MN-Sen: local conservative columnist does backflips from 2000 - 2008 (MN Campaign Report)
Local columnist Joe Soucheray has been doing rhetorical backflips over how unfair and uneven the recount has been in Minnesota....of course, this is the same guy who said back in 2000 that Al Gore was sticking around a bit too long. Awesome.
Posted at 01/08/2009 05:07:38 PM EST - #
Proposed coal-fired power plant in Iowa is dead (desmoinesdem)
Following up on my recent post about Dynegy pulling out of a joint venture on developing new coal-fired power plants, LS Power announced today that it will no longer pursue efforts to build a coal-fired power plant near Waterloo, Iowa. However, it's not clear from the company's statement whether it will abandon all of the coal projects begun under the joint venture with Dynegy.
Posted at 01/06/2009 03:02:10 PM EST - #
Fiesta Bowl Bet (Bob Brigham)
From a press release:
Congressman Lamar Smith (TX-21) and Congresswoman Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15) today made a friendly wager over the outcome of tonight's Tostitos Fiesta Bowl between No. 3 Texas (11-1) and No. 10 Ohio State (10-2). Smith, whose congressional district includes UT, bet Kilroy, who represents OSU, pecan pie and Amy's Ice Cream from Austin against chocolate buckeyes and Jeni's Ice Creams from Columbus.
Posted at 01/05/2009 06:43:14 PM EST - #
Petiton Holder on Algiers Point Murders During Hurricane Katrina (DailyKingFish)
Color of Change has a petition asking for an investigation into the murders at Algiers Point in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which were the subject of an expose by The Nation.
Posted at 01/05/2009 01:52:44 PM EST - #
Sen. Mike Johanns (R-NE) Fires Campaign Manager For FEC Fraud (Skylewalker)
An envelope full of cash from a Nebraska ethanol producer to former Bush Ag Secretary Mike Johanns' Senate campaign was reported to the FEC as multiple anonymous contributions in amounts of $50 and less. Some of the supposed $1,000 contribution from a fundraiser in February of 2008 was also spent as petty cash.
This fraud has resulted in campaign manager Chris Peterson - a longtime Johanns aide who'd also served as Executive Director of the Nebraska Republican Party - being fired from Johanns' Senate staff. Still, many questions remain, and the Nebraska press seems content to let the story die (as they have with previous Johanns scandals).
With the FEC investigating, only New Nebraska Network continues asking the tough questions.
Posted at 01/03/2009 07:33:00 PM EST - #
Gover Ritter to name Salazar Senate seat replacement tomorrow (Oreo)
Gov. Bill Ritter is expected to name his U.S. Senate replacement pick on Saturday, ending a brief but frenzied period of speculation about who will take the seat of Interior Secretary nominee Ken Salazar. The governor's office confirmed that the announcement would take place Saturday, but details of the event were not released. - RMN
Posted at 01/02/2009 11:48:27 AM EST - #
Year in review: Iowa politics in 2008 (desmoinesdem)
A review of Iowa politics in 2008 is up at Bleeding Heartland, with links to stories on a wide range of campaigns, events and issues.
Posted at 01/01/2009 09:24:30 AM EST - #
MN-03: What went wrong and how can we fix it? (MN Campaign Report)
As part of a continuing series, I'm examining some of the issues that occurred in Minnesota's Third District race (hint: some of them are not unique to this district) and how they can be fixed in 2010.
Posted at 12/29/2008 03:41:13 PM EST - #
MN-Sen: Norm Coleman Wants to Handpick from Remaining Votes (Senate Guru)
In Minnesota, the remaining agenda item to be resolved before a winner in the Senate race can be certified by the Secretary of State is the processing of the improperly rejected ballots cast on Election Day. County officials have identified 1,346 such improperly rejected ballots. Al Franken says "Count 'em all." Norm Coleman says "Let me choose the 10% I want to count and add in hundreds more of my choosing that weren't improperly rejected."
Posted at 12/29/2008 02:24:32 PM EST - #
An absurdly early look at the 2012 House races in Iowa (desmoinesdem)
Iowa is set to drop from five Congressional districts to four following the 2010 census, and Bleeding Heartland takes an early look at which races will be competitive once the new map is in place. Democrats currently hold three out of Iowa's five Congressional districts. What happens in the redrawn third district is likely to determine whether we end up with a 3-1 advantage or a 2-2 split after 2012.
Posted at 12/27/2008 12:00:34 PM EST - #
Transition Team Releases Blago Contact Report (Oreo)
You can read the entire report here.
Posted at 12/23/2008 05:22:36 PM EST - #
Bachmann on gas prices: I was right! (MN Campaign Report)
Princess Kissypants herself is pushing attention to a letter noting that she predicted the recent precipitous fall in gas prices.
Only problem? Gas prices didn't fall for the reasons she claimed would force them down. Par for the course with Michele Bachmann.
Posted at 12/23/2008 09:23:05 AM EST - #
Rick Warren On Bloggers (Todd Beeton)
I'll give you one hint: he's not a big fan.
Posted at 12/23/2008 12:45:37 AM EST - #
A Special Note Re: Hummus (Jonathan Singer)
From The Atlantic.
Posted at 12/22/2008 05:51:34 PM EST - #
Philip Seymour Hoffman as Wes Clark (Jonathan Singer)
Here:
“I’ve never been all that interested in playing Hamlet,” he said, after ordering corned beef hash and eggs. “Hamlet is a role most actors are supposed to want to play, which is probably why it’s never intrigued me that much. But Iago — I guess his demons interest me more. Iago is a military guy, and I like the idea of him being a general like Wesley Clark, who has accomplished so much in an arena where there’s death and, suddenly, he walks into a nonmilitary world, and he’s no longer the guy he thinks he deserves to be. To my mind, Iago actually loves Othello. And it’s hard not to think of Obama when you read ‘Othello’ now.” Hoffman took a sip of coffee. “It’s fun to think about the possibilities, but as always, I can’t believe I’m doing this. It seems impossible to me.”
Posted at 12/21/2008 04:11:55 PM EST - #
MN-Sen: Franken Declares Victory by 35-50 Votes (Senate Guru)
The Franken camp has put out the press release. The Franken camp has already done internally what the Secretary of State's office is doing over the weekend: re-integrating into the tally the thousands of withdrawn challenged ballots that weren't taken up by the Canvassing Board. Franken declares that, once that's done, he will be leading by 35-50 votes. (The Coleman camp isn't releasing an internal count - wonder why...)
Posted at 12/20/2008 01:49:56 PM EST - #
Iowa legislator named Asian Pacific American Person of the Year (desmoinesdem)
The Asian-American newspaper AsianWeek named Swati Dandekar the Asian Pacific American person of the year for 2008:
[I]t was hard to decide who should be the APA Person of the Year in 2008. When looking at the future of Asian Pacific America, however, and thinking about the community’s growth out of the comfort of urban enclaves and into suburban and even rural America, the answer became clear: Swati Dandekar. Dandekar, a Democrat born and educated in India, has been living in Iowa for over thirty years and has served three terms as a member in the Iowa House of Representatives. In 2008, she threw her hat in the ring to run for an Iowa state Senate seat that had voted Republican for almost 20 years. Reaching out to many rural Iowans with a platform based on education, quality health care, renewable energy and economic growth, she won 54.3 percent of the vote and is seen as a rising star of Iowa politics. Swati Dandekar could have played it safe and stayed in her House seat because most incumbents are re-elected. Instead, she chose to reach for a higher office that required her to knock on doors in areas where she had not represented the people and where knowledge of Asian Indian Americans may not have been high. As a result of her successful gamble, however, she now has added clout as she battles for educational opportunity and other key concerns. And APAs now have a state Senate-level standard-bearer in a state not know for its high percentage of APAs.I echo the newspaper's statement that Dandekar took a big risk in running for Iowa Senate district 18, even though she has attracted a lot of cross-over Republican voters while representing Iowa House district 36. Dandekar's race was one of three Democratic pickups in the Iowa Senate (unfortunately, we were unable to hold her old House seat).
Posted at 12/19/2008 03:07:26 PM EST - #
MN SEN: Franken Ahead by 266 Votes (Sandwich Repairman)
Minneapolis Star-Tribune story
Posted at 12/19/2008 02:07:44 PM EST - #
TX-Sen: State Senator Leticia Van de Putte Considering Senate Run (KTinTX)
This would for the potential special election to fill Kay Bailey Hutchison's seat should she resign early as expected. The candidate- state senator Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio who is thinking about entering the race which former Comptroller and Democrat John Sharp and Houston Mayor Bill White have previously announced intentions to run.
Posted at 12/19/2008 12:40:43 AM EST - #
LA-05: Alexander Running for Re-election (DailyKingFish)
There was some speculation in Louisiana that Congressman Rodney Alexander would be challenging Sinator Vitter for the GOP nomination in 2010 for the Senate seat, but with Alexander co-hosting a Vitter fundraiser in DC last week, that speculation is dead. The Daily Kingfish speculates as to potential opponents for Alexander in LA-05 come 2010.
Posted at 12/18/2008 04:47:58 PM EST - #
Recap of marriage equality case before Iowa Supreme Court (desmoinesdem)
One week after the Iowa Supreme Court heard arguments in Varnum v Brien (a case brought by six same-sex couples seeking marriage rights), I posted a big linkfest at Bleeding Heartland with summaries of the legal arguments, analysis of the key issues, speculation about how the court will rule, and the politics surrounding LGBT rights in Iowa.
Posted at 12/16/2008 09:05:02 AM EST - #
MO-Sen: Conservative Third Parties Will Play a Significant Role (Senate Guru)
In the 2010 Senate battleground, Missouri could prove a top target for a Democratic pick-up. In what could be a very close race, the likely presence of multiple conservative third Party candidates will make Republican retention of this seat all the more difficult, Senate Guru reports.
Posted at 12/15/2008 06:06:46 PM EST - #
LA-Sen: Vitter Starting His 2010 Campaign (DailyKingFish)
Amazingly, the only politician to survive an sex scandal is one of the point Senators for the GOP on the auto bailout.
It's the gift that just keeps on giving and giving and giving ...
Posted at 12/15/2008 03:56:05 PM EST - #
MN-Sen: State Canvassing board has good news for Franken (MN Campaign Report)
The State Canvassing Board has recommended that counties include wrongfully rejected absentee ballots in their amended counts.
Release and statement from the Franken campaign here
Posted at 12/12/2008 01:14:50 PM EST - #
MN-Sen recount: What's ahead? (MN Campaign Report)
A diarist gives us the low-down:
Things will start to get interesting again in the Senate recount on Friday. That's when the Canvassing Board will meet to again decide on the fate of rejected absentee ballots as well as figure out what to do about the 133 missing ballots in ward 3, precinct 1. Also up in the air, the 12 uncounted absentee ballots from Hennepin county found during the search for those 133 missing ballots. Hey, we're not Florida, we just visit in winter.Read more here
What to do with the pile of improperly rejected absentee ballots will prove the most consequential decision. It seems likely, as there is precedent for it, that the election night machine results will be used in place of the 133 missing ballots in Hennepin County.
Posted at 12/11/2008 10:05:21 AM EST - #
Transition in New Mexico (fbihop)
Transitioning isn't just for the federal government. With New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson leaving for D.C. once he's confirmed, Lt. Gov. Diane Denish announced her transition team today.
Posted at 12/10/2008 07:16:43 PM EST - #
Former Texas State House Rep for Secretary of Navy? (KTinTX)
Could be so. Former Rep. Juan Garcia was a personal friend of Obama's when they were both together at college.
Posted at 12/10/2008 01:37:38 AM EST - #
Iowa Congressman Bruce Braley starting a Populist Caucus (desmoinesdem)
Matt Stoller has the Dear Colleague letter Congressman Bruce Braley (D, IA-01) is circulating. The Populist Caucus will focus on tax, wage, employment, health care, education, consumer protection and fair trade policies to benefit working families and the middle class. First elected in 2006, Braley is a rising star who was a co-chair of the DCCC's Red to Blue program and was a vocal advocate of putting Henry Waxman in charge of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Posted at 12/09/2008 09:29:01 PM EST - #
MN-Sen: SurveyUSA poll shows more than short-term good news... (MN Campaign Report)
A SurveyUSA poll on the progressing Senate recount in Minnesota shows some bad news for Democratic candidates and party organizations in terms of message management. Yeesh. At least most people are fairly confident that the recount is going cleanly and fairly.
Posted at 12/08/2008 02:54:07 PM EST - #
Senate Retirement/Resignation Watch (Senate Guru)
Senate Guru offers a comprehensive list of those on the Senate Retirement/Resignation Watch and notes that as many as ten Republican Senators could call it quits in advance of Election Day 2010.
Posted at 12/08/2008 02:28:57 PM EST - #
OH-15: Dem Mary Jo Kilroy Wins! (NickD)
Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy has won in the last Nov. 4th race to be decided: Click here for the full story.
Posted at 12/07/2008 07:02:48 PM EST - #
LA-04: Carmouche NOT Conceding ... (DailyKingFish)
The Daily Kingfish has it ...
Posted at 12/07/2008 12:15:38 AM EST - #
Louisiana Election Results (DailyKingFish)
Over at Daily Kingfish.
Posted at 12/06/2008 09:11:35 PM EST - #
LA-04: Election Day Primer (DailyKingFish)
Polls, updates from the ground, and more at the Daily Kingfish.
Posted at 12/06/2008 01:13:01 PM EST - #
LA-02 and SD-03: Election Day (DailyKingFish)
It's election Day in New Orleans. The Daily Kingfish has a rundown on what's been happening on the ground over the last few days. Check back tonight to see if Dollar Bill gets knocked off ... as the old lottery commercials say, "hey, you never know."
Posted at 12/06/2008 11:06:33 AM EST - #
LA-04: Carmouche (D) Responds to Jobless Report (DailyKingFish)
Democratic candidate Paul Carmouche responds the jobless report, while no word from Republican candidate John Fleming.
This is the last truly contested campaign of the year, and a chance to end the GOP spin about how the country is still a center-right nation. The DCCC has put up a virtual phone bank. 30 minutes of calls to remind folks to vote goes a LONG way.
Posted at 12/05/2008 01:40:18 PM EST - #
NY-Sen: Senator Caroline Kennedy? (Senate Guru)
It's being reported that she's spoken with Governor David Paterson and is "considering it."
Posted at 12/05/2008 01:11:00 PM EST - #
IL-Sen: Why Blagojevich Must Appoint a Placeholder (Senate Guru)
Posted at 12/05/2008 12:34:36 PM EST - #
Ed Fallon asks Obama to name him "White House Farmer" (desmoinesdem)
Iowa Democrat Ed Fallon, unsuccessful candidate in the 2006 gubernatorial primary and this year's third Congressional district primary, wrote Barack Obama a letter applying for the job of "White House Farmer." Michael Pollan advocated the creation of this position in an article for the New York Times Sunday Magazine on October 12. Obama read Pollan's piece (he even paraphrased points from it in an interview with Time magazine), but it is not known whether the president-elect supports setting aside a few acres of the White House lawn to be cultivated by a White House Farmer. Bleeding Heartland posted Fallon's letter to Obama, along with some recent speculation about the short list for agriculture secretary.
Posted at 12/05/2008 01:14:51 AM EST - #
MN-Sen: Franken raised $2.1 million since Election Day (MN Campaign Report)
The Al Franken for Senate campaign today announced that $2.1 million had been raised for its recount effort, both directly by the campaign and through a joint fundraising committee with the Minnesota DFL Party (the Franken Recount Fund). As of November 24, the campaign and the joint fundraising committee had a combined $1.9 million cash on hand.More here
Posted at 12/04/2008 09:47:27 PM EST - #
Bill Richardson officially nominated for Secretary of Commerce (Oreo)
Read the full statement from the Transition Team here.
Posted at 12/03/2008 11:47:52 AM EST - #
GA-Sen: Counties to Watch (Senate Guru)
Senate Guru takes a look at the key counties to watch as the results come in tonight in Georgia's Senate run-off. Senate Guru lists both candidates' top ten counties by margin of victory and crunches some numbers. Also, the Guru notes: "If you're looking for a bellwether, look to Mitchell County, which saw an Election Day tie between Martin and Chambliss, both candidates winning 3,821 votes, with 99 votes going to the Libertarian Allen Buckley."
Posted at 12/02/2008 06:11:30 PM EST - #
Obama to Have Presser for Richardson for Commerce Secretary Tomorrow (fbihop)
It's (almost) official. Richardson for Secretary of Commerce. Press conference tomorrow.
Posted at 12/02/2008 04:18:05 PM EST - #
Clinton officially nominated for Sec of State (Oreo)
Full press release from the Transition Team can be read here.
Posted at 12/01/2008 10:33:52 AM EST - #
News from the MN blogosphere (MN Campaign Report)
MN Campaign Report and MNBlue have merged to form the Minnesota Progressive Project -- drop by and have a look!
Posted at 12/01/2008 10:06:06 AM EST - #
GA-Sen: Saxby Chambliss Doesn't Care About You (Senate Guru)
With the Senate run-off election in Georgia this Tuesday, Senate Guru lays out the only argument that should ultimately matter: Saxby Chambliss simply doesn't care about Georgia's families.
Posted at 11/30/2008 10:46:59 PM EST - #
Final Iowa statehouse races resolved (desmoinesdem)
There were quite a few Iowa statehouse races won by extremely narrow margins this year, and recounts have now resolved the last two races to be called. One recount left Democratic incumbent Art Staed an agonizing 13 votes behind his Republican challenger in House district 37. That leaves Democrats with a 56-44 majority in the Iowa House, a net gain of three seats (but fewer than most observers were expecting). The other recount ended with Democratic incumbent Jeff Danielson hanging on by 22 votes in Senate district 10. That leaves Democrats with a 32-18 majority in the Iowa Senate, a net gain of two seats. Although some Democrats are disappointed not to have picked up more seats, the Republicans have more to be disappointed about; they go into the next legislative session with fewer Iowa Senate seats than they have ever had before.
Posted at 11/30/2008 09:01:53 PM EST - #
GA-Sen: More on the bus (lpackard)
The latest stories from on the road with the Martin campaign.
Posted at 11/30/2008 11:02:44 AM EST - #
MN-Sen: Why is Norm Coleman challenging so many more ballots? (MN Campaign Report)
Why is Norm Coleman challenging so many more ballots than Al Franken? Sources indicate that there's a simple answer.
Posted at 11/26/2008 09:59:51 AM EST - #
Southwest to be Climate Change "Pearl Harbor"? (fbihop)
Scary things for us in the southwest. On the same day Joe Romm says the southwest can be the climate Pearl Harbor, we get news that the snowpack is the worst in 30 years.
Scary
Posted at 11/25/2008 05:46:38 PM EST - #
