The following diaries are examples of this week's Election Diary Rescue. This post features a collection of 50 diaries.
(KY-Sen) What you need to know about Mitch McConnell and Jesse Benton by zenofmconnell - Mitch McConnel (R) is in the fight of his life against Alison Lundergan Grimes (D). A look at who Jesse Benton is, and how his indictment in a notorious bribery case may impact the race.
(AZ-03) Grijalva's Opponent Demands Excommunication by Hi Jolly - Republican candidate Gabriela Sucedo Mercer has earned some fame for outrageous statements on Facebook. She's keeping it up this time too, now demanding that the Catholic church excommunicate Grijalva because he supports women's right to choose.
(NY-StSen43) NY-SD-43 - St. Senator Marchione's Largest Donor Arrested & Indicted as FBI Investigation Continues by Upstate Blue - A Saratoga County developer was arrested last week by the FBI in a probe of Republican elected officials in the town of Halfmoon, including incumbent State Senator Kathy Marchione. The developer, it turns out, is the largest individual contributor to her campaign. Popcorn required for this one...
New Election Rule: Virginia Requires Photo ID at Polls by louisev. This voting restriction did not come from the legislature - it originated with the Virginia Board of Elections.
This is the 34th weekly edition of Election Diary Rescue. It covers rescued down-ticket election diaries published from Sunday, August 24 through Saturday, August 30. We hope you enjoy the following gems dug up by our dedicated team of miners.
VOLUNTEER ALERT! As the election approaches we will be switching back to our traditional daily schedule for producing this blog. We will need a few good Kossacks to join the team.
Please e-mail us if you would like the opportunity to contribute to this legacy project. DKosEDR@gmail.com.
Diaries: (50)
Senate: (12) posts, (9) states
House: (6) posts, (4) states, (6) districts
State and more: (26)
General: (6)
EDR has compiled, described and linked
down ticket election related diaries since 2006.
EDR chronicles the passion, power and effectiveness of political engagement and shines a light on candidates and issues that might be otherwise missed. It gives quick access to races, hopefully inspires people to write about contests that interest them, and has become an archive for thousands of election related diaries over the years.
Archive links
Format and Tags
Diarists can help the EDR mining team by identifying the race in the diary title, for example: (FL-14) or (GA-Gov) or (NY-Sen). Using the "Elections" tag is also very helpful and keep in mind that your first sentence or two can be what you would like to see in the EDR description.
This edition of EDR was made possible by the following miners and editors: Alma, eeff, Joieau, Land of Enchantment, randallt, sylv, suejazz and turbonerd. Special thanks to Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse.
Senate - 12
(GA-Sen) GA-Sen: Nunn ad hits Perdue's huge payoff as 8K lost jobs, scores very high among independents by distraught - Michelle Nunn's (D) campaign is shining a light on David Perdue's (R) golden parachutes. Diarist offers new Nunn ad and some media analysis.
(IA-Sen) Joni Ernst thinks it's 'ridiculous' that there's any federal minimum wage at all by Laura Clawson - Republican candidate Joni Ernst keeps running to the right, attacking the existence of the minimum wage.
(IA-Sen) New ad exposes Iowa Republican Joni Ernst's plans for Medicare by Joan McCarter - The DSCC is hitting Joni Ernst hard in a new ad on Medicare that answers Ernst's deceptive ad touting her support for the program.
(KS-Sen) Kansas Democrat throws faux Dem under bus, THANK YOU! by bluebarnstormer - Democratic congressional candidate Jim Sherow has endorsed an Independent in the US Senate race against Pat Roberts. Kansas has a legit 3 way Senate race, and only two of the candidates have a chance of winning, neither of them is a Democrat. Diarist explains how so.
(KY-Sen) Mitch McConnell Campaign Manager Resigns as Bribery Scandal Grows by ericlewis0 - Jesse Benton, the campaign manager for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, will resign his post as a bribery scandal from the 2012 presidential campaign threatens to envelop him and become a major distraction for McConnell's campaign.
(KY-Sen) What you need to know about Mitch McConnell and Jesse Benton by zenofmconnell - Mitch McConnel (R) is in the fight of his life against Alison Lundergan Grimes (D). A look at who Jesse Benton is, and how his indictment in a notorious bribery case may impact the race.
(KY-Sen) McConnell leads Grimes 46-42 in late Sat Poll (Within MOE) by zenofmcconnell - A Kentucky media consortium poll released Saturday evening shows McConnell leading Grimes within the margin of error. And it was conducted prior to McConnell's rotten, very bad week.
(MS-Sen) MS Judge dismissed Chris McDaniel run-off challenge lawsuit by StarbucksGirl51 - A Mississippi judge has dismissed Republican Chris McDaniel's lawsuit challenging the June 24 runoff results in the state primary, which he lost to Senator Thad Cochran.
(NC-Sen) NC-Sen: Mark Ruffalo Teams Up With CREDO Action To Go After Thom Tillis (R) On Fracking by poopdogcomedy - Diarist posts communication from Ruffalo on behalf of CREDO, plus Act Blue link to support their efforts.
(NH-Sen) 'Suitcase' Scotty Brown Is Running For Office...And Biking, And Swimming, And Hiking, And... by Retroactive Genius - Pickup driving carpetbagger Scott Brown is not only running to unseat Senator Jean Shaheen (D), he's doing a lot of fun things too.
(NM-Sen) GOP Senate campaign offers pathetic defense of using Foley execution image in ad by Laura Clawson. Allen Weh is using an image from James Foley's execution in his underdog effort to unseat incumbent Senator Tom Udall (D-NM).
(Sen-Gen) Sam Wang Gives Dems 70% Chance Of Holding Senate. Update: Huffpost Changes Its Model, Leans Dem by pollwatcher - Sam Wang of the Princeton Election Consortium rates Democratic chances of holding on to the Senate at 70%. HuffPo has had some changes, charts and graphs here.
House - 6
(AZ-03) Grijalva's Opponent Demands Excommunication by Hi Jolly - Republican candidate Gabriela Sucedo Mercer has earned some fame for outrageous statements on Facebook. She's keeping it up this time too, now demanding that the Catholic church excommunicate Grijalva because he supports women's right to choose.
(AZ-07) Mayday PAC GOTV(?) for Ruben Gallego (D; AZ-07) by DocDawg - There seems to be a disconnect in Mayday's funding and GOTV choices.
(CA-17) Ro Khanna is "right-of-center on tech and business issues" by Glen The Plumber - Since taking the number two spot in the "top-two" primary election against the sitting Democratic Congressman and member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Mike Honda, Khanna has gratefully accepted conservative endorsements that most Democrats would see as insults.
(CA-23) Could California's District 23 Democrat Raul Garcia, be America’s Mahatma Gandhi by windsong01 - Diarist covers California's US House 23 district with incumbent Kevin McCarthy (R) and Raul Garcia (D) who works in the fields picking fruits & vegetables.
(MN-02) The Case for John Kline by SLofgren - A diary about selecting the worst candidate in the primary in Bill Maher's "Flip-a-District" campaign. A vote for the worst candidate is a vote for one least likely to win. Details here.
(NY-21) NY-21 - Elise Stefanik To Hold Fundraiser with Ari Fleischer at Upscale Golf Club; Protest Planned by Upstate Blue - Diarist has info on a Fundraiser for Elise Stefanik (R) in New Yorks 21st US House District Primary.
State, local and more - 26
(FL-Gov) Rick Scott Touts Endorsement of a Human Trafficker by SemDem - Rick Scott's (R) latest ad features Maikel Duarte-Torres, who was convicted of human smuggling. The link at the end of the diary goes to the Charlie Crist (D) for governor website.
(FL-Gov) Charlie Crist: The Archetypical "New" Democrat by MsShona - Looks like it will be go with the flow, Charlie Crist (D) against mean Rick Scott (R) this Nov.
(FL-Gov) FL-Gov: Bill Clinton Coming To Miami September 5th To Campaign For Charlie Crist (D) by poopdogcomedy - Announced by Crist's gubernatorial campaign.
(FL-Various) Election Results from Florida (Orange County, Precinct 620): 2014p by decktrio - August 26 was the final day of voting for the primaries in the state of Florida. Below are the results from the diarist's voting precinct in a format that's hopefully easier to read than what the government publishes.
(GA-Gen) New polls bring positive news for Georgia Democrats, but don't celebrate just yet by Jeff Singer - After a string of tough polls, Georgia Democrats were treated to some better numbers late last week. Michelle Nunn is now leading Republican David Perdue by 7 points in the Senate race, and Jason Carter is now up over GOP Gov. Nathan Deal. Some fine poll results from Nate Silver and others.
(HI-Gen) ACLU lawsuit challenging Hawai'i election thrown out by Karen from Maui - The Hawai'i Supreme Court has rejected the ACLU's suit filed to stop certification of the August 9th primary on grounds that voters were disenfranchised by Hurricane Iselle.
(KS-Var) Kansas Democrats & Candidates Gather in Wichita, Pass Progressive Platform by tmservo433 - For Kansas Democrats, DemoFest is a gathering that brings together both party insiders and the activists within the rank and file of the Democratic party. Kansas Democrats this year have much to celebrate. Hopeful news inside the diary.
(KS-Gov) Sam Brownback Hates Survey USA: "It's Absurd" by tmservo - Diarist covers some recent poll numbers in the Kansas Governors race between incumbent Sam Brownback (R) and Paul Davis (D).
(NE-Gov) Could NE-Gov Turn Blue This Year? Scottsbluff Star-Herald Says "Maybe." by Village Vet - The governor's race in Nebraska is heating up, and there is a stark divide on two issues that both Dems and Republicans are staking their positions on.
(NY-Gov, NY-LtGov) Teachout/Wu Brooklyn event TONIGHT, 8/26, plus free posters! by sidnora - An invitation to meet Zephyr Teachout, progressive candidate for Governor, and members of her campaign at an informal meet-and-greet happy hour.
(NY-Gov) NY: Upset of The Century? Defining Moment for 'More and Better', or Just Another Windmill by Tommymac - Does modern day Doña Quixote Zephyr Teachout have enough time in the few weeks remaining before the primary to get enough recognition among actual Democratic voters to upset the entrenched, center-right (many would argue all but Republican) establishment backed incumbent?
(NY-Gov) Zephyr Teachout runs with Tim Wu by jbob - Diarist offers details from the Teachout campaign about her chosen running mate Tim Wu.
(NY-Gov) Can Teachout teach Cuomo a lesson? by averblue - The diarist, a strong supporter of Zephyr Teachout for governor of NY in her race against incumbent Governor Andrew Cuomo in the democratic primary on September 9th, explores in depth the reasons for his support and what it will take for Teachout to be elected.
(NY-Gov) Zephyr Teachout and Tim Wu Touring New York State Blowing the whistle on Andrew Cuomo era Corruption by jbob - Diarist has info on a tour that Teachout & Wu are taking in the New York Democratic Governors Primary against Cuomo.
(NY-Gov) NY-Gov: View from abroad: Corruption/Internet World Order/Capital by emorej a Hong Kong - Diarist offers analysis of the most important strengths Teachout and Wu could bring to New York.
(NY-LtGov) Cuomo's Primary - His right wing Lt. Governor by Justin Mikulka - The diarist believes that the Democratic party is in serious trouble when, in a blue state like New York, Kathy Hochul, who has voted against Obamacare, is a supporter of the Keystone Pipeline and very proud of her Conservative Party endorsement, is the choice of the incumbent governor as his running mate. Zephyr Teachout, Cuomo's opponent in the primary has chosen law professor, Tim Wu,"father of net neutrality." to be her running mate.
(NY-LtGov) Must See Video about Andrew Cuomo's Running Mate by xaxnar - The campaign of Zephyr Teachout, Andrew Cuomo's opponent in the Democratic primary on September 9th, has put together a devastating video of some past statements of his running mate, Kathy Hochul, candidate for Lt. Governor.
(NY-LtGov) Rare sense of unity in Florida's post-primary Democratic party by nicoleweddington - Florida's Democratic party has come together just days after the bustle of the state primaries in what its members are calling a true show of unity.
(NY-StSen43) NY-SD-43 - St. Senator Marchione's Largest Donor Arrested & Indicted as FBI Investigation Continues by Upstate Blue - A Saratoga County developer was arrested last week by the FBI in a probe of Republican elected officials in the town of Halfmoon, including incumbent State Senator Kathy Marchione. The developer, it turns out, is the largest individual contributor to her campaign. Popcorn required for this one...
(NY-Various) UPDATE: Breaking...NY Times endorses Tim Wu...We Have Less Than 2 Weeks to Clean Up Albany by mole333 - A call to action for progressive candidates running for Governor, Lt. Governor and the state legislature. The Democratic primary is Sept. 9.
(OH-Gov) Gov. Kasich Campaign Ad Tries To Make You Forget Anti-Union Law He Supported by cadfile - A few reasons why nobody should be voting for John Kasich (R).
(SoS-Var) Want to make sure every vote counts? Get involved in these key races for Secretary of State by Jeff Singer - For progressives looking to fight back in the War on Voting, Secretary of State races are the central battleground. This post is designed to help activists target the most important races where we can make the biggest difference.
(TX-Gov) Not a good week for Republicans, including Texas Greg Abbot by Libby Shaw - AG Greg Abbot, the Republican candidate for Governor, loses another case as a Texas judge ruled that the Texas school finance system is unconstitutional. The judge further noted that the system is "inefficient, inequitable and inadequate." Texas needs Wendy Davis (D).
(TX-HD133) Laura Nicol Campaign Ad #2 by LauraNicol - The latest diary from Democratic candidate Laura Nicol has a link to her new ad.
(WI-Gov) Scott Walkers Week Keeps Getting Worse + New Poll Results by Puddytat - A new A Marquette University Poll shows that among likely voters, Democrat Mary Burke's lead over incumbent Gov. Scott Walker (R-Kochistan) has increased.
(WI-Gov) Bad News Keeps Rolling in for Scott Walker by Puddytat - Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has had a craptacular week. Then the jobs report came out, and it was more bad news.
General - 6
Two-Tier Voting-GOP Voter Suppression in AZ by Desert Rose - A look at the two-tier voting system in Arizona created by the GOP and how it ensures voter suppression by preventing those registered with the federal form from voting in state elections.
Election Results from Florida (Orange County, Prec8nct 620): 2014p - PART 2 by decktrio - Diarist could not find precinct totals for the primary in the Orange County Supervisor of Elections website, discovered that there are recounts ongoing.
New polls bring positive news for Georgia Democrats, but don't celebrate just yet by jeff Singer - The firms currently polling in Georgia for the most part have shaky track records. So new positive news for Democrats, while a hopeful sign, should be treated with caution.
New Election Rule: Virginia Requires Photo ID at Polls by louisev. This voting restriction did not come from the legislature - it originated with the Virginia Board of Elections.
The GOP's Genius New Plan To Attract Women Voters by Scientistocrat - A report by 8 GOP focus groups on how to lure women voters is pretty hilarious.
Latino Voting Rights Are An Issue Of Rising Importance by Richard Lyon - Latinos are a rapidly growing segment of the US electorate, and represent potential political power. Dems need to pay attention and help it along.