IA- Gov: Does Tea Party Want Culver to Win?

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Friday June 18, 2010 · 6:53 AM PDT

2010/06/18 · 06:53

When Terry Branstad rejected defeated GOP guber wannabe Bob Vander Plaats' request to be included on his ticket this fall it raised the specter the Tea Party fave may pull a Lieberman and run an independent campaign for governor. Such a move would virtually guarantee the reelection of embattled Democrat Chet Culver, according to some analysts.

It also could scramble the 2012 presidential race before it really begins. Mike Huckabee - who has recently sent signals he may be reconsidering his decision to not run again - would have the most at stake. But others GOP hopefuls, who have lined up behind nominee Terry Branstad could find themselves alienated by the most ardent Tea Party activists if they don't tread lightly as Vander Plaats considers his next move.

Chrispy67

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Tuesday June 08, 2010 · 12:29 PM PDT

2010/06/08 · 12:29

Today is the biggest primary voting day of the year. From coast-to-coast, American voters in an angry anti-incumbent mood will trickle into polling booths, cast their votes in pathetically low numbers, and provide cable TeeVee's chattering punditocracy with more tea leaves to ruminate over.

Voters are making gubernatorial choices in six states today, from Maine to California. Governor's races aren't always as "sexy" as the Senate contests or the battle for the House, but the nation's governors elected this year will play a critical role in determining which party emerges stronger over the next decade.

A quick look at themes emerging from today's gubernatorial voting:

Chrispy67

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Monday May 24, 2010 · 9:37 AM PDT

2010/05/24 · 09:37

A new poll commissioned by the University of Texas and the Texas Tribune shows Governor Rick Perry (R) leading his Democratic challenger former Houston Mayor Bill White, 44%-35%.

At first glance, it doesn't seem Democrats are going to make a dent in the GOP's dominance in the Lone Star State. The poll shows GOP nominees leading in every statewide contest on the November ballot.
But the Tribune does see a potential problem for Perry, already the longest serving Texas governor in history as he pursues re-election.

Chrispy67

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Friday July 24, 2009 · 9:35 AM PDT

2009/07/24 · 09:35

The US Census recently released a report on voter turnout in the 2008 presidential election. The most important finding with electoral ramifications for years to come is the enormous surge among Hispanic voters. Nearly 2.2 million more Hispanic voters showed up at the polls in 2008 over 2004, an increase of over 28%. Josh Goodman has an interesting writeup on the Latino voting bloc's increasing importance, including a chart showing the Hispanic percentage by state.

Most political observers know by now that the Latino vote (which supported President Obama by a 2-1 margin) was critical to his electoral college success, helping the Democrats add Nevada, Florida and Colorado to their column. Historically, Latinos have been an underperforming population on election day, consistently voting at rates below the national average. Perhaps the failure of comprehensive immigration reform or the 2006 May Day rallies sparked by anti-Hispanic rhetoric coming from some (mostly Republican) political leaders awakened the sleeping giant of American politics.

Chrispy67

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Saturday June 13, 2009 · 10:52 AM PDT

2009/06/13 · 10:52

Cross-posted at StateHouseRock

Rasmussenpolled Illinois voters about the two offices tainted by the Blagojevich scandal - Obama's former Senate seat and the gubernatorial chair Blago left behind when he was impeached. Burris' troubles have made national headlines throughout '09. StateHouseRock is more focused on Gov. Pat Quinn's standing with the voters. Rasmussen delivers discouraging news.

As one of the nation's three (soon to be four when John Huntsman assumes the Beijing post) Accidental Governors (alongside NY's David Paterson, Kansas' Mark Parkinson, and Arizona's Jan Brewer), Quinn will be running for a seat he hasn't won previously. It remains an open question as to whether any of the three planning on running for a full term will enjoy the traditional advantages of incumbency. We do know Paterson has suffered some self-inflicted wounds and has abysmal approval numbers. I haven't seen any numbers for Brewer and Parkinson isn't planning on running.

Chrispy67

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Tuesday March 10, 2009 · 10:39 AM PDT

2009/03/10 · 10:39

The latest from Jonah Goldberg provides another glimpse into the alternative reality that is modern Republicanism:

The real scandal is that this administration thinks crises are opportunities for governmental power-grabs...
...the White House tactic isn't funny at all. It's scary. Its amorality is outweighed only by the grotesque and astoundingly naked cynicism of it all.

Apparently, it's the last part - "the naked cynicism" that really irks Jonah. He compares Republican opposition to Obama's aggressive agenda to progressive criticism of the neocon's use of 9/11 to terrorize a traumatized nation into launching the invasion of Iraq.

Chrispy67

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Monday March 09, 2009 · 10:26 AM PDT

2009/03/09 · 10:26

America, long one of the most religious of western industrialized nations, has undergone a rapid spiritual transformation over the past two decades according to a new ARIS study reported in USA Today:

It finds that, despite growth and immigration that has added nearly 50 million adults to the U.S. population, almost all religious denominations have lost ground since the first ARIS survey in 1990.

Twenty-first century Americans are much more likely to embrace spiritual options outside organized religion. Considering the theocratic nature of the modern Republican Party, this is devastating news for the GOP as it struggles to find a path forward.

Poll

132 votes Show Results

How do you describe you religious identity?

132 votes Vote Now!

How do you describe you religious identity?

Protestant - Baptist

1 vote

I'm a spiritual sprout - on my own individual journey

9 votes

Protestant - other mainline denomination

17 votes

Protestant - Evangelical, Born Again or Pentacostal

3 votes

Jewish

4 votes

Muslim

0 votes

Catholic

1 vote

I'm one of The Nones

21 votes

Hindu

1 vote

Buddhist

1 vote

Wiccan

3 votes

Atheist

46 votes

Agnostic

25 votes

Wingnut, Get Your Gun

Chrispy67

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Thursday March 05, 2009 · 11:21 AM PST

2009/03/05 · 11:21

This morning, an email from World Net Daily via Human Events was one of the most blood-chilling communiques I've received from the Angry Right.

The subject line read: MILLIONAIRE PATRIOT WANTS YOU ARMED AND TRAINED

I have long been on email lists from both Democratic and Republican and non-partisan interest groups. Understanding how differently each views and interprets political events has always fascinated me. For a few years I worked at a small non-profit monitoring Political Talk Radio. Long before the current Rush Rising – during the Clinton impeachment - I was listening to Limbaugh, G. Gordon Liddy, and Oliver North on a daily basis.

Chrispy67

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Tuesday March 03, 2009 · 6:52 PM PST

2009/03/03 · 18:52

Direct mail, talk radio, the Internet, YouTube, and social networking have all played crucial roles in modern American presidential campaigns. Each party’s fortunes have ebbed and flowed with their ability to successfully use emerging communication technologies. Identifying the next cycle’s new media format is the political consultant’s Holy Grail. The next big thing, according to the current issue of Politics magazine is Twitter.

And, they argue Republicans are running circles around Democrats with this new technology. Say what?

Chrispy67

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Sunday February 01, 2009 · 7:52 AM PST

2009/02/01 · 07:52

According to Politico, Adam Putnam (Wingnut-FL), who had been the third-ranking Republican in the House before the 2008 elections, is stepping down to pursue office in the Sunshine State.

Chrispy67

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Thursday April 24, 2008 · 8:50 AM PDT

2008/04/24 · 08:50

This story has been in the "hourly loop" playing during MSNBC's "The Place for Politics" daytime coverage all morning. There's a new anti-Obama ad (in addition to the abysmal NC State GOP one "denounced" by McCain yesterday) being peddled by the creator of the infamous 1988 Willie Horton ad. I say "peddled" because there has been no "buy."

Oh, but no worries. MSNBC (and I'm sure the other 24-7 cable outlets) have decided to hawk what these fearmongers are shelling out for free.

Chrispy67

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Thursday April 17, 2008 · 9:59 AM PDT

2008/04/17 · 09:59

This is big, especially considering the fretting the punditocracy (and the blogosphere) is doing about how this interminable Democratic nomination battle could be hurting our general election chances. According to Gallup's April polling, both Democrats are winning the purple states (NH, PA, OH, MI, WI, MN, IA, FL, CO, NV, NM and OR) where the margin separating Kerry & Bush in 2004 was less than 6 points. Obama and Clinton both beat McCain in these critical battleground states by a 47-43 margin.

It's in the Red and Blue States that Obama wins the electability argument.

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IA- Gov: Does Tea Party Want Culver to Win?

Gubernatorial Races - Themes for Today's Voting

Can White Deny Perry Another Term?

The "Sleeping Giant" No More

Rasmussen - Quinn Haunted by Blago's Ghost?

Jonah Goldberg: Tell Me Lies, Great Big Lies

In God We Trust...NOT

Wingnut, Get Your Gun

Tweeting Their Way Back to Relevance?

Adam "Opie" Putnam to Give up House Seat

MSNBC: Falls for One of the "Oldest Tricks in Politics"

GALLUP: Dems Leading in Battleground States