I've done a list on key races that are coming up in 2006 (starting at
http://mister-gloom.dailykos.com/story/2005/5/11/193825/984). Generally I haven't yet done a true update (though I did expand the list from 48 to 65 with that being found at
http://mister-gloom.dailykos.com/story/2005/7/5/234246/8629). Here is a rundown on some happenings since I did the list. Granted most of this information has been mentioned elsewhere but sometimes it helps to see everything all in one place. So here we go...
15. Michigan Governor (Granholm – D)
Dick Devos has declared for Governor and Jennifer Granholm now has a billionaire to contend with. Fortunately for Granholm DeVos is hated by the Republican establishment in Oakland County (if memory serves Devos's wife Betsy, then state party chairwoman, made a covert effort to primary Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson in the 2004 Republican primary) and Republicans generally need Oakland County to win statewide. Governor Granholm’s website is
http://www.granholmforgov.com/.
16. Nevada Governor (Open R)
Just a couple of mentions for this race: University of Nevada Chancellor Jim Rogers has made some derogatory comments about Congressman Jim Gibbons (the Republican front-runner), his intelligence, and his commitment to the state’s university system. Local reporters during my recent trip to Las Vegas believed that was a signal of Rogers interest in the race. The only two declared Democratic candidates are Statehouse Speaker Richard Perkins and State Senate Minority Leader Diane Titus. Titus’s website is at http://www.dinatitus.com/ and Perkins’ website is http://www.richardperkins.com/. Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman is believed to be likely to declare for the Governor also, though Goodman is unlikely to play well statewide.
20. Connecticut CD 4 (Shays – R)
The only big change is that Diane Farrell (who nearly beat Shays last time) has formally declared her candidacy for the seat and her website is http://www.farrellforcongress.com/.
27. Pennsylvania CD 6 (Gerlach – R)
Good news. Lois Murphy, the woman who came with-in a whisker of beating Gerlach in 2004 is running again for 2006. Murphy’s website is http://www.loismurphy.org/. A nice point is that Murphy is tying Gerlach in with Rove as Gerlach is going ahead with a planned fundraiser that is featuring Rove as Guest Speaker.
28. Pennsylvania CD 14 (Murphy – R)
Well State Senator Sean Logan has decided to take a pass on this seat but we managed to get someone who is arguably better as ex-State Treasurer (and ex-State Auditor) Barbara Hafer has decided to run for this seat. As someone who has been elected statewide more than once Hafer is a strong challenger for the seat. Currently Hafer does not have a website.
34. Colorado Governor (Open R)
Currently there are 4 candidates running for Governor: Republican Congressman/ex-State GOP Chair Bob Beauprez, University of Denver President Marc Holtzman. Democrat: Venture Capitalist/Think Tank Founder Rutt Bridges (http://bridgesforcolorado.com/), and ex-Denver District Attorney Bill Ritter. Unless Denver Mayor Michael Hickenlooper jumps in for the Democrats or ex-Congressman Scott McInnis jumps in for the Republicans it would appear that the likely match-up will be Beauprez (who appears to be set to run an immigrant bashing campaign) vs. Bridges.
49. Wisconsin CD 5 (Sensenbrenner - R)
No real news on the race itself. But I will mention that if Paul Hackett wins August 2 then his 2006 re-election race for Ohio CD 2 will replace this race as the GOP will be gunning for him heavily if he wins.