I have been a reader and commenter here for literally years, but I have never written a diary before, not thinking I had something unique to add. But what's going on in my Congressional district, as well as my experience running for office in NY, has prompted me to try to bring something to your attention. (Please be kind.)

About a month ago, Kos wrote a front page entry entitled "Crazy Jack Davis and the woes of the millionaire." In it he, described how 2-time loser Jack Davis, who ran against Tom Reynolds twice for the NY26th Congressional seat, was taking his lawsuit against the "Millionaire's Amendment" section of BCRA (otherwise known as McCain-Feingold) all the way to the Supreme Court. Talk about bad optics: here was a supposed Democrat arguing that it should be easier for wealthy quacks like him to buy a seat in the people's House.  

Changing the way things are done in Washington means sending leaders who look more like America.

However, Millionaire Jack Davis obviously doesn't think so. You see, today, his lawsuit claiming that section 319 of the McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Law (the "Millionaire's Amendment") is unconstitutional will be heard by the Supreme Court.

The point of this suit is to make it easier for the very wealthy to buy seats in Congress and deny regular people a place at the table.

The fact that Jack Davis is taking this suit to the Supreme Court speaks volumes about his attitude toward elections.  Jack thinks this is about him and his money not about people and the challenges they face.  

His view about campaigns, money, free speech, and fair play speaks loud and clear:  when it comes to representing hard working Americans, only millionaires need apply for the job.  

We need leaders who are finding constructive ways to help Western New Yorkers deal with the high price of gas, health care and college tuition, not someone who spends millions to rig the system.

Crazy Jack Davis, who couldn't be bothered to campaign last year and lost what should've been a victory against Republican Tom Reynolds, is now showing that he isn't just crazy, he's delusional as well.

Davis lost both of his earlier bids to oust Republican Rep. Thomas M. Reynolds from New York’s 26th District. Reynolds announced March 20 that he will retire at the end of this term. Davis has not yet firmly committed to a third try for the seat, though he appears to be headed that way.

Davis contends that the millionaires’ amendment harms him because once he spends $350,000 of his own money, the law permits his opponents to raise three times as much as otherwise would be allowed from each contributor. He also complains that triggering the millionaires’ amendment forces him to file extra campaign expenditure reports — documents that divulge campaign strategy.

"Nobody thinks an incumbent and challenger are on an even playing field to begin with. He’s willing to take on that burden," said Andrew Herman, a lawyer representing Davis. "But he doesn’t understand why he has to take on an added burden of giving his opponent added contributions."

A three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia didn’t buy that argument.

In an Aug. 9, 2007, ruling, the judges concluded that Davis’ free speech rights had not been violated because the provision did not impede Davis’ ability "to spend unlimited amounts of his personal wealth" and did not reduce the amount of money Davis could raise from his own backers.

In its decision, the court noted that the millionaire provision in the 2002 campaign law "is similar to statutes that permit higher contribution limits for candidates who agree to public financing of their campaigns."

Yup. According to Davis, millionaires are at a disadvantage because they can't swamp their peon challengers with an avalanche of self-provided greenbacks. Where did I place that tiny violin?

The funny thing is that there is no incumbent in this race. Maybe Davis doesn't realize it, but Reynolds has announced his retirement. This is an open seat. So Davis is fighting for an advantage not against an incumbent, but against his Democratic primary challenger and the non-incumbent Republican candidate in the fall.

Next he'll sue against the advantages enjoyed by candidates who actually get off their lazy asses and campaign and meet voters. That's so, like, totally unfair to lazy-ass, bat-shit insane gazillionaires.

But that's not all! With Jack Davis, you always get an extra helping of crazy:

Davis is already taking tough shots.

[Jon] Powers, Davis said, "is a kid. He's 29 years old and he's never had a real job," said Davis. "If we do get into a primary, he won't have any money left."

Jon Powers served his nation in uniform, fought in Iraq, and is now a public school social studies teacher.

Apparently, those aren't "real jobs" to Davis.

Race tracker wiki: NY-26

(Cross posted at Swing State Project.)

Iraq War veteran and NY-26 Democratic candidate Jon Powers is gaining more and more momentum. In fact, his campaign is at an excellent point right now. On Thursday, Powers was endorsed by the Wyoming County Democratic Committee. This was the fourth county Democratic committee to endorse Powers in his run to unseat Tom Reynolds.

The announcement regarding the endorsement came attached with a list of those who have already endorsed Powers.

In New York the editorial pages, and particularly the Letters to the Editor pages, are brimming with mid-term electoral content, so read on if you want to see what the locals are saying about John Sweeney, Tom Reynolds, Jack Abramoff, Ken Mehlman, and more.

Previous The Daily Pulse- Battleground Editions covered Tennessee, Idaho, Missouri, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Connecticut and Indiana. 

And finally, if you're not a Gator basketball fan, you will be when you read to the end.  Noah, by the way, grew up in New York.

Oh yeah, Jim Walsh (NY-25) couldn't even be bothered to show up for the event. Neither could many Republicans, judging by the crowd shots on TV. It looked like maybe 200-250 people there. Not very impressive for an event that was supposedly open to the public, involving the wife of our own Dear Leader, was it?

OK, it was a rainy, cold, damp, miserable day, and maybe that knocked down the turnout a bit. But what was really chilling was Mrs. Dear Leader's not-so-veiled attack on free speech...after the fold:

The DCCC's blog, The Stakeholder, reports that FOUR races in NY have become competitive enough for the DCCC to list them as the newest additions to the 'Red2Blue' list.

The NY-03, NY-19, NY-26, and NY-29 have been made into the new 'Red2Blue' races.

[More below]

Please see my prior diaries about Will Pryor here (first), here (second), here (third), and here (fourth)

Please also review CoolOnion's diaries about this race here, here, and here

I have an announcement to make about this race.  This "unwinnable" "republican stronghold" race is now very much winnable.  Let's all jump on board and make this actually happen!

"It's a ship of fools. We're on the edge of a disaster."--WES CLARK

21st Century non-partisan, non-profit Veterans and Military Family organization endorses additional candidates nationwide for House and Senate seats in November.

Please follow me to the other side to learn why I'm supporting Jack Davis today.

Here's Jack's website (which seems to be having problems this morning).

Here's my ActBlue page.

Democrat Jack Davis has opened a significant lead over Republican incumbent Thomas M. Reynolds in a congressional contest fueled by Reynolds' association with the Mark Foley sex scandal.

Davis leads Reynolds 48 percent to 33 percent in a new Zogby International poll conducted for The Buffalo News, prompting pollster John Zogby to conclude that Davis poses a genuine threat to the longtime powerhouse from Clarence.

"There is no other way to look at these numbers except to say Tom Reynolds is in trouble," the Utica-based Zogby said.

On the web: Jack Davis.

Race tracker wiki: NY-26

Warning: Some disturbing pictures!  Not for the faint of heart!!

Rep Tom Reynolds (R-NY): I did what most people would do in a work place. I heard something, I took it to my supervisor.

Jon Stewart: "I took it to my supervisor?" Tom Reynolds...Congressman? or Assistant Manager at Applebees?

 -- The Daily Show as Jon Stewart lambastes Rep Reynolds for his cowardice in the GOP-Pedophile Scandal

Will we soon be saying 'Buh-Bye!' to The head of the NRCC? Let's take a look...

So how is this playing at home, in his own reelection battle? Not too good.

SurveyUSA. 10/2-4. Likely voters. MoE 4.6% (9/25-27 results)

The late September poll included a Green Party candidate that has since been thrown off the ballot by the courts.

That's a seven-point swing in a single week. It was fortuitous that we have before and after polling to gauge the "Foley effect", and it's quite real and dramatic. Reynolds' efforts to hide behind children at press conferences, and his own insistence that he's pristine and blameless, should continue dragging down his numbers.

Race tracker wiki: NY-26