio talk show host Chuck Fleischmann will formally announce his entry into the GOP primary field today in the Chattanooga-based R+13 3rd. Bradley Co. Sheriff Tim Gobble is already running, and former GOP state chair Robin Smith looks like she’ll get in, too.

• NY-St. Sen.: As if the standoff over control of the New York State Senate, tied 31-31, couldn’t get any more embarrassing, yesterday both parties held dueling special sessions… at the same time, in the same room, shouting to be heard over each other, with each side claiming to pass its own bills. Negotations to create a power-sharing arrangement have more or less collapsed.

• Voting Rights: Oregon just became the fourth state to allow online voter registration, joining Washington, California, and Arizona. One less reason to have to get up from behind your computer.

Well, the political season has gotten pretty hot in Kentucky. With a Senate seat, and four hotly contested House seats here, Democrats here are fired up. Despite what any poll has said to this point, all these races are winnable. We have fielded a surprisingly impressive lineup of candidates and we are ready to fight for them. Meeting some of the delegates, and Jennifer Moore, the KDP chairman has convinced me that our party is ready to fight.

Our Senate campaign is first and foremost. Living in Kentucky, I have seen the terrible Mitch McConnell ads. I will not grace Mitch McConnell with their prescense in my diary, but they should be easlily findable on YouTube.

For his part, Bruce Lunsford has been hitting back:

He also recieved a huge endorsement from a formal rival:

DENVER-Democratic Congressman Ben Chandler of Kentucky’s 6th District officially endorsed Bruce Lunsford in his race for U.S. Senate against Mitch McConnell. Chandler made the announcement this morning during a Kentucky Delegation breakfast at the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

“I am delighted that Ben has publicly expressed the support that he’s been expressing to me privately throughout the year,” said Lunsford, who attended the breakfast. “I’m thrilled to have Ben’s endorsement, and very grateful for it. Ben and I are united in the fight to put an end to the Bush-McConnell policies that have damaged Kentucky and the nation this decade. For many years, Ben Chandler has been an important leader in Kentucky, and I know Mitch McConnell and George W. Bush realize that when Democrats are united behind a cause, it spells trouble for them.”

http://www.bruce2008.com/relea…

Bruce can still win this race and still needs our help. Defeating Mitch McConnell should be as important as expelling Joe Lieberman, and would should get behind it with as much effort.

Now, in Congressional races, we simply must keep John Yarmuth, incumbent in the 3rd District. Anyone can find his record and easily see why. I got the priviledge of sitting next to him during Kennedy’s speech at the Convention. Here is a video he gave the grassroots Progressives at bluegrassroots.org:

I don’t think he is in trouble, but we must remain vigilent in this race, because Anne Northup is a Republican sweetheart who will raise a ton of cash. Yarmuth is a fine man, and a great Democrat we need to keep in our U.S. House. Please remember him:

http://www.actblue.com/entity/…

David Boswell is in a hot race too. There have been hints of a DCCC investment, and Boswell has polled ahead in this race. You can see him here. As a State Senator, he has high name recognition in his district:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…

Then we have the two challengers facing the super tough races. You can here what Howard Dean says about them here:

Dr. Kelley is in the Fourth District. See him here:

Help Dr. Kelley here:

http://www.actblue.com/entity/…

Ah, and finally, we have Heather Ryan!! Yes, this is my home, my race and my friend. Thanks to all who helped us win the Progressive Patriots contest, it was huge for us. Thanks to Jennifer Moore and the KDP for helping us achieve it, and to all the many folks I asked to vote for her that did. You have all our gratitudes.

It seems the Exxon Ed Whitfield people just have something against this fiery grassroots Democrat. Not only do they take money from terrorist, but they hate free speech too. With a million dollars in their campaign account, they continue to rip up our campaign signs, many handpainted ones and two of the fifty printed ones we had donated. With a million dollars in their account they fear us because we speak the truth to power:

They even attacked her for raising money for a foundation that supports battered women in Western Kentucky:

The good news is the Feingold money, that many people were kind enough to help us win will keep Whitfield and his cronies plenty busy yanking up yard signs from now until November so we have time to go on the offensive. We need to run T.V., and we need your help to do it.

One T.V. spot on cable here costs about $6. Please, chip in just $6 to buy us one spot here:

http://www.actblue.com/page/am…

If enough people give the price of a lottery ticket to take a chance on expanding our Congressional majorities we could well scratch off a winner here. Please help.

Don’t forget Kentucky. Jennifer Moore is providing great leadership here, and we have great candidates!!

Kentucky has been turning the corner and getting back to its Democratic roots. We voted for Bill Clinton twice, but went through a spell where Republicans peeled off our House and Senate seats. That changed some when Ben Chandler lost his bid for Governor in 2003 and won one House seat. Our Democratic Attorney General at the time, Greg Stumbo then went on to expose the Republican Party in Kentucky for the corrupt machine it was, and John Yarmuth became a fresh pickup and one of the very best of the freshman class that won in 06.

Now this year we have a lot to be proud of in the Bluegrass state. We hold two of our House seats, and have excellent candidates fielded in three more. Hang out and check out some great Kentucky Democrats.

Anyone who has seen much of my blogging lately knows about the First District candidate Heather Ryan. This is my district and I live in Paducah and know Heather Ryan. This is her first run for office, but folks I am telling you she definately has the fire and fighting spirit that our party simply needs in the Congress. She is young, energetic and quite simply put sharp as a tack.

She is a great speaker, as you can see for yourself:

When Democrats hear her, they support her. She gave a rousing speech to the Kentucky Democratic Party that I am still waiting for the video on. From what I heard, she brought down the house:

http://www.bluegrassroots.org/…

She doesn’t mind taking time for constituents, and Kentucky Progressive bloggers:

http://www.bluegrassroots.org/…

All this young lady needs is the resources to put this district on the map. She is very good at stretching existing funds and if she gets some resources she WILL force the Republicans to spend money here.

Please consider supporting her, a hard-working grassroots Democrat that shares our ideals and will fight for them:

http://www.actblue.com/page/am…

In the Second Congressional District we have David Boswell, and awesome Democratic Candidate for that seat. David has already had polling showing he is VERY competitive in this race:

In November, 2007, the Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group conducted a survey asking people across the District who they would vote for if the Congressional election were between David Boswell and Ron Lewis. The results, released last December, found David favored in that match-up 44% to 34%, with only 4% interest in other candidates. Ron Lewis may have had his own reasons for choosing not to seek re-election, but this survey is an indication that the right Democrat — David Boswell — was already in a strong position to deny Lewis re-election.

http://www.davidboswell2008.com/

He sounds like my kind of Democrat:

There has never been a more important time than right now to have that kind of vision for us, and from us, in the U.S. Congress. Now is our time to join the Democratic majority in the House of Representatives, and turn the country away from the corporate mentality of Bush policies that have raised our gas prices, recessed our economy, and ruined our housing markets. The middle class sensibility of our cities and communities tells us we ought to be able to earn good pay for a good day’s labor, to afford health care when we need it, and promote ways to seek higher education. The example from our homes, families, and friendships can again inspire our nation and the world around it. We know how important protecting freedom is, we honor all those who serve in defending us. We also believe the United States has the diplomatic potential to support sibling democracies without policing the world, or becoming Big Brother at home.

http://www.davidboswell2008.com/

Go to David’s site and support a great Democrat!!

The Democrat in Kentucky’s Third District should need little introduction. John Yarmuth was our only pickup in 06 and is facing a rematch against Anne Northup. A Kentucky Republican Party sweetheart, she will be well funded.

All you have to do is google Yarmuth’s voting record and you will see why we need to keep him in the Congress better than I can describe. He is one of the shining stars of that Freshman Class for our party. Stop by his site, and be sure to support John Yarmuth!!:

http://www.yarmuthforcongress….

Lastly, in Kentucky’s Fourth District we have Dr. Michael Kelley. He is a Democrat we can be proud to stand up for too:

As a voter and taxpayer, Michael Kelley is opposed to the continuing Republican efforts to pour more American blood and treasure into the desert sands of the Middle East. Our military has performed incredibly well in extremely challenging circumstances, having been thrust into war without adequate equipment or justification. But unless the Shiite and Sunni factions are willing to put aside hundreds of years of division and bloodshed, our troops will continue to be caught in the middle. It is time to stop forcing American troops into the quagmire in Iraq. It is time to compel the Iraqis into political accommodation by bringing our troops home now.

As a country doctor, Doc Kelley is deeply concerned about our flawed healthcare system. His commonsense ideas for saving American taxpayers and consumers billions of dollars are a good start to fixing our broken system which currently leaves millions of Americans without hope.

Michael Kelley believes that politicians in D.C. will constantly be pressured to make unethical decisions under our current, morally bankrupt campaign finance system. His ideas for campaign finance reform would change our government fundamentally because our representatives would belong to the people – not to the special interests.

Go here to watch his videos and hear him in his own words:

http://www.kelley08.com/media….

Go here to support him:

https://secure.actblue.com/con…

With the field of fine candidates that have cropped up in Kentucky all we need are the resources to help in expanding our Congressional majorities by a lot. Don’t forget the fine Kentucky candidates on the frontlines of the fight for a new Congress!!

Best wishes everyone!!

 

Well, it looks like Boehner is starting to take matters into his own hands and rectify some of Tom Cole’s incompetence.

More after the fold…

Full article from cq politics:

http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmsp…

It’s not uncommon for congressional leaders to steer fundraising assistance to party candidates who are in difficult races and in need of extra campaign cash. One such effort is the House Republicans’ “ROMP,” an acronym for Regain Our Majority Program, which has released its latest list of Republican candidates who will benefit from additional aid because they are politically vulnerable and/or have been targeted by the Democrats for defeat.

“ROMP 2008,” presently overseen by the political operation of House Minority Leader John A. Boehner of Ohio, was recently established in papers filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). These records identify the 10 newest recipients of the program’s assistance.

These candidates make up the first batch of ROMP candidates named this year, and the third since the current election cycle began in the 2007-08 cycle. The new recipients’ election contests are outlined below.

7/10 of the candidates were incumbents we ousted in the last election cycle.

• Michele Bachmann , Minnesota’s 6th District (North and east Twin Cities suburbs; St. Cloud). Bachmann was first elected in 2006 to succeed Republican Mark Kennedy, who lost his campaign for the U.S. Senate to Democrat Amy Klobuchar . The Democratic nominee for November’s election will be either Bob Olson, a lawyer, or Elwyn Tinklenberg, a former state transportation commissioner. The latter candidate initially campaigned for the Democratic nomination in 2006 but later deferred to Patty Wetterling, a child safety advocate who lost to Bachmann after also losing as the Democratic nominee against Kennedy in 2004.

• Vito J. Fossella , New York’s 13th (Staten Island; part of southwest Brooklyn). Fossella is the only House Republican who represents part of New York City. He saw his re-election percentage drop from 70 percent in 2002 to 59 percent in 2004, and then again to 57 percent in 2006 even though Democratic challenger Steve Harrison didn’t raise much money. Harrison, a lawyer, is seeking a rematch, though he faces a well-funded primary opponent in New York City Councilman Domenic Recchia.

• Sam Graves , Missouri’s 6th (Northwest – St. Joseph, part of Kansas City). Graves’ campaign for a fifth term may well be the toughest of his career. His Democratic opponent, former Kansas City mayor Kay Barnes, is well-known and well-funded.

• Ric Keller , Florida’s 8th (Central – most of Orlando). Keller won a fourth term in 2006 by a 7 percentage-point margin over Democrat Charlie Stuart, a marketing executive who is one of several Democrats seeking the 2008 nomination.

• Anne M. Northup, Kentucky’s 3rd (Louisville Metro). Northup, who served in the House from 1997 through 2006, is challenging Democratic freshman Yarmuth, who unseated her by a margin of less than 3 percentage points. Northup hadn’t planned a bid to reclaim her seat this year, but she jumped in after the Republican she had been backing, lawyer Erwin Roberts, dropped out of the race to fulfill his military obligations. Northup sought a quick political comeback last year but lost a primary challenge to then-Gov. Ernie Fletcher, who subsequently lost the general election to Democrat Steve Beshear.

• Erik Paulsen, Minnesota’s 3rd (Hennepin County suburbs – Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Plymouth). Paulsen, a state representative, is the presumed Republican nominee in this suburban Minneapolis district, which retiring Republican Jim Ramstad is giving up after nine terms. The Democratic nominee will either be state Sen. Terri Bonoff or Ashwin Madia, a lawyer and Iraq War veteran.

• Bill Sali , Idaho’s 1st (West – Nampa, Panhandle, part of Boise). The strong Republican leanings of this district are indisputable, as President Bush took 68 percent of the vote there in his 2004 election. But Sali underperformed in his 2006 election for the then-open 1st District seat, in which he defeated Democrat Larry Grant by the underwhelming vote of 50 percent to 45 percent. Grant is seeking the 2008 Democratic nomination along with Walt Minnick, a businessman who lost as the party’s losing Senate nominee against Republican Larry E. Craig in 1996. Sali is opposed in the May 27 Republican primary election by Matt Salisbury, an Iraq War veteran.

• Jean Schmidt , Ohio’s 2nd (Eastern Cincinnati and suburbs; Portsmouth). Schmidt, who is seeking a second full term in a district that usually exhibits strong Republican leanings, faces a rematch of her exceptionally close 2006 race against Democratic physician Victoria Wulsin. Schmidt won that contest by a margin of about 1 percentage point. In the primary elections that took place March 4, Schmidt was renominated with 57 percent of the Republican vote and Wulsin won with 58 percent on the Democratic side.

• Tim Walberg , Michigan’s 7th (South central – Battle Creek, Jackson). Walberg, a freshman, was elected in 2006 over Democrat Sharon Renier, a little-known and underfunded Democrat who lost by just 4 percentage points. The unexpectedly close outcome was influenced by a bitter Republican primary fight in which the very conservative Walberg unseated one-term GOP moderate Joe Schwarz. Renier is running again this year, though Democratic officials are rallying behind state Sen. Mark Schauer, a better-known and better-funded candidate.

• Darren White, New Mexico’s 1st (Central – Albuquerque). White is the sheriff of Bernalillo County, which includes Albuquerque and which is the population base of a politically competitive district that Republican Heather A. Wilson left open to pursue a U.S. Senate bid. White is opposed in the June 3 primary by state Sen. Joseph Carraro. The four Democratic primary candidates are Michelle Grisham, a former state health secretary; Martin Heinrich, a former Albuquerque councilman; Robert L. Pidcock, a lawyer; and Rebecca Vigil-Giron, a former New Mexico Secretary of State.

It looks as if former Rep. Ann Northup who held the strongly Democratic KY-03 from 1996 until she was defeated by Yarmuth in 2006, may run again now that the GOP’s top recruit, federal prosecutor Erwin Roberts has dropped out of the race.  http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmsp…

I am skeptical of Northup’s ability to win this district after her amazing 13% loss to the scandal tarred Ernie Fletcher in the gubernatorial primary.  Add to that the fact that even after she represented the district for a decade, a partisan NRCC poll still has her trailing Yarmuth 47%-49%, which means after partisan adjustments she probably trails 43%-53% in reality.  http://www.campaigndiaries.com/  She also doesn’t get the usual incumbent rule since she held the district as recently as two years ago.  

I should also point out that this is the only district in the state that John Kerry managed to carry in 2004 and this is even more impressive since he was killed statewide by 21%.  Any Democratic nominee would carry this district in 2008 and that will help Yarmuth greatly since incumbents usually run ahead of their national ticket.  Still, I would continue to watch this race.  If Northup gets in, what looked like an easy hold gets much tougher.