Barletta coughs up another lead in a new internal poll, and although the numbers are probably best served with a grain of salt, it’s sort of telling that we haven’t seen rival numbers from Kanjorski or the DCCC. In fact, Kanjorski’s response to the poll doesn’t exactly inspire confidence:
A Kanjorski campaign spokesman declined to comment on the poll.
That’s the exact same response that Kanjorski’s camp gave in June. Weak, sir.
Kanjorski isn’t used to competitive campaigns, and the rust has clearly been showing in recent months with one gaffe after another. (Check out his latest bumbling interview with CBS news for his latest smash hit on the issue of earmarks.)
While it might be hard to believe that Barletta is leading (or will hold onto his lead) in a D+5 district, his aggressive populist campaign appears to be catching Kanjorski on the wrong footing.
SSP is changing its rating of this race from “Likely Democratic” to “Lean Democratic“.
After Keith Hummel dropped out, Democrats were left without a candidate for a while. Well, no more. From the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star:
Democrats met Monday and nominated Warrenton businessman Bill Day, who last year unsuccessfully ran against Del. Scott Lingamfelter for a House of Delegates seat.
Day replaces Keith Hummel, a Westmoreland County doctor who withdrew from the race last week after his multiple past bankruptcy filings became an issue in the campaign.
Day holds an MBA from Harvard and spent several years as a mental health counselor. He owns interests in office buildings in Prince William County and said he holds the mineral rights to land in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, where he owns royalty interests and enters into lease agreements for companies to drill for oil and gas.
A new PPP of Florida just came out it showed the Presidential race within the MOE(McCain up 3) but readers of this site are more interested in the two potential 2010 senate matchups.
It shows Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz up one on Sen. Martinez but that Sen. Bob Graham would be up 20, 51-31 on Martinez. Also Martinez has an abominable 24/40 Approval/dissaproval rating.
It seems like Sink, Wexler and Schultz are all basically tied with Martinez while Graham would beat him soundly.
The moral of the story, Martinez is absolutely beatable by anyone but if we want to definitely win then get Graham in the race.
Dean Heller, friend of big business, friend of Dick Cheney, friend of Halliburton.
Yep, the company formerly chaired by Dick Cheney, the company getting probably the most bang for the buck out of the Iraq war, the company so infamous that there’s an entire website devoted to its shameful practices, that company, Halliburton Energy Services, has contributed $1,000 to Heller for Congress on August 1. And Heller gladly excepted it.
Why? I refer you to the first sentence of this diary. Honestly, though, without the loans he gave to his campaign (his current debts are $365k) and without the big business PAC money his campaign finances wouldn’t look so good. In fact, out of the $1.2 million Heller has received this cycle, more than $500k came from PACs or other committees. That’s more than 40%. You can view the whole list of PAC money here.
And don’t kid yourself about the individual contributions. Doesn’t mean they’re all ordinary folk. A lot of those are business executives, real estate, development, financial services giving in four figure sums. From Nevadan casino executives alone Dean Heller received at least $75,500 thus far. That’s more than 10% of all his individual contributions.
So, in case you’re wondering why we’re still in Iraq, why we have a big budget deficit, Heller getting contributions from companies like Halliburton is one of the reasons.
Heller’s Democratic challenger Jill Derby may not have Halliburton. But Jill Derby has ordinary supporters like you. How about giving her ten bucks?
A quick round-up of last night’s congressional and gubernatorial primaries:
GA-Sen: Former state Rep. Jim Martin destroyed DeKalb CEO and Bush supporting Democrat Vernon Jones by a 60-40 margin in the Senatorial primary to take on GOP slimeball Saxby Chambliss.
KS-02: In the biggest shocker of the night, state Treasurer Lynn Jenkins beat ex-Rep. Jim Ryun by a mere 1007 votes (51-49) after trailing heavily in every publicly-released poll during the campaign the campaign. She will now move on to face freshman Democratic Rep. Nancy Boyda in the general election.
MI-13: Incumbent Democrat Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick narrowly survived a three-way primary with 39% of the vote. Former state Rep. Mary Waters came in second with 36%, and state Sen. Martha Scott was third with 25%.
MO-Gov: GOP Rep. Kenny Hulshof beat state Treasurer Sarah Steelman by a 49-45 margin for the Republican nomination to succeed Matt Blunt.
MO-09: State Rep. Judy Baker beat former Speaker of the Missouri House Steve Gaw handily (44-31) for the Democratic nomination in this open seat race. On the GOP side, former state Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer beat the Club For Growth-backed state Rep. Bob Onder by a 40-29 margin. Sadly, netroots fave Brock Olivo only pulled in 10% of the vote.
Atlanta attorney Jim Martin had much to celebrate last night at Piedmont Park’s Park Tavern as he, his family, and campaign team savored a landslide victory rout over DeKalb County Executive Vernon Jones.
Atlanta’s WSB-TV is reporting this morning that Martin garnered 190000+ votes to win 60/40 over Jones with 99% of precints reporting. WSB election results data can be found here.
According to the Atlanta Journal Constitition:
.Turnout was light in the race for the Democratic Party nomination for the U.S. Senate seat held by incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss.
Only 18 percent of registered voters cast ballots in the primary, and fewer than half of those were expected to return to the polls Tuesday for 12 hours of voting that began at 7 a.m.
While many local and national pundits have viewed a Martin/Chambliss contest as a third tier race, recent polling data suggests otherwise Chambliss is vulnerable. Recent polling shows that fewer than 40% of Georgia voters are planning to vote to re-elect him this November. Here is recent polling data from the Mellman Group here.
This is a winnable race. An exceptionally strong African American turnout in Georgia this fall in support of Barack Obama, aided by substantial liberal voting blocs in Fulton and DeKalb counties, Athens, and Savannah, can propel Martin to victory in November.
Whether you live in Georgia or elsewhere, your help is needed. Saxby Chambliss begins this race with a substantial $4 million+ campaign war chest. Although Jim Martin has proven to be an adept fundraiser in previous campaigns, he cannot overcome this current Chambliss financial advantage without your help.
DONT GET MAD…GET EVEN!
Saxby Chambliss’ despicable, vicious and dishonest attacks on war hero and former Senator Max Cleland in the 2002 election, plus his unyielding support of George W. Bush for the last six years underscore his lack of character and judgement. He’s in the same league as other Bushbots like Joe Lieberman, John Cornyn, and others. It’s time for us to GET EVEN and remove the stench of Saxby Chambliss from the US Senate.
Whether you live in Georgia or elsewhere, your help is needed. Saxby Chambliss begins this race with a substantial $4 million+ campaign warchest. Although Jim Martin has proven to be an adept fundraiser in previous campaigns, he cannot overcome this current Chambliss financial advantage without your help. Please consider a donation today to help Jim defeat Chambliss.
Be sure to put add a penny (.01) to your donation so it can be identified as netroots support.
VOLUNTEER
An exceptionally strong network of volunteers in the Atlanta area were critical to Jim Martin’s primary and runoff successes, but much more help will be needed to successfully defeat Chambliss. Whether you are a Georgia resident or reside in surrounding states like Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, or SC, please take time to volunteer and help us remove the Stench of Saxby from public office. You can volunteer to help Jim Martin defeat Saxby Chambliss here.
The latest independent expenditure reports are in, and the DCCC has just dropped $100K on producing and airing new ads in Illinois and Texas.
In the open seat race for IL-11, the DCCC is spending $39,000 on an ad buy in support of Democrat Debbie Halvorson. The Hotline has the full script:
ANNCR: “The Middle Class is getting squeezed. Debbie Halvorson knows we’re working harder and getting less, that’s why she led the fight to lower prescription drug costs for Illinois seniors, and Halvorson helped give thousands of children and working families affordable health insurance. Now she wants to take our fight to Congress. She’ll take on George Bush’s Policies. And bring common sense back to our government. Debbie Halvorson, a fighter for us. The DCCC is responsible for the content of this advertisement.”
In Texas’ 22nd CD, the DCCC is dropping $44,000 on an ad buy in support of imperiled Democratic incumbent Nick Lampson. No copies of this ad have been made available yet.
SSP currently rates both IL-11 and TX-22 as Tossups.
A Benenson Strategy Group poll from May showed Kilroy leading Stivers by 47-37, so we at least know that Kilroy is awfully close to the 50% mark.
Judging by the crosstabs, independent Don Eckhart picks up support fairly equally across the board, but I would guess that many voters are merely parking their votes with an unknown option for now, and are instead truly undecided about their options. Eckhart’s previous claim to fame was an independent bid against Stivers for the state Senate four years ago, where he claimed 9% of the vote. Eckhart was endorsed by the Ohio Right to Life both then and now, so perhaps he might peel off a few wingnuts from the GOP’s right flank. Then again, 7% of pro-choice voters chose Eckhart in this poll…
A few things seem a bit funky here, most notably Gordon Smith’s improbably high 53-29 performance among voters aged 18-34.
The partisan breakdown of the sample, at 37R-41D-22I, is also perhaps a bit suspect. SUSA’s partisan sample of Oregon has fluctuated in recent months, from 32R-44D in April to 32R-48D in May to 41R-42D in June. Where lies the truth? CNN’s 2004 exit poll pegged turnout as 34R-32D-34I, but surely the landscape is now tinted with a bluer hue four years later. In fact, according to the latest voter registration numbers from the OR SoS, Dems have a 43%-33% voter registration advantage over the GOP as of June. That’s a significant advantage that you don’t see reflected in SUSA’s model.
That said, Merkley’s 63-28 performance among Democrats in the poll is of concern, as it could reflect Gordon Smith’s recent bipartisan bear-hugs of Barack Obama and lately even John Forbes Kerry (whom Gordo once harshly criticized as advocating “all kinds of socialism”). However, I still think this race is closer than SUSA’s latest survey suggests.
Kentucky Republicans live in a fantasy world that puts anything dreamed up by J.R. Tolkien to shame. Where else in this country do you find people who believe that the suppression of Free Speech by theft and vandalism is a “Christian Value? Where else do you find people who are invested in, and profiting from our pain at the pump seeking to lecture all of us on the high price of gas, while voting against a windfall tax on Big Oil? Indeed, where else will you find a Congressman who refuses to return the blood money of a convicted terrorist seek to lecture the rest of us on the “War on Terror”?
Well, in my Congressman, Exxon Ed Whitfield you find all of the above. As you will soon see, his hypocrisy knows no bounds.
What else can it be but hypocrisy when a man who has become a millionaire off Exxon, and Chevron stocks seeks to lecture us on Gas Prices, when that very Congressman rubber-stamped the failed Bush/Cheney Energy Policy that has led to record gas prices for us, and record profits for himself and his fellow stockholders in Big Oil? One need only look at his site to see the hypocrisy shining through:
Furthering his efforts to increase domestic supplies of energy and reduce skyrocketing fuel costs for Kentucky consumers, U.S. Representative Ed Whitfield (KY-01) called on the leader of the House of Representatives last week to immediately consider legislation which would increase American supplies of energy.
“Kentuckians know that in order to bring down record high fuel costs, we need to increase our domestic energy production,” Whitfield said. “Yet, leaders in the House of Representatives continue to block consideration of any sensible, productive legislation that would aid American consumers trying to fill up their tanks this summer. The time for action is now.”
Well, if Exxon Eddie really believes that, he has a funny way of showing it:
Voted NO on investing in homegrown biofuel.
H.R.3221: New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act: Moving toward greater energy independence and security, developing innovative new technologies, reducing carbon emissions, creating green jobs, protecting consumers, increasing clean renewable energy production, modernizing our energy infrastructure, and providing tax incentives for the production of renewable energy and energy conservation.
Reference: New Direction for Energy Independence; Bill HR3221 ; vote number 2007-0832 on Aug 4, 2007
Voted NO on tax incentives for renewable energy.
CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY: Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2008:
Production Incentives: Extends through 2011 the tax credit for the production of electricity from renewable resources (e.g., wind, biomass, geothermal, and hydropower).
Extends through 2016 the energy tax credit for investment in solar energy and fuel cell property.
Allows a new tax credit for the production of plug-in hybrid vehicles.
Extends through 2010 the tax credits for biodiesel (including agri-biodiesel)
Allows an alcohol fuels tax credit for the production of qualified cellulosic alcohol fuel.
Denies the tax deduction for income attributable to domestic production of oil, gas, or any related products.
Reference: Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act; Bill H.R.5351 ; vote number 08-HR5351 on Feb 12, 2008
Voted NO on tax incentives for energy production and conservation.
OnTheIssues.org Explanation:This bill passed the House but was killed in the Senate on a rejected Cloture Motion, Senate rollcall
#150Congressional Summary:A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide Tax incen Credits for biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Sec. 124. Credit for new qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicles.
Sec. 127. Transportation fringe benefit to bicycle commuters.
Sec. 146. Qualified green building and sustainable design project
Reference: Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act; Bill HR6049 ; vote number 2008-344 on Jun 21, 2008
You see, even though the research and development of the fuels of the future holds countless potential in really achieving Energy Independence, and although it holds countless potential for new, high-paying jobs growing and refining these fuels in his mostly rural district, Exxon Ed Whitfield cannot allow his Exxon and Chevron stock to be devalued. He is invested in, and profiting handsomely from the current Energy Policy that makes us slave to Middle Eastern Oil, and record profits for Big Oil during a time of war.
You see, even though his stock is enjoying record profits, Whitfield will have none of ending the huge amounts of Corporate Welfare doled out to such companies in favor of investing in real Energy Independence:
Voted NO on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies.
This legislation seeks to end the unwarranted tax breaks & subsidies which have been lavished on Big Oil over the last several years, at a time of record prices at the gas pump and record oil industry profits. Big Oil is hitting the American taxpayer not once, not twice, but three times. They are hitting them at the pump, they are hitting them through the Tax Code, and they are hitting them with royalty holidays put into oil in 1995 and again in 2005.
It is time to vote for the integrity of America’s resources, to vote for the end of corporate welfare, to vote for a new era in the management of our public energy resources.
Reference: Creating Long-Term Energy Alternatives for the Nation(CLEAN); Bill HR 6 (“First 100 hours”) ; vote number 2007-040 on Jan 18, 2007
You see, in the visionless, hypocritical world of Exxon Eddie, personal profits for himself, and the special interests that have bought and paid for him are far more important than the promise of achieving Energy Independence that benefits all Americans.
However, unfortunately that is not even the most hypocritical part of Exxon Eddie’s agenda. His lust for special interest money to smear his opponents and hold onto power knows no boundries. Case in point, the “War on Terror”:
Voted YES on authorizing military force in Iraq.
Authorization for the Use of Military Force Against Iraq: Passage of the joint resolution that would authorize President Bush to use the US military as he deems necessary and appropriate to defend U.S. national security against Iraq and enforce UN Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq. It would be required that the president report to Congress, no later than 48 hours after using force, his determination that diplomatic options or other peaceful means would not guarantee US national security against Iraq or allow enforcement of UN resolutions and that using force is consistent with anti-terrorism efforts. The resolution would also give specific statutory authorization under the War Powers Resolution. Every 60 days the president would also be required to report to Congress on actions related to the resolution.
Reference: Bill sponsored by Hastert,R-IL; Bill HJRes114 ; vote number 2002-455 on Oct 10, 2002
Voted YES on declaring Iraq part of War on Terror with no exit date.
Voting YES would support the following resolution (excerpted):
Whereas the United States and its allies are engaged in a Global War on Terror, a long and demanding struggle against an adversary that is driven by hatred of American values and that is committed to imposing, by the use of terror, its repressive ideology throughout the world;
Whereas the terrorists have declared Iraq to be the central front in their war against all who oppose their ideology;
Whereas the United States and its Coalition partners will continue to support Iraq as part of the Global War on Terror:
Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives–
Honors all those Americans who have taken an active part in the Global War on Terror;
Declares that it is not in the national security interest of the United States to set an arbitrary date for the withdrawal or redeployment of United States Armed Forces from Iraq;
Declares that the United States is committed to the completion of the mission to create a sovereign, free, secure, and united Iraq;
Declares that the United States will prevail in the Global War on Terror, the noble struggle to protect freedom from the terrorist adversary.
Reference: Resolution on Prevailing in the Global War on Terror; Bill HRES 861 ; vote number 2006-288 on Jun 12, 2006
You see, Whitfield blindly rubber-stamped a failed President and policy which allowed our real attacker on 9-11, Osama bin-Laden walk away scot-free, and insultingly release video tapes that snubs his nose at those who lost loved ones on that fateful day. Then, whenevidence emerges that the American people were misled into cutting and running from our true attacker, bin-Laden, Exxon Eddie will not even allow the matter to be investigated:
Voted NO on investigating Bush impeachment for lying about Iraq.
OnTheIssues.org Explanation:This vote is on referring the impeachment resolution to a Congressional Committee to decide further action (not on impeachment itself).Congressional Summary:Resolved, That President George W. Bush b Fourth Amendment
Article XXVI–Announcing the Intent To Violate Laws With Signing Statements, and Violating Those Laws
Reference: The Kucinich Privilege Resolution; Bill H.RES.1258 ; vote number 2008-401 on Jun 11, 2008
However, it only gets worse. After all his talk about the “War on Terror”, Exxon Eddie aligned himself against the 9-11 families by taking money from Abdulrahman Alamoudi, and refusing to give it back when it was proven this man was a terrorist in his own right:
In June of 2000, Ed Whitfield received a $1000 donation from a man named Abdulrahman Alamoudi1. At the time this man was an outspoken supporter of the U.S.-designated terrorist organizations Hamas and Hezbollah2, and he was busy making friends in the highest levels of government. Congressman Ed Whitfield was one of these friends. Many politicians were smart enough to steer clear of this shady character. Dennis Kucinich received a $500 donation from Alamoudi, and he returned the money. Hillary Clinton received $1000 dollars from Alamoudi, and she returned the money. GEORGE BUSH received $1000 from Alamoudi and even HE returned the money!! They knew that Alamoudi had questionable connections and radical, terrorist beliefs and they did not want to be associated with him. They were proven to be correct when in 2002 Abdulrahman Alamoudi was sued on behalf of the families of the victims of 9/11 for being involved in terrorist financing activities which led to their loved one’s deaths3. Most politicians would try to distance themselves from this kind of controversy by returning any campaign contributions, but Ed Whitfield stood by his man and kept his money.
Then, in 2004, Alamoudi confessed in U.S. Federal Court to plotting to assassinate the Crown Prince (now the King) of Saudi Arabia. He was paid by the Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi, and he hired Al Qaeda terrorists to carry out the plot. He was sentenced and is currently serving 23 years in federal prison4. Once again, Ed Whitfield’s man Abdulrahman Alamoudi was implicated in a high-level terrorist plot, and Ed 33Whitfield chose to keep his $1000 campaign contribution.
Ed Whitfield has some tough questions to answer. Why did he choose to associate himself with this terrorist, Abdulrahman Alamoudi? Why did he keep his $1000 campaign contribution when President George W. Bush was returning his in October, 2000? Why didn’t he return the money when Alamoudi was implicated in the 9/11 victims families’ lawsuit in 2002? And why did he not return the money when Alamoudi confessed in U.S. Court in 2004 that he plotted with Libyan and Al Qaeda terrorists to assassinate the future King of Saudi Arabia?
Ed Whitfield’s constituents in Western Kentucky want answers to these questions. The soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division in Ft. Campbell, stationed in Whitfield’s own Congressional District, want to know why they are asked to fight and die in the War on Terror in Iraq and Afghanistan while their own congressman profits from terrorists. We are all waiting for Congressman Ed Whitfield’s answers to these questions.
1 Click here to see Ed Whitfield’s FEC statement listing Alamoudi’s campaign contribution from June, 2000.
2 Click here to see video of Alamoudi announcing his support of Hamas and Hezbollah in front of the White House in October, 2000. Four months after Whitfield took his money.
So, in the twisted world of Exxon Eddie, vandalism and thievery are “family values”, Corporate Welfare and his own profits are “Energy Policy”, and fighting Terrorism is only important if the Terrorists AREN’T writing checks.
Heather Ryan, his Democratic challenger wasted no time in calling out Exxon Eddie on all points atFancy Farm:
Yes, the hypocrisy of Exxon Ed Whitfield and the Kentucky Republican Party truly knows no bounds. What the First District of Kentucky desperately needs is New Leadership:
Not the failed “leadership” that puts money over all else, even principle:
Heather Ryan is a true “Fighting Democrat” that will take Exxon Eddie to task over his hypocrisy, and failed record of “representing” the citizens of Western Kentucky in the Congress. To do this however, we need your help. Ryan for Kentucky will never take special interest money from Big Oil, or the blood-soaked money of terrorists, so we need you to get our message out. Please, consider helping Heather get the resources she needs to let the 62% of registered Democrats in this district know about the hypocrisy of Exxon Ed Whitfield here:
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