Category: ELECTIONS

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Good News: Democrats Fear Primary Mess in Illinois Senate Race

Senator-Mark-Kirk

While it is usually the Republicans that find themselves in protracted primaries, often with clear divisions along ideological lines, the tables may turn in Illinois in 2016 as pro-Israel stalwart Republican Senator Mark Kirk looks to defend perhaps the toughest GOP Senate seat in the country: President Obama carried this generally solid blue state by 17 points in 2012.

Indeed, Kirk is at the top of the Democratic target list, as the party aims to pick up the five seats necessary to ensure Senate control.

(It should be noted that in one of the biggest upsets of the 2014 elections, the voters elected Republican Governor Bruce Rauner, primarily to “stop the bleeding” of deficits and get the state back on a proper fiscal track.)

Democrats are driving toward a primary collision course in the Land of Lincoln, where the party could endure a multi-million dollar slugfest in a race essential to re-capturing control of the Senate in 2016.

A fourth House Democrat, Rep. Robin Kelly, told CQ Roll Call Wednesday she is weighing a bid against GOP Sen. Mark S. Kirk. She joins the growing list of members considering bids, including Democratic Reps. Cheri Bustos, Tammy Duckworth and Bill Foster.

Democrats do not expect all four House Democrats to enter the race. But even if just two House members run for Senate, Democrats could endure the most contentious primary for a competitive Senate seat in six years.

 

READ THE FULL STORY AT ROLL CALL HERE

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ARTICLES ELECTIONS FEATURED

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) Loses Primary In Stunning Upset

Cantor-Eric

Though there was a bit of writing on the Wall, this Monumental Upset Came out of “Left Field” to stun the GOP and, Frankly, all of Washington

As USA Today reported earlier, The demise of the Tea Party has been greatly exaggerated.

 
Cantor, 51, was first elected to Congress in 2001 and became the majority leader in 2011. He is the only Jewish Republican in Congress (House or Senate). Considered by many to be a rising GOP star, Cantor is a prodigious fundraiser and was widely viewed as the likeliest contender to become the next House speaker.
 
For a long time – though apparently no longer – conservatives from around the country perceived Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA-07) as being the only member of the Congressional Leadership team who at least made an effort to represent their interests.
 
More recently, Cantor apparently angered conservative followers by loosening his relatively strong views in against immigration amnesty and attending the anti-conservative Republican Main Street Partnership conference in Ameria Island earlier this year.
 
Furthermore, In writing about the race and Cantor’s opponent – College Professor David Brat – The Washington Post also reported last month that Cantor upset some Virginia Republican Party leaders by meddling in local party chair elections.
 
Read more about this shocking upset at Roll Call, USA Today, and Politico.
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ARTICLES ELECTIONS

Trey Radel to resign House seat

Radel’s Political Demise is a Disappointment to Many, but Resignation is the Right and Only Move Under the Circumstances. 
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By: Jake Sherman and Alex Isenstadt
January 27, 2014 08:14 AM EST

As first reported in Politico today, Rep. Trey Radel (R-Fla.) will resign from Congress on Monday, according to multiple sources.

Radel, 37, was caught buying cocaine last year from an undercover federal agent in Washington and spent nearly a month in a rehabilitation facility. He returned to Congress after the winter recess.

The first-term Republican plans to send a letter to Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) Monday, sources said.

It’s up to Florida Republican Gov. Rick Scott to schedule a special election for Radel’s seat. His southwest Florida district is solidly Republican — Mitt Romney won the district with 61 percent of the vote.

READ MORE…

 

 

 

 

 

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ELECTIONS

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) to get Primary Challenge from The Citadel’s First Woman Graduate

nancymacelindseygraham

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) to get Primary Challenge from The Citadel’s First Woman Graduate

Although well-liked, respected, and considered powerful by many in Washington, Senator Graham has drawn the ire of conservative grassroots activists from around the country and his home state in particular for his perceived “go along to get along” approach and close policy ties to the very liberal Sen. John McCain (R-AZ).

Conservative and tea party types believe that South Carolina is a state that should be represented by, and is capable of electing, someone far to the right of Graham. They point to the State’s other (junior) Senator – Tim Scott – and his predecessor Jim DeMint (now at the helm of The Heritage Foundation), as well as the state’s very conservative Congressional delegation, as evidence that Sen. Graham does not accurately reflect the political “temperature” of State’s electorate.

Notwithstanding the fact that he is sitting on a very impressive campaign “war chest” of $6.3 million as of June 30th, he easily defeated a primary challenger in 2008, he is likely to get multiple state- and federal level endorsements from colleagues, and U.S. House colleague Rep. Trey Gowdy has stated that “Lindsey Graham is not in trouble”, a succession of votes, statements and positions that conservatives have found to be offensive – including the Senator’s role in the so-called Immigration “Gang of Eight” – certainly raises the ante in the June 2014 primary.

One thing is for sure. In spite of being from a decidedly red state, Senator Lindsey Graham has become a very “squishy” Republican. Time will tell whether or not his stand on the issues will have a bearing on the Primary election next year.

For more information about this primary challenge announcement, please refer to the Daily Caller story at: http://dailycaller.com/2013/08/01/nancy-mace-to-announce-primary-challenge-against-lindsey-graham/?print=1

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ARTICLES ELECTIONS

Florida’s Congressional challengers slow to raise campaign dollars

Florida Congressional Map

Most challengers to the state’s 27 U.S. House members posted light fund-raising quarters, which could require a re-evaluation of the competitiveness of some seats or a need to draw bigger-named candidates off the sidelines.

Based on money raised between April 1 and June 30, two races are relatively competitive — involving the seats held by Republican Congressmen Steve Southerland of Panama City and Bill Young of Indian Shores. Other contests show potential to tighten as the November 2014 elections approach, despite financially underperforming challengers.

But so far, incumbents in potentially competitive districts, including Democrats Joe Garcia of Miami, Patrick Murphy of Jupiter and Alan Grayson of Orlando, and Republicans Vern Buchanan of Sarasota and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Miami, face little financial threat, despite optimism from across the political aisle.

READ FULL ARTICLE

Wed, Jul. 17, 2013
from The Miami Herald
By Jim Turner News Service of Florida
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