Welcome to Community Power!'s third Saturday Election Digest. It was a hot week, as the campaigns gathered momentum, with over 125 diaries, far more than last week. The usual suspects – that is, those with high profiles and primary challengers, such as Bart Stupak – caught the most attention – but backers of candidates we haven't yet heard much about made appearances, too. Cal Cunningham in North Carolina, Doug Tudor in Florida, John Barrow in Georgia.
With the health care reform vote fast approaching, Kossacks naturally focused on fence-sitters, and we had a flurry of diaries designed to get some needling action on Congresspeople who had yet to make up their minds or who had just changed their minds. While these were not, strictly speaking, candidate diaries, a list of them is included after the regular list, which appears below the fold.
Before going there, however, I'd like to talk a little more of a few things diarists should think about before they click "publish" and to look briefly at an excellent on-line tool – the Swing State Project – which can provide original insight into some of the races we'll be following most closely in the next few months.
As noted in last week's Saturday Election Digest, remember that headlines matter. Succinct and informative, clever but not too clever. What also matters are those first few paragraphs. That would be the case even if diarists weren't constrained by Daily Kos software in how much they can say in their introduction. If you're backing a candidate, that introduction ought to include a link to a campaign web site, a link for financial contributions and, obviously, a clear statement of what office the candidate is seeking.
That last may seem obvious. But one diary last week went on for two dozen paragraphs without ever mentioning that the office being contested was a governorship. Yes, there are a lot of political junkies here, but we're not clairvoyant. Also, newly registered arrivals appear every day. Have mercy on them. Don't make them guess what you're talking about. It may seem like old hat to you, basic information that everyone already knows, but believe me, the basics will be news to some readers. Something you also should think of including in your introduction is a photo of whoever it is that you're spotlighting.
Don't forget the tags. If your favored candidate is running in Michigan's first district, your diary should include the tag, MI-01. If s/he's running for Senate from Florida, it should read FL-Sen. Our volunteer team of tag fixers will bless you for this.
The Swing State Project provides some terrific breaking news as well as background information about candidacies on the edge. One of the names you may recognize there is SSP's publisher, DavidNYC, who is also a veteran Contributing Editor at Daily Kos. A couple of helpful features at SSP are the Presidential Results by Congressional District, 2000-2008 and the 2010 Sortable Congressional Filing Deadline & Primary Calendar.
The linked list of diaries can be found below the fold.
Candidates & Incumbents in Their Own Words
Alan Grayson: What a Movement Looks Like
Jennifer Brunner: A Time for Courage
In General
Senate Guru: Senate Races Without a Democratic Candidate Yet
Cedwyn: Primarians: Hot Senate Races for 2010
Dixie
Corndogg: NC-Sen: Council for a Livable World endorses Cunningham
Mike Nellis: NC-Sen: Elaine Marshall on DADT, DOMA, and the Environment
pamindurham: NC-Sen: Durham for Obama Candidate Forum
phreebass: Blue-dog Obedience School
DrFrankLives: Elaine Marshall attended her mother's 90th Birthday out of state
Jamie Sanderson: Rawl: DeMint Belongs on the Job, Not on the Bus
Matt Osborne: Parker Griffith CAN Lose
puffmeister: FLA Senate race: Marco Rubio's BACKWAX & other Bona Fide "Electioneering" Expenses
Senate Guru: Kendrick Meek In Position to Win, Added to Expand the Map!
downwithtyranny: Doug Tudor (D-FL), Blue America's Newest Endorsed Candidate
angelajean: Changing Texan Minds One Congressman at a Time
jsamuel: The View from Arkansas: Halter Has the Momentum
ARDem: AR-Sen: Halter Has Momentum-Help Him Win This Thing
Scarce: Blanche goes after the Unions
irmaly: Billy Kennedy Crashes Virginia Foxx's HCR Town Hall
Old Redneck: VA-01 may get interesting
dengre: John Barrow: Profiles in ____________
highcountryprogressive: A Progressive for Cal Cunningham
Jamie Sanderson: SC: My bone to pick with Nikki Haley
Blue Dog Dont Hunt: Send a Blue Dog to Obedience School - Sign our Petition
The Border States
rossl: Why everyone here should support a Republican for Congress in MD-8
RDemocrat: KY-04: John Waltz Gaining Well Deserved Momentum
The Northeast
Adam B: PA-6: We NEED To Support Manan Trivedi
Pgh Lesbian: SW Pennsylvania Queer Perspective on Dan Onorato
dwjess55: Kos: Specter surges over Toomey and Sestak
Padem2010: Toomey, Sestak suspect on Economic Recovery
RfrancisR: Sestak Introduces Housing Non-Discrimination Act
dwjess55: Sestak goes after the working class Joe
litho: Stephen Lynch, MA-09, Potential Primary Challengers
BostonPaul: Majority of CT Dem AG candidates would support anti-DOMA lawsuit. What about Susan Bysiewicz?
AdamSmithsInvisibleFinger: Maddow for US Senate Continues to Grow at Steady Pace
devtob: NY-Sen: NYT columnist outs Dan Senor as a liar
devtob: NY-Sen: Wall Street wingnuts embrace one of their own -- Dan Senor
I said GOOD DAY sir: Breaking: Rep. Arcuri (D-NY) a Firm No. Primary Challenge?
mka193: Bye, Bye Michael Arcuri (D-NY) -- Dead Man Walking!
anthonyweiner: Chutes and Ladders
Fight Back New York: Monserrate Defeated: 1 down, 7 to go
Seneca Doane: Thank you (in advance) Scott Murphy (now don't blow it!)
Soundpolitic: NY-SD-46: Two To Primary Deadbeat Sen. "Gavel Drop" Breslin
The Heartland
GeorgesMouth: Stick it to Stupak - Support Connie Saltonstall
downwithtyranny: Blue America Endorsing Connie Saltonstall (MI-01) Today
anastasia p: A Dangerous Choice for the Ohio Democratic Party
dwhite105: DSCC to Ohio voters: Screw your primary
desmoinesdem: IA-Gov: A closer look at the Rod Roberts campaign
desmoinesdem: IA-Gov: Culver won't have a primary challenger after all
Reading on Walden Bookstore: Leave Mark Kirk Behind. Support Alex Giannoulias
bored now: IL Sen. Toi Hutchinson: "We haven't been doing that for the last 25-30 years"
xofferson: WI-SEN: Tommy Thompson backing off the race?
DangDemocrat: Brad Ellsworth Takes on Tax Cheat Contractors
The Mountain States and Southwest
KippColorado: Bennet Candidacy Tainted By Betsy Markey
WeatherDem: Hickenlooper Continues Business-Worship Trend
KippColorado: Colorado Dem Caucus Demands Yes Vote From Markey
greenchiledem: CO-Sen Caucus Results
gf120581: J.D. Hayworth: Horse Whisperer
meralda: Primary for Herseth Sandlin - SD
The Left Coast
pistolSO: CA-36: Marcy Winograd's Campaign HQ Opened today
pistolSO: CA-36: Jane Harman vs. Marcy Winograd, a closer look
by KJG52: Marcy Winograd, My Impressions...
Paul Hogarth: Could Newsom Become the Phil Angelides of 2010?
youngohiodem: Debunking Right-Wing Propaganda: Carly Fiorina Edition
National Nurses Movement: Report blows holes in Whitman's anti-worker rhetoric
Health Care Reform
BradF: BREAKING: Rep. Boyd flips from no to YES!
shevas01: Updated: Anthony Weiner Should Teach A Smackdown Class
calchala: 538: Kucinich "least valuable democrat" in Congress
thereisnospoon: Carrots for Kucinich!
anastasia p: A Visit to Kucinich's Office
cultjake: Congressman Gutierrez - Illinois 4th - No on HC
ezdidit: STUPAK goes up in smoke !
Michael Moore: My Congressman, Bart Stupak, Has Neither a Uterus Nor a Brain ...a letter from Michael Moore
chicagochristianleft: Action: Call Lipinski (IL-3) He's with Stupak!
Eclectablog: What part of this simple language does Stupak not understand?
tdub: BREAKING UPDATEx3: Dems ready to ditch Stupak, Stupak's presser canceled
brendams: A compromise with Stupak?
TomP: Chet Edwards: "It’s clear to me they could care less about my political future."
Gangster Octopus: Defending Chet Edwards Against A Reactionary Diary
goldrick: CT-04: WAPO Gets it Wrong on Jim Himes & HCR
MMColo: Markey, CO-4 To Vote Yes
KippColorado: Can Betsy Markey's Health Care Vote Save Her Seat?
KippColorado: WHAT CAUSED BETSY MARKEY TO VOTE "YES"?
Oreo: Betsy Markey (and others) switches vote to YES on Health Care Reform
HamptonRoadsProgressive: Rep Nye VA-02 - Please help him vote yes!
itskevin: And Another: Scott Murphy Flips to Yes!
dasheight: BREAKING: Kosmas, Ellsworth and Cuellar - All YES's
sportpan: Call Loretta Sanchez: Still undecided on health care reform
Sandstetter: Peter Defazio "Still Reading" the HCR Bill
EngineerScotty: DeFazio threatening to vote no?
revprez: DeFazio switches to no
Tchrldy: Call Gerry Connolly (D) VA-11
Atilla the Honey Bunny: Marcy Kaptur is on board for Sunday
mostevilangel: Called my state rep - Heath Shuler in NC
DMiller: Michelle Bachmann: Even If HCR Passes, The Law is Illegitimate
Bill Prendergast: Michele Bachmann update-photos from her kill the health care bill rally
KingofSpades: Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) seems to be a "Yes" on HCR
bkamr: UPDATED: Yeah, Dreihaus Waivering - Cincy Rally Planned for Friday!
Benintn: Dennis Kucinich, Jim Cooper, and purity trolls
primarydoc: Kucinich AND Nader on Democracy Now
ershaffer: Thank You, Dennis Kucinich
jpmassar: Tea Party 'Declares War' on Bill Owens (NY 23) on HCR
samantha in oregon: Tell Lynch-- a vote for HCR is a vote for Saturday mail delivery
deaniac83: Call Rep. Lynch (D-MA) - tell him to vote YES
shpilk: Wake up call: Stephen Lynch, Mike Capuano, John Tierney - NO?
popsicle: Primary Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) if he votes NO on Health Care
calchala: http://www.dailykos.com/...
Paleo: Why Lynch decided to vote No
LunkHead: Why Beat on Kucinich and Not Taylor? MS-4
RASalvatore: BREAKING: Eliot Engel to vote YES
Deep Brain Diarist: We'll Stand Up, With Walkers and Canes, Rep. Kilroy. Will YOU?
msn1: Altmire: Wishywashy on Health Care, same as a superdelegate
F J G: BREAKING: Rep. Boccieri Voting "YES"
The Clevelander: Boccieri (OH-16) may be voting 'Yes' on Health Care
liberalpragmatist: Mike Arcuri (NY) is a firm NO...
antonrobb: Call John Hall (D) NY-19 | He's Wavering on HCR
dge: John Hall On HCR Fence - Calls Needed NOW
cincinnatikid: REP STEVE DRIEHAUS OH-01--VOTING NO ON HR
maroge04: Rep. Steve Driehaus (OH-1) to vote no on HCR?
Ohiodem1: (Updated) Republicans Misuse Steve Driehaus' Family in an ad
Caractacus: HELP OH-16 Vote "YAY" on HCR!!! Action, Please!!!
stilwell: WA-03 Candidate Pridemore steps up to support HCR
slinkerwink: What The Hell, Senator Blanche Lincoln?
Ohiobama: OH-02: Krikorian Steps to Plate in Support of the HCR Bill
slinkerwink: With Just 48 Hours Left, WHIP These Members To A YES!
irmaly: Billy Kennedy: Foxx Will Pay For Her NO Vote on HCR
political junquie: Ugly Politics Over HCR in NY-01: Rep. Bishop Fights Back
Previous Digests
Saturday Election Digest, 3/13/10
Saturday Election Digest, 2/20/10