NH-Sen. Nice to see right-wing purity is on the job here.

Maybe they'll have better luck in NH, since they couldn't quite knock out Kirk in IL (at least not yet).

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by: homerun @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 20:03:58 PM UTC

CfG need to get involved

I assume the cap and trade threat extends to senate primaries. Alexi should win anyway but I'd much rather the DSCC save resources for GOP held seats.

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by: conspiracy @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 20:14:10 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

TX-Gov

Kay Bailey is raising some serious cash for her run for governor--$6.7 million and a reported total of $12 million.  Presumably, this includes money transferred from her senate campaign account.  She'll need every cent of it as Perry is no fundraising slouch with $9 million in his campaign war chest.

I had read some speculation that Hutchison might back out of the race given her slipping poll numbers against Perry.  That never sounded plausible to me, but nice to see her intentions confirmed.

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by: sicembears @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 20:38:17 PM UTC

The TX GOP primary

Will be between the 'business-oriented' wing and the social conservative wing. Although many Republicans are very conservative on both fiscal and social issues, especially in the suburbs. It will be a war indeed. The senator will need to really clobber Perry in the wealthy suburbs in order to win. Although i can say that there are many wealthy Republicans in the SE Houston suburbs, and probably north Houston burbs too, whom are also very socially conservative. Afterall they make up a great deal of the megachurch members.  

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by: HarrisCountyBrian @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 10:14:09 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Independents, Crossovers, and Talk Radio

I agree with your assessment of the race as pitting the Chamber of Commerce wing vs. the Social Conservatives.  I'd also throw in independents and Democrat crossovers on Hutchison's side and the Talk Radio wing on Perry's side.  I'd guess there will also be a huge gender difference in each of the candidates' supporters.  It should make for an interesting and bloody war.

Unless there's a really hot primary battle on the Democratic side that I care about, I'll almost certainly crossover myself and vote in the Republican primary.  I'm leaning Hutchison as the lesser of the two evils, but if a strong Democrat for governor emerges (seems highly unlikely right now), I may vote Perry as the easier one to defeat in the general.

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by: sicembears @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 15:31:34 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Wow

I didn't even realize that the DLCC had written a blogpost about my diary.  That's amazing.  Just yesterday I got an e-mail from the chairman of the Houghton County Democrats who read my diary on Michigan Liberal, inviting me to speak at the next meeting of the Houghton County Democratic pary.  Unfortunately I'll be in Chicago on that day, but you can't believe who shocked I was to recieve that e-mail.

16, Male, MI-01

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by: Menhen @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 21:30:23 PM UTC

Like I was

when I got an email from Take Back Red California praising me on the registration data I put up here and on Calitics regularly of California's competitive districts. I would gladly join TBRC if I didn't live 1,500 miles away.

My blog
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28, New Democrat, Female, TX-03 (hometown CA-26)

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by: californianintexas @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 21:47:10 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

so

why are you in Texas?

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by: Andrew @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 22:11:26 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

My dad's work moved us here when I was 11.

I'd move back in a heartbeat if I had enough money.

My blog
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28, New Democrat, Female, TX-03 (hometown CA-26)

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by: californianintexas @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 22:22:53 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'll say this about TX

Its a much cheaper place to live in, LOL. Sure the pay in Cali is better but i have heard it is still not on par with the cost of living. A recent Cali transplant even told me that a young person cant even live by themselves. theyd need to either live with their parents or share an apartment with someone. its just so expensive.

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by: HarrisCountyBrian @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 10:16:59 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yup

I live in a suburb just outside San Francisco. It costs at least maybe $900,000 to buy a decent size house around here these days. Driving is expensive. And catching BART (our local rail system) isn't cheep these days either, it would cost me $3.25 for a ride to San Francisco. Here's a tip for anyone wanting to visit San Francisco. Catching BART to San Francisco from San Francisco International Airport now costs $8.10 one way.

19, Male, Independent, CA-12

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by: ehstronghold @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 22:15:35 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Hey im still jealous of your public transportation!

All we have in the Houston area is the metro bus station. there are many 'stops' in downtown but once you get to the suburbs you see very few. and a taxi is just too expensive.

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by: HarrisCountyBrian @ Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 03:04:40 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

In the burbs

basically, if you dont have your own car you have to either get a rental car or rely on family or friends.  

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by: HarrisCountyBrian @ Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 03:05:50 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I live in DFW and I too am jealous of SF's public transit.

My BF visited there in 2000 and really enjoyed riding BART. I'd love to go there and check out the BART, and will budget carefully so I can pay for it.

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28, New Democrat, Female, TX-03 (hometown CA-26)

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by: californianintexas @ Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 05:24:00 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

True Texas is cheaper.

Though job searching even here in Texas is anything but easy, especially for jobs that pay a living wage, despite the corporate media's propaganda that paints a different picture. I found an $8 an hour job last month, after a year-long search that included a very disappointing hospital job search, and have helped to maintain Texas's #1 status in the highest % of its residents without health insurance. (I am not at all happy about that, BTW, either for myself or for the state.) And my boyfriend, who lives 30 miles from me and is looking for computer work, has been unemployed since he graduated college 3 years ago, and has no hope on the horizon.

My desire to return is because I miss the environs of California so much, having gone without for 15 years except one visit. And when I visited in 2004, I felt happier than at any point in my life outside California, and since then I have been determined to make living there possible for my BF and I. (Experience has shown me time and time again that more money does not automatically mean happiness.) And another friend of mine who I talk to online would really like to live in my hometown of Rancho Cucamonga, and maybe the 3 of us could split an apartment 3 ways like my sister, her BF, and a friend of hers are doing with their rental house.

Not only do I not mind sharing an apartment with my BF, I'd actually love to do so. I want to see him as much as I can, but due to my work and us living 30 miles apart and me being the only one of us that has a car, seeing him often has become almost impossible, which makes both of us unhappy. The toll roads and tremendous lack of public transit options don't help either and in fact hurt, because my hard-earned money is sucked away into petro companies and the tollway authorities.

My BF prefers apartment living because he doesn't like having to clean and maintain a lot of space in a house, or to sweat for an hour mowing the lawn in the heat. I became convinced after seeing my mom spend 6 hours cleaning the house on the weekends, and finding out that not cleaning regularly builds up a lot of dust, which is a bad asthma trigger for me. Watching my parents shell out 5000 bucks to replace the water heater and 600 to replace the plumbing in the kitchen sink, in addition to the mortgage and utility bill payments, convinced me even more. And of course if something breaks in the house, it's either fix it yourself or call a professional and expect to pay more, while if you need something fixed in an apartment you don't pay anything because I think the payments are included in the rent.

Sorry for rambling for so long, but I do tend to get carried away when talking about house-living vs. apartment-living.

My blog
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28, New Democrat, Female, TX-03 (hometown CA-26)

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by: californianintexas @ Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 00:05:24 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

All the best

I wish you two all the best! You having to go without health insurance is horrible but soon enough your employer will have to give you it. Of course they may slash your hours and/or hourly rate...but you will get health insurance under Obama's plan. Assuming this is what ends up passing. I actually went without health insurance for a year despite working full time for a major corporation and having had health insurance with them for the years past. Simply because i did not re-enroll on time. My fault, yes. But still...they only give you a small window with re-enrollment. And if you dont re-enroll when that window closes then youre without it for a year. Had Obama's plan been in effect then Im sure theyd have been forced to still give me health insurance.

It sucks that your boyfriend has gone that long without a job. Computer work can be hard to find as its a field everyone is in. Especially suburban young people.

I hope there is good public transportation in the area Rancho Cucamonga is in. Good public transportation makes life so much easier. And I hate the excuse of, 'well its hard to have good public transportation when theres all these suburbs and exurbs'. I had a girlfriend in the Czech Republic for 2 years and whenever i went over there i was amazed at how much better its bus and train systems were. She lives in a village which is right outside a city, basically the same distance as a suburb, and even they have good public transportion. Sure you might have to walk 15 min. to the bus stop but its better than having to spend thousands of dollars for a car and the insurance and gas. And while I love America Id have gladly moved there as its a wonderful country and am just plain willing to do that to be with a gf lol.. But such is life.  

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by: HarrisCountyBrian @ Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 03:20:17 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Thanks.

Rancho Cucamonga does have some bus service via Omnitrans, which covers the whole San Bernardino area. I've never rode those buses, so I don't know what the service is like, though I do plan to check them out next time I'm there. It also helps that my hometown is walkable, with stores and restaurants reasonably close to houses and apartments. I did far more walking in Rancho Cucamonga than I've done here in Grapevine, which is almost unwalkable and has zero public transit. Richardson, where my BF lives, is better in the walkability and public transit areas with DART bus and train service.

And if I were to live outside the U.S. I'd definitely chose Curitiba, in southern Brazil. There are more than plenty of buses and walkable paths in the city, which has about a million people!

My blog
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28, New Democrat, Female, TX-03 (hometown CA-26)

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by: californianintexas @ Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 05:33:23 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Castle raised £125k

Doesn't suggest a senate run to me.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/ey...

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by: conspiracy @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 21:35:06 PM UTC

You must be British?

doesn't that translate to something like $200,000?  Still 125K in Deleware is a lot more than 125K in Ohio, Florida, or Missouri.  I'm not convinced one way or the other what this means.

16, Male, MI-01

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by: Menhen @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 21:40:30 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I am but I just put the wrong sign it is $125k

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by: conspiracy @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 21:44:36 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

And he actually raised more

In the second quarter of 2007 as per CQ.

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by: conspiracy @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 21:46:25 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Wait

Would have to advertise in the Philadelphia market, or are their stations in Wilmington?
If he needs to be on the air in Philly, there's not a chance in hell he's seriously considering running (or at the very least, he has no clue what he's doing anyway), but if there's a local market, maybe.

22, Democrat, AZ-01
Peace. Love. Gabby.

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by: Nico @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 22:04:24 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Philly

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L...

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by: conspiracy @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 22:08:01 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

The Wilmington area is served by the Philadelphia media market

The southern parts of the state are served by the much, much cheaper Salisbury, MD market. There are no broadcast TV stations in Delaware.

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by: Johnny Longtorso @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 22:36:15 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Im surprised they have no broadcast TV stations

I know its a very small and very lowly populated state, but still. I would guess its the only state that doesnt have one.  

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by: HarrisCountyBrian @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 10:18:50 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

That must explain why

we almost never hear anything about them, at least aside from Biden, even though they are the First State.

In a "What State Are You?" quiz, Delaware's description fits perfectly. http://bluepyramid.org/ia/ware...

You're Delaware!
Though you insist that you were the first person on the block, people can never seem to remember that you exist. It seems that you're just one of those types who signs anything they're handed without reading the fine print. That's probably how you ended up owing your entire life to the DuPont corporation. Awash in chemicals and lifelong promises, you don't seem that aware after all. You live near a cool bridge, but even that is taking its toll.

My blog
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28, New Democrat, Female, TX-03 (hometown CA-26)

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by: californianintexas @ Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 01:13:02 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

That is . . . puzzling

Too low to be a Senate run, too low to suggest re-election to the House with the current democratic opponent.

Too high to be retirement (maybe?) Very good numbers for team blue, regardless.

If Dems can gets DE-AL, LA-2, PA-6, and IL-10 (AND MAYBE an open FL-10) I'll consider 2010 a good house year for us regardless if we end up losing some hard to hold seats currently held by some blue dogs.

26, Male, Democrat, TX-26

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by: trowaman @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 21:45:39 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

CO-Sen

Why are no Democrats running against Bennet?

"I'm not a member of any organized political party, I'm a Democrat!"
--  Will Rogers  

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by: Pan @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 22:00:12 PM UTC

Unfortunately

It's because the big talent (especially Romanoff) is taking a good, long, look at Ritter.  Now, I am pissed Ritter screwed with our unions, especially the firefighters, and he didn't include the disability community in a really hastily put together "healthcare forum", which sucked (he wanted to look like whatever it is he's going to do isn't going to be entirely of his making, which it will be).  Nonetheless, I can't get why he's tanked so far.  He's been a "first do no harm" governor, and maybe people think he hasn't done enough for the Colorado economy in terms of intervention (likely, true), but if that's the standard, then every governor's gonna get booted out on their asses.

30, male, Democratic, CO-01

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by: Tiger in BlueDenver @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 00:12:29 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

More Fundraising Numbers

Incumbent CT Gov. Jodi Rell might be signaling she's not running again.

CT-Gov: Jodi Rell (R), $20K; $71K CoH
Susan Bysiewicz (D), $141K; $171 CoH
Dan Malloy (D), $147K; $195 CoH

CT-Sen: Chris Dodd (D), $1.2 million

KY-Sen: Jack Conway (D), $1.325 million

MN-06: Maureen Reed (D), $230K

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by: TXObserver @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 22:25:16 PM UTC

Numbers in thousands

Bysiewicz and Malloy should both have a K by the CoH figures

---

by: TXObserver @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 22:26:24 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

For how much Bysiewicz has been touted over the years

those are some pretty weak numbers.

The Crolian Progressive: as great an adventure as ever I heard of...

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by: Nonpartisan @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 22:54:20 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Man, i bet the campaign workers cringe

At trying to spell that name every time. But still, nothing out of the ordinary for a Polish last name (I am assuming it is Polish, anyway)

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by: HarrisCountyBrian @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 10:21:12 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Georgia Gov Numbers

Numbers are rounded off. Roy Barnes didn't start raising money till after the end of the filing period.

Democrats: Thurbert Baker: $704K; $591K CoH
DuBose Porter: $231K; $225K CoH
David Poythress: $156K; $264K CoH

Republicans: Nathan Deal: $974K; $1.1 million CoH
Eric Johnson: $962K; $913K CoH
Karen Handel: $431K; $325K CoH
John Oxendine: $416K; $1 million CoH
Austin Scott: $180K; $85K CoH

---

by: TXObserver @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 23:08:57 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Check out my diary on GA Gov fundraising

http://www.swingstateproject.c...

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by: fitchfan28 @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 02:08:06 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Joe Sestak

   He raised "over $1 million" last cycle and has $4.2 million on hand.  According to him, this means that he is the most well-funded senate challenger in the country.  That is impressive.

24, Male, GA-05

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by: cilerder86 @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 23:38:28 PM UTC

Maybe in a primary

Pat Toomey raised more than him, with 1.6 million. KY AG Conway raised 1.32 million. Maybe he is with CoH, but not his 2nd quarter fundraising  

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by: GOPVOTER @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 00:01:04 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Thanks!

   So being the best-funded Senate challenger in the country is not impressive?  Nice try.  

24, Male, GA-05

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by: cilerder86 @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 01:39:23 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Hey,

Sestak is one of my favorite Democrats. Taking on Specter? Shoot, I'm tempted to donate to him!  

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by: GOPVOTER @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 02:26:04 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

On Castle...

Wouldn't he need to raise pretty similar ammounts of $ for Senate or House? They are both statewide, so i wouldn't think one is more expensive than the other?  

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by: GOPVOTER @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 02:25:13 AM UTC

Changing Seats...

It's generally easier to hold on to your current seat- especially if you're an entrenched incumbent- than move on to something else, even in the same geographic area.

But given that Castle has a very real opponent- and has to use the Philly media market- that's a very small amount of money for EITHER seat.

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by: colbycakes @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 03:51:40 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Castle has alot of CoH already

He has over 800k cash on hand, at the end of the 1st quarter. Maybe he is holding off on fundraising until he decides if he is running for re-election, senate, or retiring  

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by: GOPVOTER @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 04:59:48 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Meh

800k isn't that much- it helps that he's in a small state like DE, but he's also gotta play in the Philly media market.

And yeah, maybe he IS putting off the fundraising, but that's a pretty stupid strategy. Any money he raised now could be for either race, and more money is always better, even if you're in a cheap market. Basically, just to keep the option of entering a race open, you gotta raise money like you're already a candidate for that race.

I'd suspect Castle knows that. He's been around long enough. But I could be wrong.

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by: colbycakes @ Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 00:53:03 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Nope

as an incumbent, he doesn't have to worry about facing serious challenges. He's buddy-buddy with Tom Carper, so no serious Democrat is going to go up against him. They wouldn't get any institutional party support. That's the "Delaware way".

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by: Johnny Longtorso @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 12:11:28 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I guess John Carney didn't get that memo. eom

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by: zac @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 13:54:05 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I wouldn't be surprised

if Carney was tipped off that Castle is going to end up retiring, so he becomes the heir apparent. He was supposed to be the heir to the governor's mansion, but Jack Markell put a wrench into that.

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by: Johnny Longtorso @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 22:49:28 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

NJ-Gov not really a big deal (and I live here)

Christie winning is little more than a propaganda victory for the GOP (though admittedly a pretty good one, it's unlikely to swing many votes elsewhere). The legislature is solidly Democratic, redistricting is done independently, and the state has a strong enough Democratic lean and bench that Christie would almost certainly be a one-termer, as his only two assets are being a blank slate with some cream-puff press and not being Jon Corzine.

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by: TrueBlueDem @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 07:14:14 AM UTC

To make matters worse

The NJ economy will probably be brutal for the first half of his term no matter what he does...and maybe even in the 2nd half. Its possible he can win re-election. anything can happen in politics. I mean whod have thought Freudenthal would be so popular in WY? Or Lingle in HI (although the popularity is on the wane)? But he better hope and pray that the NJ economy starts to really recover during the 2nd half of his term.  

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by: HarrisCountyBrian @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 10:26:11 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I could see Ayotte being clobbered on the stimulus

Even the non-social conservative Republicans there seem to be diehard fiscal conservatives. Even many Independents are. And theres many conservative Dems, as well. Its a state that, from everything ive heard, does not exactly have the best social services. I would think due to lack of funding. And if the moderate/libertarian wing of the GOP was not diehard fiscal conservative then i bet things would be much better in that regard. So yeah I am sure even they loathe the stimulus.

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by: HarrisCountyBrian @ Tue Jul 14, 2009 at 10:10:10 AM UTC