D.C.'s Political Report
D.C.s Political Report
Sponsor of D.C.'s Political Report
Subscribe to D.C.s Political Report List of ALL Presidential Candidates Presidential Predictions State by State Coverage of Elections List of ALL Political Parties Governmental, Political and Media Links Election Results from 1988 and continuing 2004 Political Calendar List of Open Seat Races Current Polls Numbers D.C.'s Political Report's Ratings Commentary by D.C. Finegold-Sachs Archive of Daily Reports Open Discussion Forum
Get BlogAd Political Insider Network



SUBSCRIPTION RATES

Subscriptions to D.C.'s Political Report provide access to the archive of election results and poll data. Subscription Rate is $15 a month, $75 for 6 months, or $120 for one year. Discount rates are available for students. Students may contact me here for details.

From Now Until After the Election, D.C.'s Political Report is offering free one day passes.

July 4-7, 2008

     Politicians Do the Strangest Things - Self Flagellation: Saying that he expected incumbent U.S. Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) to engage in personal smear tactics, Republican Senate nominee Bob Kelleher (R-MT) decided to hold a press conference to reveal his worse personal faults. Kelleher, who has run for public office as a Democrats and a Green, says that he dropped out of a Carmelite monastery 18 months before ordination because he couldn't handle a vow of chastity. Since then he has been married and divorced three times. Kelleher says he particularly regrets the way he walked out on his first wife, mother to his six oldest children. "I wanted to have fun," he said. He says he regrets the impact his absences have had on his seven children.
     Following his admission, Kelleher took advantage of the media attention to highlight some of his disagreements with Baucus, most of which made him sound more like a Democrat than the Republican he is running as.
     "He [Baucus] passed a ($1.6) trillion dollar tax cut for the rich, for billionaires," Kelleher said, referring to tax cuts in 2001 and 2003 pushed by President Bush. "Montana only has one billionaire, Denny Washington. The rest of us out here are poor." Kelleher says some of his concerns are the unemployment rate on Montana's Indian reservations, the disproportionate percentage of Montana's children living at or near poverty, the disparaged wages earned between women and men. Kelleher supports a single-payer government-funded health system similar to Canada's.
     In other news, Patty L. Lovaas (R-MT), one of the Republicans who lost to Bob Kelleher in the primary, filed a Declaration of Candidacy and a filling fee to be on the November ballot as an independent candidate. Montana currently bars losing primary candidates from being on the general election ballot and has a March filing deadline for independent candidates. Her only chance of being on the ballot is for a successful outcome in the pending lawsuit file by would-be candidate Steve Kelly (G-MT) and voter Clarice Dreyer. That case was filed on April 8 and it challenges the filing deadline. Lovaas says she is running as an independent because Kelleher is not a "bona fide" Republican.

Stories Here and Here. Your Comments Here.

John McCain

     Hush Little Supporters: But John S. McCain, III (R-AZ) and Barack H. Obama (D-IL) each took a hushed approach to letting the world know where they stand on the California ballot measure to ban same-sex marriage.

Stories Here, Here, Here and Here. Your Comments Here.

Barack Obama

     Special Treatment: The Washington Post reported that presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee Barack H. Obama (D-IL) received a discount loan when he purchased a new house in Chicago shortly after joining the U.S. Senate. He locked in an interest rate of 5.625 percent on the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, below the average for such loans at the time in Chicago. Obama paid no origination fee or discount points, as some consumers do to reduce their interest rates.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

Bob Barr

     Alternative Party News - Understudy to Suit: The Libertarian Party has sued the state of Ohio arguing that its requirements for a party to qualify for the ballot are unconstitutionally strict. In case they are unsuccessful, former U.S. Representative Bob Barr (L-GA) is having supporters gather the roughly 5,000 signatures needed to qualify him as an independent presidential candidate on the November ballot. Barr is hoping that supporters of U.S. Representative Ronald E. "Ron" Paul's (R-TX) unsuccessful presidential bid while turn to him in the general election.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

Ralph Nader

     Alternative Party News - Hawaiian Vacation: Independent Presidential candidate Ralph Nader distinguishes himself from the two major party candidates on the issues of single-payer health insurance, cutting the military budget and repealing anti-union laws. In a visit to the University of Hawaii, Nader said, "The central issue in our country is the overwhelming power of global corporations on our government, our elections, and on our economy. Commercialism is running riot over civic values that represent the heart and core of civilization." Nader will be listed on the Hawaii ballot as the nominee of the newly formed Independence Party.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

Cynthia McKinney

     Alternative Party News - Suspended Effort: Ballot Access News is reporting that the Pennsylvania Green Party has suspended its petition drive after only collecting 7,000 signatures. State party officials believe they will be unable to collect the 24,666 valid signatures needed by August 1 without financial assistance from either the national party or presumptive Presidential nominee Cynthia A. McKinney (G-GA).

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

Chuck Baldwin

     Alternative Party News - A Pair of Clergy: Missouri's Secretary of State certified the petitions of the Constitution Party. The party will list Minister Chuck Baldwin (C-FL) as its presidential nominee and pastor Gregory E. Thompson (C-MO) as its gubernatorial nominee.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Ethanol's End: Republican gubernatorial candidate Sarah Steelman (R-MO) called for a repeal of Missouri's ethanol mandate claiming it has contributed to the higher food prices. Steelman has made statements as recently as this spring supporting the ethanol mandate with reservations, but explained that the economic circumstances have continued to worsen since then.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     For 2010: San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) is but the latest California politicians to openly consider running for Governor in 2010 when incumbent Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA) will be term-limited out of office. He is, however, the first candidate to set up a campaign committee in preparation. He joins former Governor and current Attorney General Jerry Brown (D-CA), Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D-CA), former state controller and 2006 Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Westly (D-CA), Lieutenant Governor John R. Garamendi (D-CA), state Treasurer Bill Lockyer (D-CA) and state schools Superintendent Jack O'Connell (D-CA) in considering the Democratic nomination. On the Republican side, state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner (R-CA) is seen as a leading candidate, while former eBay chief executive Meg Whitman (R-CA) is also reportedly exploring a run.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Alternative Party Take-Over: New York State Republican Party chair Joseph Mondello criticized Mayor Michael R. "Mike" Bloomberg (I-NY) for seeking his ouster in order to "use the Republican Party to run for Governor, or whatever else they want to do."

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Bigger Target: U.S. Senator A. Mitchell "Mitch" McConnell (R-KY) admits that he a "real campaign this year" and faces a tougher re-election effort because he is "a lot bigger target" because of his role as the Senate Minority Leader.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Change of Circumstance: Due to the recent rise in the price of gasoline, Democratic Senate candidate Al Franken (DFL-MN) says he would no longer support an increase in the federal gas tax. Last year, Franken said he would not rule out a small increase in the gas tax to help pay for improvements in the nation's infrastructure. Franken notes that his support was made in the wake of the collapse of the I-35W bridge, when gas was selling below $3 a gallon.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     More Money in Mississippi: President George W. Bush's (R-MS) private fund-raising event for U.S. Senator Roger F. Wicker's (R-MS) re-election raised more money that Democratic nominee David R. "Ronnie" Musgrove (D-MS) has raised in the entire 1st quarter.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     It Will Be Different This Time: In her rematch against U.S. Senator John E. Sununu (R-NH), former New Hampshire Governor Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) plans to focus of the incumbent's voting record, suggesting that things would have been a lot different if she had been elected six years. "Who voted with this administration 90 percent of the time and got us to where we are today: with $9 trillion in debt, a war in Iraq with no end, a housing crisis, gas prices that are the highest in history, and no energy plan?" Shaheen asks.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Work Before Recess: Republican Senate nominee Richard A. "Dick" Zimmer (R-NJ) criticized U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) for going on the July 4 recess in Congress without addressing the high price of gasoline. Zimmer accused Lautenberg of voting for "giveaways to the oil and gas industry and against tax relief at the pump."

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     The Positive Message and the Negative Message: Democratic Senate nominee Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Democratic Attorney General candidate John R. Kroger (D-OR) are putting together a $309 million anti-crime package aimed at reversing Bush administration cuts in aid to local law enforcement. Merkley announced plans to toughen laws against meth traffickers, toughen reporting requirements for sex offenders, and expand federal laws against child pornography.
     Meanwhile a web ad Merkley's campaign produced meant to embarrass U.S. Senator Gordon H. Smith (R-OR) by showing a satellite image of a palatial house in Bethesda Maryland while Smith talks about home incorrectly identify Smith's house. The home was not Smith, who lives down the street. Smith's second house is still nice, with an estimated value of more than $4 million and situated near the Congressional Country Club.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Big Oil Bash: Republican congressional candidate Harri Anne Smith (R-AL) criticized her Republican run-off primary opponent Jay Love (R-AL) for voting in favor of tax breaks to "big oil." In a television commercial Smith used clips from a video in which Governor Robert R. "Bob" Riley (R-AL) rails against the Alabama state House Appropriation committee for voting down his proposal on state severance taxes to demonstrate her point.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     False Choices: As U.S. Representative Christopher S. "Chris" Murphy (D-CT) voted for legislation that would deny oil and gas companies any new federal leases until they have demonstrated that they have "thoroughly explored" those acres, his Republican challenger David J. Cappiello (R-CT) blasted the Democratic incumbent for offering only "false choices." Cappiello proposed "embracing" all responsible options available while "investing in renewable fuels and conservation measures that will transform the energy market in the future."

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Alternative Party News - Advertising: Unity Party congressional candidate Bill Hammons (I-CO) has launched an advertising campaign which features ads in the print and internet editions of Boulder's Daily Camera. "The voters of the Second District are now seeing the results of my recent personal contribution to my campaign," says Hammons. "There's more where that came from, and I plan to expand my campaign advertising as the summer progresses, but first we'll see what sort of results we get from this first round."

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     King Abdicates: Republican congressional candidate Jim King (R-FL) has suspended his campaign citing a serious back injury. King doesn't plan on making a final decision whether or not to end his campaign until after consulting with his physicians. Even if he were to drop out of the race, King's name will still appear on the Republican primary ballot against U.S. Representative Virginia "Ginny" Brown-Waite (R-FL). King, who has run for office at least four times under different party banners, is attempting to stake out a position to the right of the sometimes moderate Brown-Waite. For months now he has run advertisements on local radio bashing her record.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     A New Play: Democratic congressional nominee Christine L. Jennings (D-FL) is making her rematch against U.S. Representative Vern Buchanan (R-FL) all about his record, trying to avoid the controversial election from two years ago.

Stories Here and Here. Your Comments Here.

     Missed Out: U.S. Representative John Lewis (D-GA) did not participate in a debate against his primary opponents Markel Hutchins (D-GA) and state Representative "Able" Mable Thomas (D-GA) alleging that he had a prior obligation.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     True Democrat: The candidates in Georgia's 12th Congressional District squared off in separate partisan debates. U.S. Representative John Barrow (D-GA) and state Senator Regina D. Thomas (D-GA) sparred over who was truer to the party's principles. Thomas accused Barrow of dragging his feet on reducing gas prices and supporting illegal wiretapping of Americans. Barrow refrained from returning the attack, but defended his record as a Congressman willing to work across the aisle while listing initiatives he led against Bush when Democrats were in the minority.
     In the Republican debate, Ben Crystal (R-GA), Raymond L. "Ray" McKinney (R-GA) and John Stone (R-GA) each offered slightly different prescriptions for lower gas prices.

Stories Here and Here. Your Comments Here.

     Don't Bitch: For most of the debate between U.S. Representative David Scott (D-GA) and former state Senator Donzella James (D-GA) the Democratic primary rivals stuck to the issues. James criticized Scott's voting record while Scott defended his decisions. But after the first twenty minutes, a panelist asked Scott whether he had described his challenger Deborah Travis Honeycutt (R-GA) as a "bitch."

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Reaffirming the Right: Both U.S. Representative Samuel B. "Sam" Graves, Jr. (R-MO) and his Democratic opponent Kay Barnes (D-MO) have issued statements supporting the Supreme Court affirmation of an individual right to own guns. Incumbent Republican Graves said, "The Supreme Court made the right decision in standing up for the Constitution and reaffirming the right of Americans to keep and bear arms." Meanwhile Barnes, the former Mayor of Kansas City, said, "I agree with the Supreme Court’s interpretation that an absolute prohibition against gun ownership violates the Second Amendment right for citizens to bear arms."

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Righter to Life: Despite state Representative Robert F. "Bob" Onder (R-MO) almost singular attention to ending abortion, Missouri Right to Life organization endorsed his rival former state Representative Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO) in Missouri's 9th Congressional District Republican primary.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Frankly No Franking: Republican congressional candidate Grant Bosse (R-NH) is promising to refrain from sending any unsolicited taxpayer-paid mail to constituents if elected. Incumbent U.S. Representative Paul W. Hodes (D-NH) has spent as much as $235,000 to print and send mass mailings during the first half of 2008, ten times what his predecessor spent over a similar time period.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Legal But Unethical: The National Republican Congressional Committee is accusing Democratic congressional nominee John H. Adler (D-NJ) of engaging in unethical behavior by previously accepting federal campaign contributions from casino executives and PACs. The donations were completely legal. But the GOP says that Adler, as a state Senator, was not allowed to accepted casinos donation under state law. Casino officials or PACs contributed $36,000 to an Adler U.S. Senate campaign committee formed in 2003. Money from that unsuccessful bid was transferred to his 3rd District campaign.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Alternative Party News - Predicting the GOP Demise: New York's Working Families Party suggested in a fund-raising letter that New York could have as few as 2 Republican Congressmen in the entire state after the general election. New York has the third largest congressional delegation in the country with 29 members of the House of Representatives in addition to two U.S. Senators.

Your Comments Here.

     Searching for a Staten Island Republican: Republican congressional candidate Jamshad Wyne (R-NY) claims to have collected more than 2,000 signatures to get on the primary ballot, more than the 1250 required. Yet New York Republicans are not ready to embrace the cardiologist because of the fact that he was fined $5,000 and placed on probation for three years in 2003 by the Health Department's Board for Professional Medical Conduct. The board concluded he had practice with negligence on more than one occasion.
     Meanwhile Carmine Morano (Ind-NY) is circulating petitions in an effort to get on both the Republican and Independence Party ballots. Former New York state assemblyman Robert Straniere (R-NY), who is a partner in a family hot dog restaurant, has declared his candidacy and is gathering petitions for a July 10 deadline. Straniere no longer lives in the district and is unlikely to garner the support of the Staten Island Republican committee.
     While the Republicans are unable to settle on a consensus candidate, Democrat Michael E. McMahon (D-NY) continues to pick up support. AFL-CIO President Denis Hughes announced an early endorsement of the New York City Councilman's congressional candidacy.

Stories Here, Here and Here. Your Comments Here.

     Call on Change: Democratic congressional candidate Kevin Powell (D-NY), a member of the near-famous due to his role on MTV's "Real World," is hoping to defeat U.S. Representative Edolphus Towns (D-NY) in the Democratic primary on the strength of his association with famous people. Powell is attempting to tap into the network of activists and ordinary voters in the New York's 10th Congressional District who supported Barack H. Obama (D-NY) in the presidential primary. The majority African-American district posted one of Obama's best performances in the Empire State against favorite daughter Hillary R. Clinton (D-NY).

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Alternative Party News - Healthy Withdrawal: Green Party activist Howie Hawkins (G-NY) is circulating petitions to run for Congress in New York's 25th Congressional District. Hawkins says the two main policies of his platform include U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan, as well as universal healthcare.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Typo: The good news for Democratic congressional nominee Sharen Swartz Neuhardt (D-OH) is that when you google her name, her campaign website comes up first. The bad news is that it claims that she is running in Indiana's 7th Congressional District instead of the Ohio's 7th.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Ineffective Out-of-State Union: Republicans are accusing Democratic congressional nominee Mary Jo Kilroy (D-OH) of bypassing a low bidder while serving on the Franklin County Commission to hire an out-of-state unionized plumber for work on Huntington Park ballpark. Kilroy defends her vote saying that the county had to stick to its standards to employ reliable contractors who would work effectively, on budget and in compliance with the law. However a new memo suggests that company hired caused as much as $200,000 in damage when "working without permission and without supervision" it undermined a support column holding up 27 tons of steel and concrete.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Same Setting - Different Stage: U.S. Representative Patrick J. Murphy (D-PA) and his Republican challenger Thomas "Tom" Manion (R-PA) squared off from different gas stations as each pitched their solutions to the raising cost of gasoline.
     Meanwhile, a complaint filed with the Federal Election Commission alleges that Republican congressional nominee Tom Manion (R-PA) received an illegal contribution in the form of a fundraising letter written and paid for with corporate funds.

Stories Here and Here. Your Comments Here.

     Goode Enough: National Democrats are targeting U.S. Representative Virgil H. Goode, Jr. (R-VA) for the first time since the ending his affiliation with them in 1999. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has begun airing radio commercials condemning Goode's purported support of big oil companies. The decision to add Goode to their list of targets was made because of the strength of Democratic nominee Tom S. P. Perriello (D-VA), a former Yale-educated Catholic relief worker who has reportedly raising $900,000 for his campaign. Of course the decision was made easier by the flush of money in the DCCC's treasury and changing political environment in Virginia.

Stories Here and Here. Your Comments Here.

     Heroic Five-Year-Old: Democratic congressional candidate Darcy Burner's (D-WA) five-year-old son woke Burner and her husband up at 7 am Tuesday morning yelling about a fire. Within minutes her house was engulfed in flames. The house is a total loss.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Pair of Decisions: A pair of decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court is having some impact on the congressional contest in Wisconsin's 8th District. But U.S. Representative Steven L. "Steve" Kagen (D-WI) and his challenge former House Speaker John Gard (R-WI) have issued statements applauding the pronouncement that the Constitution does grant an individual right to gun ownership, but that the right was not unbridled and may be regulated.
     The Court's striking down of the so-called Millionaire's Amendment could have a more direct impact. In 2006, Kagen donated about $1 million to his campaign. If he were to decide to self-fund his re-election, Gard would no long be able to collect extra money from his contributors.

Stories Here and Here. Your Comments Here.

     Territory News - A First: The Election Commission for the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands will begin accepting candidacy filings on Monday for the territory's first ever congressional delegate election. Pete A. Tenorio (R-MP), who currently holds the elected position of Washington Resident, will be the Republican nominee. Territorial Senator Luis P. Crisostimo, Jr. (D-MP) and former Senator David M. Cing (D-MP) are competing for the Democratic Party endorsement. (The Democratic Party of the Mariana Islands is not affiliated with the National Democratic Committee but hopes to be by 2009.) There is still no news on whom the Covenant Party, which currently holds the Governor's Mansion on the islands, will support. At least for other candidates are planning independent campaigns: retired judge Juan T. Lizama (I-MP), outgoing Commonwealth Election Commission executive director Gregorio C. "Kilili" Sablan (I-MP), television talk show host John Oliver DLR Gonzales (I-MP), and businessman Patrick M. Calvo (I-MP) who has been accused the police of committing child molestation.

Stories Here and Here. Your Comments Here.

     Death With Dignity: Washington voters will voter on a so-called "Death with Dignity" initiative this November. If passed, it would make Washington only the second state, after neighboring Oregon, to allow physician-assisted suicide.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

Sponsored by

     Poll Updates: Updated poll information has been posted. New polls were posted in the following contests: Connecticut Presidential, Montana Presidential, and national Presidential tracking polls.

Your Comments Here.

July 3, 2008

     No News Letter Today: Look for Special Edition on July 4, 2008

Your Comments Here.

Sponsored by

     Poll Updates: Updated poll information has been posted. New polls were posted in the following contests: Connecticut Presidential, Idaho Senate, New York Presidential, and national Presidential tracking polls.

Your Comments Here.

July 2, 2008

     Alternative Party News - Or I'll Sue: The Libertarian Party has filed lawsuits in Ohio and Tennessee seeking to strike down unconstitutionally restrictive ballot-access rules in both states.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Alternative Party News - Carrying Waterman: Republican state Senator John M. Waterman (R-IN) has filed petitions to be listed on the general election ballot as the gubernatorial nominee of the newly named Taxpayer Party. The party is only running two candidates, for Governor and Lieutenant Governor. We will not know until mid-July whether or not he succeeded in his effort to get on the ballot because clerks have until then to certify the signatures. Waterman promises to serve as a Republican if elected.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Hurricane Alley: Democratic gubernatorial nominee Beverly M. "Bev" Perdue (D-NC) criticized her opponent Patrick L. "Pat" McCrory (R-NC) for his support of offshore drilling in North Carolina saying that the procedure would not be safe. "North Carolina's coast is in Hurricane Alley and has been called the Graveyard of the Atlantic for a reason," said the Lieutenant Governor. "I haven't seen anything that proves to me that drilling there can be done safely or bring down oil prices."

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Extended Invitation: Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gaye Symington (D-VT) challenged Governor James H. "Jim" Douglas (R-VT) to a series of debates in every Vermont county this fall. But the invitation, which was released to the press before given to the Republican incumbent, was not extended to the Progressive Party's nominee Anthony Pollina (Pr-VT).

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Alternative Party News - Reasonable Question: Governor Jim Douglas (R-VT) defended his administration decision to reward $300,000 in merit bonuses to state officials in the months before it proposed cutting 400 jobs from state rolls due to the economy downturn. Progressive Party's gubernatorial candidate Anthony Pollina (Pr-VT) questioned the decision saying "it is reasonable to ask why those responsible for faltering economic and environmental programs deserve merit bonuses while so many workers are losing their jobs."

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Sweetheart Deal: Democrats are accusing U.S. Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN) of accepting a "sweetheart deal" on the Capitol Hill apartment he is renting from a Republican consultant. Coleman insists he is paying fair market value for the "cramped space." Most apartments in the area are renting for $1,100 to $1,450, while Coleman is paying only $600 a month to Minnesota businessman Jeff Larson. Democrats claim that the arranging may violate Senate ethics rules. Larson's telemarketing firm has provided services worth more than $1.5 million to Coleman's campaigns and political action committee since 2001.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Arms Length: U.S. Senator Roger F. Wicker (R-MS), who faces a tough challenge from former Governor David R. "Ronnie" Musgrove (D-MS) this fall, held a fundraiser, closed to the public and the media, with unpopular President George W. Bush (R-TX). Musgrove's campaign has called out Wicker for holding a limited-access event instead of participating in a series of several town hall meetings.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Election Efficient: Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund is giving away a hybrid car to publicize Republican Senate nominee Stevan "Steve" Pearce's (R-NM) votes in Congress against vehicle fuel-efficiency standards.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Cost of the Campaign: Republican Senate nominee Joel D. Dykstra (R-SD) will need a big issue if his financially strapped campaign has any hope of gaining ground on U.S. Senator Timothy Johnson (D-SD). Dykstra hopes that $4-a-gallon gasoline will be that issue.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     More Money, More Money, More Money: The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has added congressional candidate Joshua "Josh" Segall (D-AL) to its ever expanding list of promising candidates worthy of national funding.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Signature Issue: After trying to avoid the issue for some time, U.S. Representative Marilyn N. Musgrave (R-CO) has begun talking again on the issue which brought her national attention - gay marriages. The Republican Congresswoman has signed on as a co-sponsor of a constitutional amendment to define marriage as between a man and a woman. For some time after a close re-election in 2006 Musgrave steered clear of the issue and focused her time on issues closer to home.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Politicians Do the Strangest Things - Soviet Style: Democratic Representative Timothy Mahoney (D-FL) recently sent out a taxpayer-funded mailing touting his record on veteran issues and telling constituents how he is "Honoring Those Who Defend Our Freedom." But the image of the elderly gentleman photographed on the mailing is bedecked in what appears to be Soviet medals. An enlargement of the picture shows the hammer and sickle logo of the USSR on the top medal on the man's left breast pocket. A spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee questioned, "Is Tim Mahoney's commitment to our veterans so shallow and superficial that he can't even tell the difference between an American veteran and one who fought for Communism in Joseph Stalin's Red Army?"

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Strange and Unusual: At a recent candidate forum Republican congressional candidate Barry A. Fleming (R-GA) accused U.S. Representative Paul Broun, Jr. (R-GA) of casting "strange, unusual votes" against veterans' benefits and modernizing the emergency 911 system. Fleming says Broun record is out of step with the mainstream and made him ineffective.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     AWOL on Issues: Republican congressional nominee Aaron Schock (R-IL) has been focusing must of his time and effort on fundraising and has been avoiding commenting on recent news stories. Schock has unavailable to comment on recent Supreme Court decisions causing some activists to be concerned. His Democratic opponent Colleen Callahan (D-IL) says that Schock is spending too much time fundraising and being "AWOL" from the issues.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Feint Praise: State Senator and Democratic congressional candidate Donald R. "Don" Cravins, Jr. (D-LA) is one of the many Louisianans who is praising Governor Piyush "Bobby" Jindal's (R-LA) decision to break his promise and veto a pay raise that would have more than doubled legislators base salaries. "I applaud Gov. Jindal for making the same decision I did, and standing up for the people of Louisiana by denying this outrageous increase in pay. I voted against pay raise legislation because in these trying economic times, I could not rightfully award myself a raise while so many people in our community are struggling to make ends meet."

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Picking a Candidate: The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has made the unusual decision to back Jonathan Powers (D-NY) in New York's 26th Congressional District in the Democratic primary. Kathy Konst confirms that she is being pressured to end her bid and instead run for a state Senate seat. Also seeking the nomination are attorney Alice J. Kryzan and Jack R. Davis, Jr. (D-NY), the plaintiff in the recent Supreme Court decision striking down the Millionaire Amendment.

Stories Here and Here. Your Comments Here.

     Alienating His Base: Republican congressional nominee Carl Mumpower's (R-NC) "unconventional" campaign, which includes calls to impeach President George W. Bush (R-TX) for failing to defend America's borders from illegal immigrants, continues to do more damage to his campaign than good. Polk County Republicans have rescinded an invitation to Mumpower to address the organization and refused to let him ride on a party float in the Coon Dog Day Parade. Mumpower said his staff was personally told that he could not be associated with the party float. Mumpower says he will walk in the Coon Dog Day Festival parade, despite the lack of support from his party. Mumpower faces freshman U.S. Representative J. Heath Shuler (D-NC) in the general election.

Stories Here and Here. Your Comments Here.

     News from the Territories: Despite the fact that he has been indicted on counts of conspiracy, fraud and bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, local Democrats are still prepared to support the re-election of American Samoa's Lieutenant Governor Ipulasi Aitofele Toese Fiti Sunia (D-AS).

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

Sponsored by

     Poll Updates: Updated poll information has been posted. New polls were posted in the following contests: Connecticut 2010 Governor, Connecticut 2010 Senate, Florida Presidential, Kentucky 2nd District, Kentucky 4th District, Louisiana Presidential, Louisiana Senate, Massachusetts Presidential, Massachusetts Senate, New York Presidential, North Carolina Presidential, North Carolina Senate, Pennsylvania 6th District, and national Presidential tracking polls.

Your Comments Here.

July 1, 2008
Alan Keyes

     Alternative Party News - New Affiliation: Outgoing California's American Independent Party chair Edward C. Noonan claims that the party has severed its ties with the Constitution Party and has decided to affiliate nationally with the newly-formed America's Independent Party. Noonan stated, "We believe it is time to affiliate with a new party, one that has a will to win. In sixteen years, the Constitution Party has never elected a candidate. America's Independent Party may be the best chance we have of stopping the never-ending advance of socialism."
     But the 50 delegates that met at a convention called by nine state officers of the party, nominated a slate of presidential electors pledged to Chuck Baldwin (C-FL)
Chuck Baldwin
This faction is accusing Noonan of acting dishonestly. Noonan, in return, has refused to recognize the authority of party members from Los Angeles and San Diego calling them a "mutineering group" with "no standing, nor legal merit."
     The dispute regarding control of the American Independent Party could adversely affect its presidential nominee's ballot qualification for the general election ballot. Noonan has reportedly told the California Secretary of State that Ambassador Alan L. Keyes (I-MD) will be the American Independent Party's Presidential nominee. However, party activists from American Independent Party's southern counties remains committed to the Constitution Party and the nominating process which select Baldwin to be its nominee. They will also contact the Secretary of State's office asking him to list the Baldwin-Castle ticket.
     In 2000, similar internal disputes in Michigan led the Secretary of State there to refuse to list either candidate. Commentator Patrick J. "Pat" Buchanan (R-MD) received the nomination of the national Reform Party. However Michigan's Reform Party informed then Secretary of State Candice S. Miller (R-MI) that the party's nominee was John S. Hagelin (NL-MI), who was also the nominee of the Natural Law Party. Saying that the Secretary of State's office was not arbitrate an internal party dispute, she refused to list either candidate as the Reform Party nominee. Despite being ballot-qualified, no Reform Party Presidential candidate was listed on the ballot that year.

Stories Here, Here and Here. Your Comments Here.

Ralph Nader

     Alternative Party News - Slow News Day: In a sure sign that there is generally little news about the presidential campaign, TWO alternative presidential candidates were interviewed major networks on Sunday. Ralph Nader (I-DC) was questioned by George Stephanopoulos on ABC's "This Week" about his comments that Democratic nominee Barack H. Obama (D-IL) was trying to "talk white." Nader accused Obama of pandering to Israel and said that the Junior Illinois Senator's promise of withdrawal from Iraq would still leave thousands of troops there.
    
Bob Barr
Meanwhile Libertarian Party nominee Bob Barr (L-GA) was questioned by Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday about his past support of issues that are inimical to libertarians, like the Patriot Act and the authorization to go to war with Iraq. Barr was apologetic and at the same time accusatory. "I was wrong with regard to the Patriot Act in trusting the administration with its assurances that the act would not be used and abused," Barr said, adding that he did not know that the administration planned to "occupy Iraq."

Stories Here, Here and Here. Your Comments Here.

     Discussing the Important Issues of the Day: Presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee Barack H. Obama (D-IL) delivered a speech on what patriotism means to him and what it requires of all Americans "who love this country."

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Something Smells Fishy: Republican gubernatorial nominee Patrick L. "Pat" McCrory (R-NC) says that the North Carolina Democratic Party's public record request for all correspondence between the Charlotte Mayor and three Charlotte businesses for the past twelve years is nothing more than a "fishing expedition."

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Debate Among Lessors: The five Democratic candidates for the U.S. Senate from Georgia sparred over campaign case and their résumés during a televised debate. Judging from the comments of his opponents, Jim Martin (D-GA) appears to be the slight favorite in the primary.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Immodest: Libertarian Senate candidate Sonny Landham (L-KY) thinks that his modest lifestyle makes him an average joe alterative to U.S. Senator A. Mitchell "Mitch" McConnell (R-KY) and Democratic nominee Bruce Lunsford (D-KY). Landham currently lives on Social Security and a modest pension from the Screen Actors Guild. Landham says he is confident he'll collect the 5,000 signatures he needs to get on the general election ballot. "I know there are a lot of things that make me a colorful person," he said, adding he's got nothing to hide -- not even his early career in adult films. "That was 30 years ago," he laughs. "If you've seen the porno movies, you've seen my shortcomings."

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     War Authorization: Democratic Senate candidate Edward O'Reilly decided to challenge Senator John F. Kerry (D-MA) because of the former Presidential nominee's vote authorizing the war in Iraq.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Alternative Candidate News - Forced Off: The Maine Democratic Party filed a lawsuit in state court, to remove the independent Senate candidate Herbert J. Hoffman (I-ME) from the ballot.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Mea Culpa: In his latest campaign commercial, U.S. Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN) acknowledges that the poor economic conditions and the concerns among voters about "jobs, cost of food, cost of fuel, cost of kids education."

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Proper Paperwork: The North Carolina Republican Party has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission alleging that Democratic Senate candidate Kay R. Hagan (D-NC) improperly reported fore than $185,000 worth of campaign donations.

Stories Here and Here. Your Comments Here.

     Improving: U.S. Senator Timothy Johnson (D-SD) says that his health continues to improve and he wants to win a third term.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     This Will Hurt You More Than it Will Hurt Me: The Texas Medical Association's political action committee rescinded its endorsement of U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) after the Republican did not vote to stop a scheduled July 1 cut in funding for doctors who see Medicare patients.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Independent Republican: A new campaign memo prepared for House Republicans by National Republican Congressional Committee consultants suggests that GOP candidates run "essentially as independents." Republicans are encouraged to ignore many traditional party campaign practices and instead emphasize local issues.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Magnet for Bipartisan Complaints: In the past, state Senator Timothy S. Bee (R-AZ) has enjoyed bipartisan praise. The recent legislative session has seen the Republican congressional nominee criticized by Democrats who charge that the GOP broke Senate rules as they sought to derail a marriage-definition referendum through procedural tactics. Meanwhile Conservatives are upset over a budget deal Bee brokered with Democrats that did not include the deep state agency cuts they had wanted.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Raising the Profile: Although Democrat Jim Himes (D-CT) views his unexpected primary challenge from novelist Lee Whitnum (D-CT) as a nuisance blocking his goal of defeating U.S. Representative Christopher Shays (R-CT), the incumbent believes that the primary could raise the profile of his likely challenger.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     You Bet: Republican congressional candidate David J. Cappiello (R-CT) criticized U.S. Representative Christopher S. "Chris" Murphy's (D-CT) vote in favor of letting Michigan Indians swap land and build casinos saying it could open Western Connecticut to the threat of a casino.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Pre-Emphasis: Republican congressional candidate Barry A. Fleming (R-GA) has dug up records of U.S. Representative Paul Broun's (R-GA) past bankruptcy declarations, tax delinquencies, and alimony fight in his effort to oust the freshman Congressman in the GOP primary. Flemings claims he mentions the past peccadillos only because likely Democratic nominee Bobby Saxon (D-GA) will do so in the fall.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Ton of Money or Not: The Supreme Court decision invalidating the so-called "Millionaire's Amendment" opened the door for Martin "Marty" Ozinga, III (R-IL) to spending freely in his campaign for Illinois' 11th Congressional District. But the Republican nominee says that he is not planning to spend "a ton of money out of his pocket."

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Fresh Audition: Following the unexpect defeat of U.S. Representative Wayne T. Gilchrest (R-MD) in the Republican primary by state Senator Andrew P. Harris (R-MD), the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has given new attention to Democrat Frank M. Kratovil's (D-MD) audition for Maryland's 1st Congressional District seat.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Day is Done: Republican congressional candidate Brian J. Davis (R-MN) says he is confident that with the party's support he will defeat state Senator Dick Day (R-MN) in the primary. Nonetheless he has asked the party to pressure Day not to file for the race.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Gaseous Loopholes: U.S. Representative Bobby "Bob" Etheridge (D-NC) says that he will spend the July 4th congressional break talking to motorists about his recent legislation to crack down on oil market manipulation. The bill would close a loophole that allows some traders to work overseas.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Understudy: Voters in New Jersey's 1st Congressional District have still not been given assurance that the winner of the Democratic primary, Camille S. Andrews (D-NJ), will be the nominee come November. The Democratic Party has until mid-September to name a replacement nominee should Andrews step aside for the party leaders as she said she might do.

Stories Here and Here. Your Comments Here.

     Deadline Looming: With time running out before the July 10, 2008 filing deadline, Republicans have little time left to settle on a nominee for the congressional seat being vacated by disgraced U.S. Representative Vito J. Fossella (R-NY). While former state Assembly member Matthew Mirones (R-NY) says he is willing to be the candidate, local activists complain that he disappeared from the political scene after retiring in 2006. Without Mirones, Brooklyn Republicans and Conservatives have been pushing the Staten Island party to back retired investment banker Paul Atanasio (Cns-NY).

Stories Here and Here. Your Comments Here.

     First Time for Everything: Wealthy businesswoman Georgianna Oliver (D-OK) is promising that the money necessary to wage a successful campaign against U.S. Representative John Sullivan (R-OK) "will be there." The conservative Democrat believes she is a viable candidate largely on the fact that Sullivan has had minimal competition since first winning the seat in a 2002 special election.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     No Announcement: The Clerk House of Representative is disputing an allegation by former U.S. Representative Glenn L. English, Jr. (D-OK) that the FBI is investigating U.S. Representative James H. "Jim" Cooper (D-TN) for improperly downloading documents from the web site of a trade organization. According to House rules, if Cooper had been subpoenaed, it would have been announced on the House floor.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Missing Disclaimers: In response to a complaint filed with the Federal Election Commission, Republican congressional Tom Leatherwood (R-TN) admitted that his campaign lawn signs failed to have the required printed disclaimers.

Story Here. Your Comments Here.

     Neither Fish nor Fowl: U.S. Representative Stephen I "Steve" Cohen (D-TN) asked Vice President Richard B. "Dick" Cheney's (R-WY) chief of staff to clarify whether Cheney is part of the executive or legislative branch of government. Testifying before the House Judiciary Committee last week, David Addington said Cheney belongs neither to the executive nor to the legislative branch, but is attached by the Constitution to the latter. "So he's kind of barnacle," said Cohen. Addington responded, "I don't consider the Constitution as a barnacle, Mr. Cohen." Cohen: "No, the vice president. Since he's really not fish nor fowl, he's just attached to something."

Story Here. Video Here. Your Comments Here.

     Contributing the Loss: While many commentators claim that U.S. Representative Christopher B. Cannon (R-UT) was defeated in the Republican primary because of his moderate position of immigration, an exit poll suggests that he lost because of voters' overall dissatisfaction with government.

Story Here. Your Comments Here</