AZ-Sen: Sen. John McCain's (R) campaign is up with a new ad attacking former Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R) for promising people free government grants in an infomercial for National Grants Conferences. Here's an excerpt: "Twenty-four attorneys general condemned this company for promising people free government money, then ripping them off. ... J.D. Hayworth: pork-barrel spender, lobbyist, huckster."
CT-Sen: Martha Hart, the widow of the late wrestler Owen Hart, is suing the WWE and Linda McMahon (R), its former CEO and likely Senate GOP nominee. Hart "alleges that the WWE has used her late husband's name, image and celebrity profile without her consent and in violation of his contract with the company." This is yet another example of McMahon's baggage that could, at the very least, be an embarrassing distraction from her uphill battle against Attorney General Richard Blumenthal (D).
FL-Sen: Democratic primary rivals Rep. Kendrick Meek (D) and billionaire businessman Jeff Greene (D) squared off in a debate for the first time, and it wasn't pretty. Both candidates lobbed harsh, personal attacks at each other rather than talking about the issues. Meek attacked Greene for getting rich off of betting on the collapse of the housing market using credit default swaps, to which Greene responded that Meek probably didn't even know what those were. And Greene accused Meek of securing a consulting job for his mother--former Rep. Carrie Meek (D)--through a developer that now faces criminal charges. The winner in all of this is Gov. Charlie Crist (I), who looks like the only grown-up in this race and continues to siphon off Democratic votes.
OR-Sen: A new Rasmussen poll finds Sen. Ron Wyden (D) leading by a smaller-than-expected margin over GOP nominee Jim Huffman (R), 47% to 37%. These results are similar to a Survey USA poll released two weeks ago showing Wyden up by 13 points, 51% to 38%. Election Frontier's rating of this race remains "Safe Democrat", but the race is worth keeping an eye on. Meanwhile, Wyden's camp is out with an internal poll showing him up 53-23 over Huffman.
AL-Gov: Former Rep. Sonny Callahan, the campaign manager for Tim James's unsuccessful gubernatorial primary campaign, will endorse state Rep. Robert Bentley (R) in the GOP runoff. This is the closest thing to an endorsement from James himself, who came just short of qualifying for the runoff. This gives Bentley's campaign a much-needed boost, as he is still the underdog against state college chancellor Bradley Byrne (R), who finished ahead of Bentley in the first round of voting.
MA-Gov: A new Rasmussen poll shows Gov. Deval Patrick (D) leading his two rivals in his reelection bid. Patrick leads with 41%, followed by Charlie Baker (R) with 34%. State Treasurer Tim Cahill (I) trails with 16%. Rasmussen's poll from last month found Patrick up by 14 points.
NM-Gov: A new Magellan Strategies poll finds Dona Ana County District Attorney Susana Martinez (R) leading Lt. Gov. Diane Denish (D) 44% to 43%. Even though Magellan is a GOP pollster, it finds a slightly closer race than Rasmussen and Survey USA have found.
OH-Gov: An aide to former Rep. John Kasich's (R) gubernatorial campaign is in big trouble for mocking Gov. Ted Strickland's (D) humble upbringing. Said the aide: “Not until Ted Strickland feared needing their votes did he give urban Ohioans a second thought. Having grown up in a chicken shack on Duck Run, he has all but ignored our cities’ economies and their workers.” This was quite the boneheaded move, as it makes Kasich seem shallow and alienates the same rural and Appalachian voters that he needs to win in November. The aide has since apologized, but added that he didn't mean it as an insult. Strickland's campaign responded: "Only the congressman from Wall Street would be so out of touch as to insult Ted's humble upbringing." Reports show that the Strickland campaign intends to keep this story alive.
PA-Gov: A new PPP poll shows Attorney General Tom Corbett (R) leading Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato (D) by 10 points, 45% to 35%. A Rasmussen poll from earlier this month found Corbett up by 16.
Showing posts with label NM-Gov. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NM-Gov. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Saturday, June 5, 2010
NM-Gov: Martinez by 2
The first post-primary poll of the New Mexico gubernatorial contest was released yesterday by Rasmussen, and it found the race to be just about as close as it can get.
Dona Ana County District Attorney Susana Martinez leads Lt. Gov. Diane Denish by two points, 44% to 42%. This is definitely a race to keep an eye on.
Dona Ana County District Attorney Susana Martinez leads Lt. Gov. Diane Denish by two points, 44% to 42%. This is definitely a race to keep an eye on.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
NM: Martinez Wins GOP Nod
Susana Martinez, the Dona Ana County District Attorney, cruised to win the Republican gubernatorial nomination in New Mexico last night.
Martinez, in a late surge, crushed her closest rival, former state GOP chair Allen Weh, 51% to 28%. Weh was backed by Karl Rove (who cut a voice ad for him) and spent millions of dollars out of his own pockets on the race.
Martinez will face off against Lt. Gov. Diane Denish (D) in the general election. And for the first time in its history, New Mexico will have a female governor.
Martinez, in a late surge, crushed her closest rival, former state GOP chair Allen Weh, 51% to 28%. Weh was backed by Karl Rove (who cut a voice ad for him) and spent millions of dollars out of his own pockets on the race.
Martinez will face off against Lt. Gov. Diane Denish (D) in the general election. And for the first time in its history, New Mexico will have a female governor.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
June 1 Primaries: What to Watch For
Voters in Alabama, Mississippi, and New Mexico will head to the polls today to select their party's nominees for a few important House and gubernatorial races. Here are the rundowns on the key races to keep your eye on:
AL-Gov: Both the Democratic and Republican races should be relatively close tonight. On the Democratic side, Rep. Artur Davis--a centrist who voted against health care reform and the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"--is the frontrunner with Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks running to his left. Polls show Sparks gaining on Davis due to his support from unions and improved fundraising, which has caused the Davis campaign to turn negative in the home stretch. If Davis wins the nomination, he could become Alabama's first black governor.
On the Republican side, it's a wide-open race. Former state community college chancellor Bradley Byrne seems to be narrowly leading the pack, followed by former state Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore (famous for refusing to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the state courthouse), who has strong ties to the Tea Party movement. Also running are wealthy real estate developer Tim James, state Rep. Robert Bentley, state Treasurer Kay Ivey, and Bill Johnson. With so many candidates in such a wide-open race, a runoff appears likely (you need 50% of the vote to get the nomination). For more info on these races, check out this article.
AL-02: Montgomery City Councilwoman Martha Roby (R) appears to be the favorite in the GOP primary to take on freshman Rep. Bobby Bright (D) in the fall. Roby's entrance in the race was welcomed by the Washington GOP establishment and NRCC, who dubbed her a member of their "Young Gun" recruiting program. Tea Party favorite businessman Rick Barber is Roby's main competition, but the results of this crowded primary could also result in a runoff.
AL-05: Rep. Parker Griffith, who switched from the Democratic to the Republican Party in December of last year in an act of political expediency, faces the voters for the first time as a Republican. He's in a competitive three-way GOP primary with Madison County Commissioner Mo Brooks (who has run a strong campaign) and businessman Les Phillip. Griffith has been backed by the GOP establishment and the state's congressional delegation and spent a lot of money in the race to keep his job. But Brooks has benefited from the endorsements of the local Republican leadership, Tea Party, and the Griffith's 2008 Republican opponent; and from the general distrust of the party-switching congressman. Griffith needs 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff, which is looking increasingly unlikely (if he even manages to be in the top two). Griffith is trying to fend off the national and local anti-incumbent wave and avoid an Arlen Specter-like fate.
AL-07: In the race to replace Davis, attorney Terri Sewell appears to have a slight lead over Jefferson County Commissioner Shelia Smoot and former state Rep. Earl Hilliard Jr. in the Democratic primary. A runoff also appears likely here, but it's not clear which two will qualify. This seat is solidly Democratic, so the winner of the primary will almost certainly win in November.
MS-01: The only race worth watching in Mississippi tonight is the GOP primary to take on Rep. Travis Childers (D) in the 1st district. Childers won the seat in a 2008 special election that dealt a huge blow to the NRCC, so they are intent on getting the seat back. State Sen. Alan Nunnelee (the national GOP favorite and another "Young Gun") appears to be the frontrunner, but faces a strong challenger in former Europa Mayor Henry Ross, who's gained momentum in recent weeks due to his support from the local Tea Party. Also running--but losing steam--is former Fox News analyst Angela McGlowan. Yet another runoff seems likely, this time pitting Nunnelee against Ross.
NM-Gov: In the Republican primary, Santa Ana District Attorney Susana Martinez has been leading former state GOP chair Allen Weh by about 10 points in recent polls. Also running but farther behind are businessman Doug Turner, businessman Pete Domenici Jr. (son of former Sen. Pete Domenici), and state Rep. Janice Arnold-Jones. The winner will take on Lt. Gov. Diane Denish (D) in the general election. Polls show Martinez to be the strongest general election candidate.
NM-01: It looks like Latino businessman Jon Barela, also a "Young Gun," will get the GOP nod to take on freshman Rep. Martin Heinrich (D) in this 43% Latino district centered around Albuquerque.
NM-02: And finally, freshman Rep. Harry Teague (D) appears poised to take on former Rep. Steve Pearce (R), yet another "Young Gun" who is running virtually unopposed in the GOP primary. Pearce left this seat to run an ultimately unsuccessful Senate campaign in 2008, and now wants it back.
Polls close at 8PM eastern in Alabama and Mississippi and 9PM in New Mexico.
AL-Gov: Both the Democratic and Republican races should be relatively close tonight. On the Democratic side, Rep. Artur Davis--a centrist who voted against health care reform and the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"--is the frontrunner with Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks running to his left. Polls show Sparks gaining on Davis due to his support from unions and improved fundraising, which has caused the Davis campaign to turn negative in the home stretch. If Davis wins the nomination, he could become Alabama's first black governor.
On the Republican side, it's a wide-open race. Former state community college chancellor Bradley Byrne seems to be narrowly leading the pack, followed by former state Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore (famous for refusing to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the state courthouse), who has strong ties to the Tea Party movement. Also running are wealthy real estate developer Tim James, state Rep. Robert Bentley, state Treasurer Kay Ivey, and Bill Johnson. With so many candidates in such a wide-open race, a runoff appears likely (you need 50% of the vote to get the nomination). For more info on these races, check out this article.
AL-02: Montgomery City Councilwoman Martha Roby (R) appears to be the favorite in the GOP primary to take on freshman Rep. Bobby Bright (D) in the fall. Roby's entrance in the race was welcomed by the Washington GOP establishment and NRCC, who dubbed her a member of their "Young Gun" recruiting program. Tea Party favorite businessman Rick Barber is Roby's main competition, but the results of this crowded primary could also result in a runoff.
AL-05: Rep. Parker Griffith, who switched from the Democratic to the Republican Party in December of last year in an act of political expediency, faces the voters for the first time as a Republican. He's in a competitive three-way GOP primary with Madison County Commissioner Mo Brooks (who has run a strong campaign) and businessman Les Phillip. Griffith has been backed by the GOP establishment and the state's congressional delegation and spent a lot of money in the race to keep his job. But Brooks has benefited from the endorsements of the local Republican leadership, Tea Party, and the Griffith's 2008 Republican opponent; and from the general distrust of the party-switching congressman. Griffith needs 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff, which is looking increasingly unlikely (if he even manages to be in the top two). Griffith is trying to fend off the national and local anti-incumbent wave and avoid an Arlen Specter-like fate.
AL-07: In the race to replace Davis, attorney Terri Sewell appears to have a slight lead over Jefferson County Commissioner Shelia Smoot and former state Rep. Earl Hilliard Jr. in the Democratic primary. A runoff also appears likely here, but it's not clear which two will qualify. This seat is solidly Democratic, so the winner of the primary will almost certainly win in November.
MS-01: The only race worth watching in Mississippi tonight is the GOP primary to take on Rep. Travis Childers (D) in the 1st district. Childers won the seat in a 2008 special election that dealt a huge blow to the NRCC, so they are intent on getting the seat back. State Sen. Alan Nunnelee (the national GOP favorite and another "Young Gun") appears to be the frontrunner, but faces a strong challenger in former Europa Mayor Henry Ross, who's gained momentum in recent weeks due to his support from the local Tea Party. Also running--but losing steam--is former Fox News analyst Angela McGlowan. Yet another runoff seems likely, this time pitting Nunnelee against Ross.
NM-Gov: In the Republican primary, Santa Ana District Attorney Susana Martinez has been leading former state GOP chair Allen Weh by about 10 points in recent polls. Also running but farther behind are businessman Doug Turner, businessman Pete Domenici Jr. (son of former Sen. Pete Domenici), and state Rep. Janice Arnold-Jones. The winner will take on Lt. Gov. Diane Denish (D) in the general election. Polls show Martinez to be the strongest general election candidate.
NM-01: It looks like Latino businessman Jon Barela, also a "Young Gun," will get the GOP nod to take on freshman Rep. Martin Heinrich (D) in this 43% Latino district centered around Albuquerque.
NM-02: And finally, freshman Rep. Harry Teague (D) appears poised to take on former Rep. Steve Pearce (R), yet another "Young Gun" who is running virtually unopposed in the GOP primary. Pearce left this seat to run an ultimately unsuccessful Senate campaign in 2008, and now wants it back.
Polls close at 8PM eastern in Alabama and Mississippi and 9PM in New Mexico.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Daily Rundown: 5/27/10
AR-Sen: A new Research 2000 poll of the June 8 primary run-off finds Lt. Gov. Bill Halter (D) leading Sen. Blanche Lincoln 47% to 44%, within the margin of error. Lincoln, after running as a centrist in the primary, is now darting to the left for the run-off claiming that she is an Obama Democrat (whatever that means). Both candidates trail GOP nominee Rep. John Boozman in the general election.
CT-Sen: Sen. Joe Lieberman (I) says he's open to supporting Republican nominee Linda McMahon (R) in the general election. His support for McMahon could further infuriate the Connecticut Democratic Party, which already has a sour relationship with the former Democrat.
NV-Sen: One-time Republican front-runner Sue Lowden dodged a question on whether she thought the 1964 Civil Rights Act should apply to private businesses. This question proved be a huge embarrassment for Kentucky senate candidate Rand Paul (R) last week. Lowden later put out a statement clarifying, "I want voters to know that I strongly support all aspects of the Civil Rights Act, just as I strongly believe it applies to my private business and all others." Republicans need to be careful not to piss off too many minorities (see: Arizona immigration law), or they might just get enthusiastic about voting for Democrats in what should be a favorable year for them.
CA-Gov: A new PPP poll shows Attorney General Jerry Brown (D) leading both Republican hopefuls in the general election. Brown leads Meg Whitman (R) 48% to 36% and Steve Poizner 48% to 32%. This can probably be attributed to the nasty tone that the GOP primary has taken, driving up the negatives of both Whitman and Poizner.
NM-Gov: Two polls show Don Ana County District Attorney Susana Martinez leading the pack for the GOP nomination. A New Mexico Politics poll has her up 41-30 over former state GOP chair Allen Weh, and a Survey USA poll has her up 43-33. The polls also show that she would be the strongest general election candidate against Lt. Gov. Diane Denish (D).
SC-Gov: The controversy over the alleged affair between blogger Will Folks and Republican gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley continues to dominate coverage of the the GOP primary. Folks says he does not know when the rest of the details of the alleged "inappropriate physical relationship" will surface. Haley has categorically denied the relationship, whose existence has yet to be proven. It'll be interesting to see if this affects Haley's status as the front-runner in the primary. Meanwhile, Dick Cheney just endorsed one of her rivals, Rep. Gresham Barrett.
AR-01: Chad Causey (D), who is competing in a June 8 run-off against the more conservative former state Sen. Tim Woolridge (D), was endorsed by two of his former rivals. Causey, the chief of staff of retiring Rep. Marion Berry (D), finished second to Woolridge in the May 18 primary, but this could be the necessary boost to put him over the top.
GA-12: House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC) is paying a campaign visit to Rep. John Barrow (D-GA) to talk about the merits of the landmark health care legislation passed earlier this year. The only problem is Barrow didn't vote for the bill. Is this just a massive miscommunication between the two or is Clyburn trying to weaken the conservative Barrow's chance of winning the Democratic primary against the more liberal former state Sen. Regina Thomas?
NC-08: Businessman Tim D'Annunzio (R) is losing support from the same local tea party groups that helped him with his fist-place finish in the May 4 primary. After allegations of serious past criminal activity, drug use, and declaring himself to be a prophet (among other ridiculous things), these tea party groups are throwing their support to former broadcaster Harold Johnson (R) in the June 22 run-off.
CT-Sen: Sen. Joe Lieberman (I) says he's open to supporting Republican nominee Linda McMahon (R) in the general election. His support for McMahon could further infuriate the Connecticut Democratic Party, which already has a sour relationship with the former Democrat.
NV-Sen: One-time Republican front-runner Sue Lowden dodged a question on whether she thought the 1964 Civil Rights Act should apply to private businesses. This question proved be a huge embarrassment for Kentucky senate candidate Rand Paul (R) last week. Lowden later put out a statement clarifying, "I want voters to know that I strongly support all aspects of the Civil Rights Act, just as I strongly believe it applies to my private business and all others." Republicans need to be careful not to piss off too many minorities (see: Arizona immigration law), or they might just get enthusiastic about voting for Democrats in what should be a favorable year for them.
CA-Gov: A new PPP poll shows Attorney General Jerry Brown (D) leading both Republican hopefuls in the general election. Brown leads Meg Whitman (R) 48% to 36% and Steve Poizner 48% to 32%. This can probably be attributed to the nasty tone that the GOP primary has taken, driving up the negatives of both Whitman and Poizner.
NM-Gov: Two polls show Don Ana County District Attorney Susana Martinez leading the pack for the GOP nomination. A New Mexico Politics poll has her up 41-30 over former state GOP chair Allen Weh, and a Survey USA poll has her up 43-33. The polls also show that she would be the strongest general election candidate against Lt. Gov. Diane Denish (D).
SC-Gov: The controversy over the alleged affair between blogger Will Folks and Republican gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley continues to dominate coverage of the the GOP primary. Folks says he does not know when the rest of the details of the alleged "inappropriate physical relationship" will surface. Haley has categorically denied the relationship, whose existence has yet to be proven. It'll be interesting to see if this affects Haley's status as the front-runner in the primary. Meanwhile, Dick Cheney just endorsed one of her rivals, Rep. Gresham Barrett.
AR-01: Chad Causey (D), who is competing in a June 8 run-off against the more conservative former state Sen. Tim Woolridge (D), was endorsed by two of his former rivals. Causey, the chief of staff of retiring Rep. Marion Berry (D), finished second to Woolridge in the May 18 primary, but this could be the necessary boost to put him over the top.
GA-12: House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC) is paying a campaign visit to Rep. John Barrow (D-GA) to talk about the merits of the landmark health care legislation passed earlier this year. The only problem is Barrow didn't vote for the bill. Is this just a massive miscommunication between the two or is Clyburn trying to weaken the conservative Barrow's chance of winning the Democratic primary against the more liberal former state Sen. Regina Thomas?
NC-08: Businessman Tim D'Annunzio (R) is losing support from the same local tea party groups that helped him with his fist-place finish in the May 4 primary. After allegations of serious past criminal activity, drug use, and declaring himself to be a prophet (among other ridiculous things), these tea party groups are throwing their support to former broadcaster Harold Johnson (R) in the June 22 run-off.
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