• Dave's Redistricting App: If you use Dave's App, please don't close your browser window/tab when you take a break. Whenever you load a new instance of the app, it causes a big bandwidth hit, especially when you open up New York state. So to help Dave conserve bandwidth, leave your browser open once you've loaded whatever you're working on until you're finished with that project. Thanks! (D)
• AZ-Sen: Ex-Rep. J.D. Hayworth says that he may be ready to start "testing the waters" for a primary challenge to John McCain. Hayworth was recently seen in D.C., holding a joint fundraiser with Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio that raked in $100,000. Hayworth's share of the proceeds went directly to help alleviate his outstanding legal bills.
• CT-Sen: Well, this is awkward. Before Chris Dodd led the attacks on AIG for its executive compensation fiasco, Dodd was in AIG's offices, collecting checks from their employees.
• MA-Sen: Republican Scott Brown has launched the first ad of his campaign, making a totally cheeseball comparison between himself and JFK.
• NY-Gov: Basil Paterson, David's dad and former SoS, raises the ugly specter of the 2002 gubernatorial primary between Carl McCall and Andrew Cuomo as some kind of "warning" to Cuomo. (D)
• AL-05: As we expected, PSC Commissioner Susan Parker has turned down the opportunity to challenge Parker Griffith in 2010. This leaves Democrats without a top shelf candidate, but there are other options worth considering. One potential candidate, state Rep. Randy Hinshaw, talks with Left in Alabama about the campaign that he'd like to see the Democratic nominee run. Doc's Political Parlor hears that Deborah Bell Paseur is unlikely to run, and that Hinshaw is "as likely as anyone" to go for it. Madison County Commissioner Bob Harrison is also thinking about it.
• CA-19: The Defenders of Wildlife are gearing up to do whatever it takes to prevent Richard Pombo from re-entering Congress (as he is considering), even if it means supporting another conservative Republican for the seat of retiring GOP Rep. George Radanovich. Meanwhile, Taniel notes that ex-Fresno mayor Jim Patterson is a Club For Growth protege -- so this could be a pretty lively primary.
• LA-03: State Rep. Nickie Monica has become the first Republican to file for the seat of Dem Rep. Charlie Melancon.
• TX-10: Foreign policy consultant Dan Grant, who lost a 2008 Democratic primary to local celebrity judge Larry Joe Doherty, has taken his name out of consideration as a last-minute replacement for businessman Jack McDonald, who withdrew his candidacy for the seat of GOP Rep. Mike McCaul last week.
• NC-10: Here's something interesting we missed a while back: Iredell County Commissioner Scott Keadle is challenging Rep. Patrick McHenry in the GOP primary, and he's backed his play with $250K of his own money. It's not really clear what exactly Keadle's beef with McHenry is - he seems to be running a 1994-esque campaign, accusing McHenry (who's only held office since 2005) of turning into a "career politician," and pledging to serve no more than three terms himself. (Hat-tip: Reader IR) (D)
• VA State Sen: Hotline on Call takes a look at a crucial special election between ex-Fairfax Co. School Board member Steve Hunt (R) and Del. Dave Marsden (D). Marsden and Hunt are running to replace Republican AG-elect Ken Cuccinelli. If Democrats somehow win the seat, they'd be able to pad their razor-thin majority in the Senate to 22-18.
• NYC-Mayor: The Swing State Project has gotten its hands on the precinct-by-precinct results for the 2009 New York City mayor's race. You can also check out our entire storehouse of obscure election returns and otherwise-unpublished polling memos at the SSP Document Collection. For some tasty eye candy and analysis, SSP Research Bureau Chief jeffmd has put together some beautiful maps comparing Thompson's performance to Obama's. (D)
• Polltopia: Pick PPP's next state polling target: Alabama, Connecticut, Illinois, Florida or Massachusetts.
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), who won a third term in November in a race that was closer than many Republicans would have liked, is expected to create an exploratory committee for a possible run for state attorney general in 2010, two Texas media outlets reported Thursday evening.
The current attorney general, Greg Abbott (R), is contemplating running for lieutenant governor next year - or for Senate if Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) resigns early to pursue a gubernatorial bid.
This might be the most exciting House open seat news so far this cycle. McCaul won with just 54% of the vote in November, and 55% two years earlier. This district always looked more competitive than its (old) PVI of R+13, in large part due to an ongoing demographic sea change - in particular, Hispanic growth here has been through the roof.
I'd also be willing to bet that Bush's numbers were inflated here due to a home state effect - and that Obama did better than Kerry's 38%. The real question is whether there is something "wrong" with McCaul that's kept his numbers down - and, consequently, would we be better off running against him or with an open seat? I'll note that the DCCC didn't spend a dime on this district, but first-time candidate Larry Joe Doherty did raise an impressive $1.2 million in his losing bid.
If McCaul bails, Doherty could conceivably run again, as could international affairs consultant Dan Grant, who ran in the primary against Doherty in 2008. My question to you: Are there any other strong candidate who might be tempted to run if there's an open seat?
I am proud to have received the enthusiastic endorsement of the Texas AFL-CIO and other Labor groups representing more than 230,000 working men and women across the state.
Every progressive movement in our nation's modern history has come about because of Organized Labor's courage and steadfast refusal to take its eye off the ball -- protecting the health and well-being of the great American middle class.
The reviews are in, and consumer spending this holiday season was up a mere 3.6 percent over the year before. It was the weakest increase in at least four years, as families purchased fewer presents to put under the tree -- and spent one-third of that increase on gasoline.
The news is the latest evidence that the free spending fueled by Washington's aimless policies in Iraq has turned our economy into the equivalent of a grade-B horror flick come to life -- Return of the Living Debt.
The candidate filing period opened today - and Dan was there to make it official, saying he hoped to signal his understanding of how eager Central Texas voters are to get started on changing Washington.
The Federal Communications Commission is moving ahead with plans to help big media get bigger. A rally happening right now in front of FCC headquarters in Washington, D.C., is designed to slow the rush toward even more consolidation.
My opponent should break his silence on this important issue and explain whether he is working for the Texas taxpayers who own the public airwaves or Clear Channel, his family's mega-media company.
Call McCaul at 202-225-2401 and remind him who owns the public airwaves.
It’s World Series week, and Congressman Mike McCaul is about to get another chance to improve his batting average when a measure providing uninsured Texas kids the kind of health insurance program he enjoys comes up again for debate.
So far, he’s batting 0-2.
First, he voted against the bi-partisan SCHIP bill that would have extended coverage to nearly 1.4 million Texas children whose parents work hard and earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but too little to afford private insurance. Then, he remained in lockstep with the Bush-Cheney administration and voted against overriding the President’s veto.
Forty-four Republicans joined the Democratic majority in voting to override last week and guarantee access to affordable health care for the children of parents who are working hard and playing by the rules. They ignored the misinformation spread by the White House and did the right thing.
My opponent once more failed to do the right thing today.
He again put his loyalty to the Bush-Cheney administration ahead of his obligation to the families who pay for his own health care with their taxes but can't afford the same rights for their own children.
Central Texans were looking for more leadership and less followership in Washington, D.C. today, because with more uninsured children than any other state, we had more to lose. We didn't get that leadership today.
The U.S. House Thursday is scheduled to vote on whether to override the President's controversial veto of the bi-partisan State Children's Health Insurance Program. Rep. Mike McCaul should vote to provide more than 1.4 million uninsured Texas children the health care they need.
Unfortunately, McCaul voted against uninsured kids and for insurance industry special interests the first round. Will he find the moral courage to do the right thing today? Will he finally make Texas priorities his priorities?
The junior Congressman From Clear Channel has been notably silent during the uproar over rightwing talk show host Rush Limbaugh's attack on U.S. troops who oppose the White House's misadventure in Iraq as "phony soldiers."
Now Rep. McCaul's brother-in-law, the CEO of the company that broadcast Limbaugh's diatribe, is defending the indefensible.
