Bishop is probably above 50

Since its an internal. Andrew, what do you think about Reed going for the primary?

---

by: conspiracy @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 15:39:46 PM CST

What a giant waste

She still has zero chance.  The only people who vote in primary elections are the same people who will be deciding the endorsement battle as well.

I really never gave Reed any legitimate shot against any DFLer in the race.  She was picked to be the LG choice for the Independence Party's Gov nominee in 2006.  We lost that race by 30,000 votes, with the Independence Party picking up a ton of DFL votes who didnt care for our nominee.  Lots of bitterness surrounding that race and she certainly played a role in costing us the election.  (Our nominee did most of the work himself, however.)  This reason alone has made me absolutely against Reed regardless of who ran against her.

And Clark will definitely need a lot of money for tv ads so Reed is just screwing her over.  Clark's shot at winning is capitalizing on the realization by the district that Bachmann is just a big weirdo and that is going to take a lot of ads and Minneapolis/St Paul is a pretty big metro area so it'll be expensive.  Clark wont need to worry whatsoever about getting the base out, it'll show up to get rid of Bachmann.  But the base in MN6 is quite small, she needs to make sure she gets the voters who have the least likelihood of voting to vote, and that's simply going to take a lot tv ads to remind them who is representing them and a ton of knock and dragging.

One huge benefit for us is that Id put a Palin campaign visit at almost a definite.  They are two peas in a pod.

---

by: Andrew @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 16:32:55 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I thought you might say that

Oh well it is eat your own season I suppose. Hopefully the other side have their own fair share of primary mess since they look like costing the Dems at the moment.

---

by: conspiracy @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 16:38:04 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Ditto

I've said this before, but Maureen Reed needs to go away.  No one who ran as an Independent that short of a time ago is a real Democrat.  She'll now get to play spoiler in two different races we should have won in Minnesota.  Man, I hate the Independence Party.

---

by: DFLer @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 16:55:59 PM CST

[ Parent ]

What am I missing here?

Isn't it great news that she is running in the Dem primary instead of the Independance Party?

---

by: tommypaine @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 18:59:06 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Not when...

she won't abide by the convention results, and then just bleed Clark dry of all her campaign funds.  So by the time Clark dispatches Reed in the primary, because of how late it is in Minnesota (September, I think), she'll basically be out of money, and can't run TV ads against Bachmann, ensuring Bachmann gets re-elected.

And the disgusting thing is, Reed has to know this, and is doing it anyway.  I have no respect for someone like that.

---

by: BruinKid @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 23:33:44 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Why?

She knows she isn't going to win at an activist convention, and such conventions are a terrible idea which only the DFL uses.

It is a great thing she is running in the primary, and we should welcome that, rather then tell her and those voters who mostly agree with her to run as Ind.

It's not disgusting for people to run for office in primaries, even if they think they are likely going to lose... and it is waaaaaaay better than that person being a Nader to split the general vote.

---

by: tommypaine @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 01:26:16 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Well that is exactly why we hate the Independence Party so much

The Independence Party is pretty much made up of voters who heavily lean DFL but who are just "too cool" to actually vote DFL.  They are like people who vote for the Green Party, they throw their vote away to make their electoral statement and not actually to elect anyone.  That's fine, its your vote and I certainly wont take that side of the argument against third parties, but these DFL leaning voters who decide to vote third party only hold progressive values back by not coalescing around the candidate who can win and is the most progressive.

And then  these candidates go and run in our primaries and endorsement processes?  Hell no, go stay in your party of losers who haven't won a damn thing save for one gubernatorial election.  Dont join our party because you recognize you will never win with your own party.

Plus, most candidates at least give stock candidate responses about if they will not abide by the DFL endorsement.  "I plan on abiding", "I dont see any reason why I wont be abiding by the endorsement", etc.  She is extremely flippant about it and only feeds more into my annoyance with her even running as a DFLer.  I certainly have many reservations with the DFL endorsement process as a whole as MN-3 2008 will haunt me til we finally get rid of Paulsen and create a solid DFL suburban seat.  But regardless of the positives and negatives involved in the process, the people who decide who gets endorsed are the people who run the DFL, they are the people who are the main base of volunteers for any campaign.  Reed being so flippant about it only says to me, Im an Ind. Party member who doesnt give a shit about DFLers and I want your line on the ballot so I actually have a shot of winning.

You want to piss off a DFLer, tell them an Ind. Party member who was on a gubernatorial ballot in the past 2 decades is trying to be on the DFL ballot line for a race that will be nationally watched.  Especially when our candidate is 2nd in charge of the state senate and is a big time rising star.  Franken endorsed her a few weeks ago, and I just got an email saying Oberstar is supporting her candidacy now, too.  By the end of it, Clark will probably have the endorsement of every single major DFLer in the state.  Clark is what we've been waiting for and Reed is the woman who was the LG pick for the Ind P Gov 2006.  There is absolutely zero contest.  Go away Reed.

This is not to say I am 100% positive Clark will win.  Its a tough district.  I graduated from high school in the right-wing fundy part of the district and it is half the district's pop.  It is a huge battle turf battle, suburbs vs exurbs with the suburbs slowly trending blue and the exurbs being solidly Texas red.  But Clark is definitely going to be hitting Bachmann hard and calling her out on her ridiculousness.  And she'll have the time to capitalize on it unlike Tinklenberg.

---

by: Andrew @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 23:52:52 PM CST

[ Parent ]

and the people

who will vote in the DFL primary will be the same people who participate in the DFL endorsement process.

She doesnt have any shot.

---

by: Andrew @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 00:01:38 AM CST

[ Parent ]

But again...

This is a good thing.  If she is going to run, she is going to run.  We WANT her to run in the primary, and not in the general to split the vote.

Obviously she wouldn't abide by the convention results, which is a DFL absurdity that should be done away with, but the choice is having her run as a Dem or as an Ind, and we should welcome her in the DFL primary... just like we would want Greens to run in DEM primaries and not bleed off votes in general elections.

---

by: tommypaine @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 01:22:29 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Thank you

"You want to piss off a DFLer, tell them an Ind. Party member who was on a gubernatorial ballot in the past 2 decades is trying to be on the DFL ballot line for a race that will be nationally watched."

And you have one pissed off DFLer here...

And tommypaine, I don't think it's fair for you to criticize the convention process in our state as an "absurdity" when you haven't engaged in it.  MN-03 aside, the convention has produced some great progressives over the years like Paul Wellstone, and it has served as a great means for grassroots folks to make a real difference.

Maureen Reed shouldn't be running PERIOD.  The fact that she wants to run for the nomination of a party she screwed only a couple years ago, and then say she won't even respect the party's convention, only speaks to her arrogance and sense of entitlement.

---

by: DFLer @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 12:01:46 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I think that last paragraph is hitting it on the head

I certainly am much happier her trying to be a DFLer than an Ind. Party.  She can certainly fundraise and would be a good candidate for the IP and could attract a lot of GOP leaning moderates who refuse to vote for Bachmann.  But I can welcome just about anyone into the DFL with open arms save for Ind. Party members who have been on the gubernatorial ballot in the past two decades.

We have the title of currently having the longest blue-state streak of any state in the country and we havent won the gubernatorial in two decades.  Reed certainly played her role in helping the GOP win in 2006 and combine that with the sentiment DFLer expressed in his last paragraph and that pretty much sums up why Reed just needs to go away.  She doesnt have a shot against any DFLer, period, convention or primary.

Also important to note that the DFL arent the only ones who do the caucus and convention, the MN GOP does as well.  From what Ive gathered though, the GOP are much better at coalescing around a single candidate.  And I definitely know VA has a process for not deciding candidates in a primary but rather a convention, thats what made Tom Davis get out of the VA-Sen race.

Upthread you see me trash the process a bit as it is a process that is confusing and only those with the highest degree of political participation will bother with it.  But, there is definitely a very good argument for conventions and such taking place.  It's the DFL's ballot line, why shouldnt they get to make an endorsement for who they'd rather see the populace choose for their line?

MN simply needs to move its primary date much closer to the endorsement.  The endorsement shouldnt be the be all end all of who will be on the ballot.  In fact, Id much rather the primary take place like two-four weeks after the endorsement, which will make every candidate who is running in the endorsement also run in the primary, as you have to hedge your bets.  This will then turn the endorsement into what it is, an endorsement, not essentially the choosing of who the candidate will be.  The more I think about how that would play out, the more I think it is genius.

---

by: Andrew @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 13:30:39 PM CST

[ Parent ]

The problem with moving the primary date

Is that having the election that close after the convention doesn't give candidates a real chance to make their case.  Any candidate that wins the convention would (likely) have so much momentum they would be difficult to overcome, as they would have their name in the news all the time as the officially endorsed candidate.  My fear is in that scenario the primary would be more of a coronation than a competition.  Of course, if we pushed up the convention to early spring before the snow melts and have a late June/early July primary, that may be the best of both worlds for you as it gives us time for the general and doesm't make the convention the ultimate decider.

---

by: DFLer @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 13:55:46 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Really

"I don't think it's fair for you to criticize the convention process in our state as an "absurdity" when you haven't engaged in it."

So I can't criticize Iranian elections because I haven't participated?  Please.  

Conventions are terrible ways to pick candidates, unless you are a Dick Daley fan I suppose.  Primaries are more likely to pick a stronger candidate, and much more fair, especially to newcomers.

---

by: tommypaine @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 19:16:32 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Don't be an ass

Comparing Iran to Minnesota is an asinine argument.  The convention system has allowed candidates that may not have had as much visibility to win their party's endorsement, often beating candidates that were more well endowed in resources.  Sometimes it works for us (Wellstone) sometimes not (Madia).  And many of the bad candidates the DFL has fielded in statewides (Roger Moe, Mike Hatch) in recent years would have been selected in the primary anyway as they were the establishment guys with the most money, so I'm not sure where you're going with this argument.  Would I like it for the convention to not be the final word on which candidates get the nod, and allow a ballot to be the final decider?  Certainly, if the date weren't so late in the year.  But compared to most states, the convention is one of the most democratic means to garnering the official endorsement of a state party - in most states the "official" endorsement comes from smoke-filled backroom deals.  The convention allows the folks who will make up the backbone of the ground game in the general to have a say in it.

---

by: DFLer @ Mon Dec 07, 2009 at 12:03:08 PM CST

[ Parent ]

PA-06

lol, that's pretty funny... It was a conversation between me, one other actual ssper and Doug Pike's campaign manager on three seperate accountrs.

---

by: clemensol @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 16:09:05 PM CST

Yes, but sockpuppetry?

I didn't see it.  The campaign official appeared to provide full disclosure (email address and phone number), and kept it positive about his candidate without mentioning the other one.

Or is the issue solely pimping his candidate on this blog?

---

by: JimM @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 16:18:16 PM CST

[ Parent ]

No, the issue was

making two fake accounts that he used to attack the other candidate, under the guise of impartial observers. Go to the thread and read the comments by pa_watcher and ProgressiveSEPA.

20, dude, RI-01 (registered) IL-01 (college)

---

by: sapelcovits @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 16:21:26 PM CST

[ Parent ]

You must have

Missed this post.

---

by: DavidNYC @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 21:58:54 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I'm confused

In that guy's signiture it said the following:

Campaign Manager
Pike for Congress

In the post you linked to you wrote this:

Pretending to be a disinterested observer, especially for the purposes of spreading negative information about opponents, is a complete violation of our trust. For the most senior official, a campaign manager, to do so is especially unacceptable.

While his comments were out of line for a campaign manager I don't see how the guy pretended to be a "disinterested observer" given he acknowledged his position within the Pike campaign in each post.

Of course I could be reading into this wrong given I was not actively posting/reading SSP back in Septermber.

---

by: ChadInFL @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 22:32:30 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Go read

the posts by ProgressiveSEPA and pa_watcher in that thread, he clearly didn't acknowledge it was him in those posts. (And even if he did acknowledge it was him, posting under multiple names for no reason is just weird.)

20, dude, RI-01 (registered) IL-01 (college)

---

by: sapelcovits @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 22:53:27 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Thanks

I see now.  Thought DrewEM was his only alias.

---

by: ChadInFL @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 22:57:21 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I'm laughing at this

I feel special that my comment prompted him to make separate accounts just to refute me.

---

by: xcave @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 18:08:33 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Glenn Richardson will resign on Jan. 1

http://blogs.ajc.com/gold-dome...

Both his Speakership and his State House seat.  His seat will not be vulnerable, if anyone's wondering.  I doubt we'll even field a candidate.

Some other interesting things that dovetail with other races:

State Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine has stopped short of calling for Richardson's resignation.

Oxendine's statement would seem to refer to the call from earlier today by Karen Handel, one of his primary opponents in the race for governor, for Richardson to resign. Rep. Austin Scott, another GOP gubernatorial challenger, also today said he and the rest of the GOP caucus would act if Richardson doesn't.

Also Thursday, Rep. Rob Teilhet (D-Smyrna), the Democrats' chief deputy whip, said House Speaker Glenn Richardson can't "credibly continue as speaker."

Teilhet, a candidate for attorney general in 2010, said Richardson needs to resign.
...
Teilhet also said this saga should be the impetus for new ethics reform in the General Assembly.

I hope this leads to more ethics rules for Georgia.  Companies can donate DIRECTLY TO CANDIDATES, and the maximum contribution is like $5,000.  Legislators can sit on the committees (as well as vote on the floor on issues) that regulate the industry of their full-time jobs.

Follow the elections in Georgia at the 2010 Georgia Race Tracker.

---

by: TheUnknown285 @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 17:11:52 PM CST

Also

Scott staunchly supported Richardson a couple of years back when the lobbyist issue originally began. If he keeps gaining momentum in the Gubernatorial Primary, I wonder which candidate will go back and dig up the letter?

Also, Johnson might be impacted by Richardson's situation because Johnson served on the three-man (I believe) Ethics Committee that originally investigated the original Richardson complaint.

---

by: RuralDem @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 19:03:21 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Wasn't aware that Scott was making momentum.

I thought he had been languishing in the low single digits and was more worried that he'd decide to run for re-election and (probably) deny us a pickup opportunity.  

Follow the elections in Georgia at the 2010 Georgia Race Tracker.

---

by: TheUnknown285 @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 19:26:28 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Scott

Gaining momentum could easily mean doing better in straw polls. However, polling right now is about nothing more than name ID. Scott obviously lacks there compared to bigger names like Oxendine, Handel, and Johnson.

However, Oxendine, Deal, and possibly Johnson (related to the Richardson scandal) have ethical issues that will surely be pushed heavily in 2010.

---

by: RuralDem @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 21:09:15 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Oh, Oxendine

Oh, Oxendine, thou mightiest of dumb oxen....

You're a bigger Georgia peach than Phil Gingrey for your video contributions to the intertubes. Can you defeat a competent nice guy technocrat like Roy Barnes? Jesus Mary and Joseph I hope not.

I wonder if there's going to be a moment in 2010 when voters realize all Republicans have been teabagged extensively for like sixteen months straight? And some of them will like it....but how many? How many will enjoy the Great RINO Teabagging of 2010?

Also! Will some reporter reading SSP please ask Sarah Palin a question: "If you don't believe fish grew legs and migrated, via evolution, onto land, then how do you explain oil? Like, its location and stuff?"

Ask it like that, media elite, because I want to be sure she understands.

29, D, CA-27, 2nd class citizen

---

by: arealmlc @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 23:37:00 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Yeah.

That "He's back!" ad was hilariously bad.

Follow the elections in Georgia at the 2010 Georgia Race Tracker.

---

by: TheUnknown285 @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 00:53:04 AM CST

[ Parent ]

If he wants to build name recognition, he needs to get a move on.

With four big-name Republicans already in, all having raised several hundred thousand bucks at least, he doesn't have a whole lot of time to make up the difference to shoot through to at least second.  Even if Oxendine and Deal crash, Scott won't be able to get through if he lacks the resources (name ID, money, etc.), not with a field that big.

Follow the elections in Georgia at the 2010 Georgia Race Tracker.

---

by: TheUnknown285 @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 00:52:23 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Donations

I believe it's $6,100 now. The "companies can donate directly to candidates" comment is mostly true, though there are some situations, such as the PSC, where regulated entities cannot donate.

As far as the legislators sitting on committees and voting, what is your proposal? Paying legislators a full-time salary? That's about the only reasonable solution I see to the problem and we know that's not happening anytime soon!

---

by: RuralDem @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 19:12:09 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Well, I do think we need a full time legislature.

For that reason.  But, yeah, it won't happen any time soon.  And it may have to come with consolidating seats, especially in the House (although maybe we'd actually get some more contested elections).

It would probably be easier to at least forbid them from serving on the committees.  That may be a start.  

And stronger ethics rules period requiring them to recuse themselves.


Follow the elections in Georgia at the 2010 Georgia Race Tracker.

---

by: TheUnknown285 @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 19:40:14 PM CST

[ Parent ]

IA-03

State Senator Brad Zaun formally announced his candidacy today, flanked by the Republican leader in the Iowa Senate, among other people. Zaun is looking like the choice of most of the GOP establishment against former Iowa State University wrestling coach Jim Gibbons.

Gibbons is on Twitter here, but I don't think Zaun is yet.

---

by: desmoinesdem @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 17:39:38 PM CST

KY-SEN

Paul's major problem is going to be getting McConnell and others to at least stay neutral. I was reading an article yesterday that mentioned Grayson is a longtime McConnell ally.

(Tried to find the article again, thought it was on Politico, but I cannot find it now)

---

by: RuralDem @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 19:17:42 PM CST

Wow

I should have looked at the National Journal link before making that comment.

---

by: RuralDem @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 19:18:43 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I would flip that

I remember it--"protege" I think the author called him. My thought is that with the (likely) angry small anti-incumbent Republican electorate of 2010, Tray Grayson will only want the establishment's money--not its open support. He's already getting national Republicans to back off a bit. The Michael Steele touch is poison, I tell ya.

Mitch McConnell may look like a turtle but he's not the world's slowest-moving political weathervane.

29, D, CA-27, 2nd class citizen

---

by: arealmlc @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 23:46:59 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Judge rejects RNC bid to end minority voter protections

Story in Politico

A federal judge in New Jersey on Tuesday rejected an attempt by the Republican National Committee to end nearly three-decade-old restrictions on GOP "ballot security" programs that historically discriminated against minority voters.

In a ruling that extended the restrictions for at least another eight years, but also slightly narrowed the consent decree containing them, U.S. District Court Judge Dickinson Debevoise of Newark asserted that "voter intimidation presents an ongoing threat to the participation of minority individuals in the political process."

 

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

---

by: Pan @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 20:21:55 PM CST

IL-10

Oh, wait, looks like Dan Seals is in favor of extending the Bush tax cuts, while Julie Hamos is against them.  Hamos supports Obama's troop increase in Afghanistan, while Seals is against it.  They seem to agree on all the other issues.

The news about Seals' position on the Bush tax cuts is raising some ire on DailyKos.  Take it for what it's worth.

---

by: BruinKid @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 23:39:59 PM CST

Also, re: TN-08

Why would Herron need to return all the money?  I thought candidates were allowed to transfer campaign funds from one to the other, or does that only apply to federal elections?

---

by: BruinKid @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 23:41:22 PM CST

It's money donate for a state campaign versus the federal campaign he's now running.

Follow the elections in Georgia at the 2010 Georgia Race Tracker.

---

by: TheUnknown285 @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 23:43:10 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Bench strength, KS-03 & TN-08

Btw, did anyone notice how it took less than day to get a strong candidate for TN-08, but there's been no further word on any Democrat for KS-03 since Moore's retirement, meanwhile tons of Republicans are getting in there?

I'm not worried quite yet for KS-03, as Dems there tend to come together quickly around good candidates...just saying that it may be an indication of local bench strength.

29, D, CA-27, 2nd class citizen

---

by: arealmlc @ Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 23:59:02 PM CST

[ Parent ]

That's what makes me feel better about TN-08

No hesitation at all in landing he best recruit possible.  He must feel good about his chances of holding the seat.

---

by: ChadInFL @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 00:34:51 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Perhaps African Americans are feeling neglected

Per Nate Silver

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com...

The racial demographics, however, are perhaps even more striking. Whereas 68 percent of white voters told Research 2000 they were definitely or probably planning to vote in 2010, just 33 percent of black voters did. Although whites have almost always turned out at greater rates than blacks, the racial gap has never been nearly that large, and indeed was at its smallest-ever levels in 2008 with Barack Obama on the ballot.

In contrast - in '08:

64.8 percent of whites voted versus 60.8 percent of African-Americans.

A-A turnout may go down by nearly 50% relative to '08. That would hurt.  

---

by: tietack @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 00:05:57 AM CST

They feel neglected by DC democrats not named Obama

I don't doubt this one bit.  I've heard several black people I know complain how mostly white democrats are sabotaging/activaly undermining his initiatives like HCR, etc.  Obama is as popular as ever with them but they feel their President is being abandoned by members of their own party in DC.  

How are they supposed to be motivated to turnout at the polls in 2010 feeling (rightfully so) that way?  In Arkansas for example, what is Blanche Lincoln supposed to say to black voters to get them to re-elect her when she works her ass off to see HCR destroyed?

---

by: ChadInFL @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 00:31:10 AM CST

[ Parent ]

It does mean

They'll likely come home when Obama asks.

---

by: conspiracy @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 08:43:43 AM CST

[ Parent ]

I seriously doubt that

Let's remember what happened in 1986 when Reagan campaigned around the country, saying "If you voted for me, vote for [insert name of Senator here]." It didn't work.

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

---

by: Pan @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 14:58:27 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Poor example

Second midterm versus first. I'm amazed you don't think he can't rally reluctant Aferican Amerians to vote.

---

by: conspiracy @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 18:02:00 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Yeah, second midterm after he won 49 states

And no, I don't think he can rally that many black voters to vote for Democrats they aren't enthusiastic about. I hope I'm wrong, but I continue to believe that what's likely to improve Democratic turnout by whites and blacks alike is a palpably improved economy, a decent health care bill - preferably one with palpable improvements before fall 2010 - and no calamitous blowup in Afghanistan or Iraq.

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

---

by: Pan @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 18:23:06 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Response to a landslide is usually a correction

You'll see that next year. And obviously all those things are crucial but I think you are underestimating him with regard to AA GOTV.

---

by: conspiracy @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 18:29:23 PM CST

[ Parent ]

1986

Democrats picked up 8 senate seats that year in large part because republicans elected a lot of weak senators in 1980 who were up for re-election in 1986.  However republicans had a great year in Governor's races in 1986 by picking up 7 Governorships.

---

by: ChadInFL @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 18:58:13 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I hadn't remembered that

But I'm sure Reagan had nothing appreciable to do with the gubernatorial victories.

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

---

by: Pan @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 22:28:00 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Probably not

I believe those elections were at the height of Iran-Contra when Reagan's approvals were at a low point.  Most of the republican pickups were in the midwest/southwest/southeast - NE,AZ,NM,KS,OK,TX,AL,FL,SC.

And most of those republicans who won Governor's races in 1986 lost re-election in 1990 - NM,KS,NE,OK,TX,FL.

---

by: ChadInFL @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 23:08:41 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Good point about Iran-Contra

That, more than the fact that it was a 2nd-term midterm election, makes it different from 2010.

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

---

by: Pan @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 23:23:12 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Maybe,, maybe not

we might not seen them again until Obama is back on the ballot.

---

by: DTOzone @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 16:18:52 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Most not all

---

by: conspiracy @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 18:00:33 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I definitely agree with you Conspiracy

Remember when Rahm told Israel that Obama would personally door knock the black neighborhoods of the Bronx and Brooklyn for Gillibrand if he had to?

Obama will be going all out to get the black community to get out and vote again.  I dont really know where the black communities head is on this and dont really have any black friends to gab about this with* but Im going to make the assumption that black people will show up for Democrats if Obama works it like he needs to.  I was about to put it into terms if there was a GLBT president and how that would affect me, but, well, I vote every year regardless.

*I have no black friends to gab about this with because im from MN, not because Im racist.  ;)  And going to a private univ where everyone was rich white suburban kids certainly didnt help that either.

---

by: Andrew @ Sat Dec 05, 2009 at 11:53:45 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Perhaps

but the majority of Democrats are supporting the President.  Blacks need to come out and support them.

I don't think they owe John Barrow, for example, anything.  

---

by: JSmith @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 17:22:39 PM CST

[ Parent ]

So

John Barrow has done NOTHING for blacks in his district?

---

by: RuralDem @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 18:16:27 PM CST

[ Parent ]

He has showed Obama the finger

on his legislation repeatedly, voting against the budget, health care, and cap-n-trade, and many others.

Blacks have every right to show Barrow the finger, and they should.  Barrow represents big corporations and the wealthy, not ordinary folks, black or white and he shouldn't ever be representing a district that Obama won by 9%.

---

by: JSmith @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 18:24:31 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I swear to Christ if this turns into another Blue Dog debate

I'm going to go postal

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by: DFLer @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 18:27:50 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Haha

It's not, at least on my part.

I just wanted to see JSmith's reasoning. There's more to being a Congressman than voting. I'd guarantee the people in his district appreciate the earmarks that he's able to deliver.

Also, as I mentioned before, sometimes numbers are deceiving. That district is much closer than it seems.

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by: RuralDem @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 18:34:57 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I don't accept that

It is only closer than it appears if blacks don't turnout.  And Barrow has given them no reason to.  And I don't believe that a black Democrat (w/o ethical troubles, so don't use Champ Walker as an example) cannot win GA-12.

Delivering earmarks is nice and good, but a liberal black can deliver earmarks too.  The difference is that the latter will actually support policies that would help the blacks (and for that matter whites) in the district.

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by: JSmith @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 19:35:32 PM CST

[ Parent ]

No

Champ Walker? That's fairly random.

How about Regina Thomas?  

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by: RuralDem @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 21:13:01 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Regina Thomas?

She's a joke candidate.

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by: ChadInFL @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 21:39:43 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Well

I'm only providing the kind of candidate JSmith wants. Sure she's a joke but she fits the description he's asking for.

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by: RuralDem @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 22:10:12 PM CST

[ Parent ]

A joke of a candidate

There has to be legitimate black state legislator who can oust Barrow in the primary.  I'm willing to bet that the primary will be at least 60% black.

Even a Blue Dog black candidate like Sanford Bishop or David Scott would be substantial improvement over John Barrow.  Barrow votes like he lives in a Southern rural district that Obama got 35-40%.

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by: JSmith @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 21:41:14 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Legitimate?

Thomas served in both chambers for a little over a decade combined. She's well to the left of Barrow as well, so what more do you want?

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by: RuralDem @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 22:12:39 PM CST

[ Parent ]

She barely even runs active campaigns

She probably represents an overwhelmingly black district where she doesn't even have to campaign to get re-elected every time.  There are legit black candidates for congressional races and there are joke candidates.  Someone who spends a grand total of less than $89K for a primary despite having high name recognition in a district is joke candidate.

She can't be anywhere remotely close to the best potential black candidate in GA-12.  

By the way, here is her website for Congress:

http://reginathomas4congress.com/

That's right.. it's not even active.

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by: ChadInFL @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 23:03:11 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Um

She represented part of Savannah, aka the population spot in the 12th.

I doubt you'll find anyone, black or white to primary Barrow that'll raise a decent amount in a Primary against Barrow.

It's not about skin color in a candidate, it's about the make-up of the district. Thomas ran on a pro-choice, pro-gay marriage campaign. A social liberal does not fit the district at all.

Do I think she's a credible candidate? No, but she's the best you'll get to run on the left in the district.

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by: RuralDem @ Sat Dec 05, 2009 at 00:37:11 AM CST

[ Parent ]

I'm not asking for a openly pro-gay marriage candidate

I'm asking for one which will support Obama's budget and his health care plan.  That is not too much to ask in a district like this.  

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by: JSmith @ Sat Dec 05, 2009 at 01:11:07 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Alright

So you'd be fine with a socially conservative/fiscally populist candidate? Barrow, although he might not support the entire Obama agenda, fits that category perfectly.

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by: RuralDem @ Sat Dec 05, 2009 at 01:50:57 AM CST

[ Parent ]

No Barrow doesn't

He has supported basically none of Obama's main agenda.  He has voted against every one of the President's primary proposals, budget, health care, and energy.  And I doubt he would support EFCA either.  

I can understand Barrow's vote on Stupak, although I strongly disagree with it.  I do not understand his vote against health care.

I would be fine with a socially conservative/fiscally liberal/populist candidate from GA-12.  The problem is that Barrow is a corporatist socially conservative candidate.  

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by: JSmith @ Sat Dec 05, 2009 at 08:37:47 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Barrow has a WaPo rating of 93%, ADA rating of 75%, AFL-CIO rating of 87%

ref
http://projects.washingtonpost...

http://www.opencongress.org/wi...

http://www.votesmart.org/issue...

He actually got a 100 from NARAL in '07, ref http://www.votesmart.org/issue...

(same link shows 60% from Planned Parenthood in '08)

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by: tietack @ Sat Dec 05, 2009 at 09:51:31 AM CST

[ Parent ]

NC-Sen

The Fix is now confirming what David reported a few days ago, that Cal Cunningham (D) will challenge Richard Burr (R).

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by: BruinKid @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 00:18:54 AM CST

Cunningham and Kennedy

This has turned into a pretty damned good week for the 5th district.

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by: TheGame08 @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 02:08:42 AM CST

[ Parent ]

NV-Sen: Lowden up 10

http://www.lvrj.com/hottopics/...

For daily political commentary, visit me at http://polibeast.blogspot.com/ and http://twitter.com/polibeast

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by: andyroo312 @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 11:07:14 AM CST

That's what happens

When you have a spineless majority leader.  Message is clear - get HCR passed with no more false compromises.

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by: ChadInFL @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 13:03:48 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Crisitunity...

...as a Georgian, I object to you NOT referring to my state's legislature as the "St.Ass." as has been done with other states.  This double standard is astonishing.  In fact, it should technically be called the "General Ass."  Works well with the individual we're talking about (Glenn Richardson).

Follow the elections in Georgia at the 2010 Georgia Race Tracker.

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by: TheUnknown285 @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 12:43:31 PM CST

Heh

As far as my own self-constructed SSP Style Guide goes, I've reserved "St. Ass." for the five states where the lower chamber of the legislature is actually called the Assembly, and not the states where the whole legislature is the Assembly but the lower chamber is the House. Of course, California and New York generate a disproportionate amount of the state legislative news, so you see the term a lot. But, yes, Glenn Richardson does certainly seem to put the "Ass" in Assembly.

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by: Crisitunity @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 13:25:19 PM CST

[ Parent ]

NC-05

There is a Draft Billy Kennedy page on Facebook.  Join up and show your support so that we can finally give the 5th District a chance to send real representation to Washington!

http://www.facebook.com/group....

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by: TheGame08 @ Sat Dec 05, 2009 at 11:13:42 AM CST