The following stories are examples of this week's Election Roundup of 11 down ticket stories covering Saturday 9/1 through Saturday 9/8.
(MI-02) PFAs Found In Water My Family Drinks; My Congressman Takes Money From Corporate Polluters, Guts EPA
RobDavidsonforCongress
Davidson calls on Congress to end inaction on drinking water safety after PFAS found in Grand Haven supply
SPRING LAKE, Michigan — Emergency physician and congressional candidate Rob Davidson called on Congress to take stronger steps to protect Michigan’s drinking water supply after PFAS was found in drinking water in Grand Haven, mlive.com reported today. Davidson said Congress must fully fund the Environmental Protection Agency, strengthen safeguards against toxic chemicals like PFAS in drinking water and stand up to the Trump Administration's efforts to slash clean air and water protections.
(VA-01) Rural Americans Need Broadband Access
Vangie4Congress
Vangie Williams wants to expand access to broadband Internet for Americans in Virginia’s 1st District and all throughout America. Fair and unfettered access to high-speed internet is critical for success in the 21st Century. It opens the door to things like telecommuting, online education, and new labor markets. Having access to broadband Internet is crucial for a successful in life in our current society.
It’s time to provide broadband Internet access to Americans throughout the 1st District of Virginia and across the country. How do we make this happen? We start by tackling this challenge the way we brought electricity to every area of the country.
One of the things that Republican candidates do during campaign season is to post B-Roll footage of themselves purportedly taking to voters, pointing at stuff, and just looking like they’re regular guys. They do this in hopes that some dark money group, like the Kochs Americans for Prosperity, will take the footage and run expensive ads with the footage. Republicans know that coordinating with these groups is, well, illegal, so they can’t just hand it to them with a “thanks in advance” note.
Well, Bryan Steil, former staffer for Paul Ryan and winner of the Republican primary for his seat, posted the obligatory footage, but it’s seriously backfired on him. His opponent, Randy Bryce (who posts here as IronStache, found that footage and created an ad just for Bryan. It’s a hoot and definitely NOT the kind of ad Steil had in mind when he posted the footage.
Saturday 9/1 through Saturday 9/8
Stories: (11)
House: (9) posts, (5) states, (7) districts
State and more: (2)
Rescues since 2006 (13,020)
Welcome to Election Roundup, formerly known as “Election Diary Rescue.” Look for this down ticket collection every Monday through the election. The Roundup team has compiled, described and linked down ticket diaries since 2006. Archives
Election Roundup shines a light on candidates and issues that might otherwise be missed. It gives quick access to races and hopefully encourages people to write about contests that interest them, knowing their stories will get additional exposure on the Front Page.
Format and Tags
Writers can help the ER team by identifying the race in the title like this:
(NY-Sen) (FL-14) (GA-Gov). Using the "Elections" tag is also helpful and keep in mind that your first sentence or two is what we like to use in the description of your story when we can. This service is strictly for down ticket stories.
This edition of Election Roundup was made possible by the following: eeff, Jax Dem, Joieau, pucklady, zentrainer and randallt.
Thank you for reading and writing!
House
Congressman Duncan Hunter had a safe Republican district until a week ago when he and his wife were indicted for using campaign money for personal use. Cook Political Ratings moved the race from safe to lean Republican.
Hunter denied doing any wrongdoing and blamed his wife, despite the fact that some of the money was evidently spent on Hunter’s mistresses. The race looks to be headed further downhill for the Congressman, and there is no apparent means for Republicans to replace him on the ballot.
(MI-02) How Can I Help You?
RobDavidsonforCongress
A year-and-a-half ago I challenged my Congressman at a town hall over his desire to cut healthcare from millions. Now I am running the strongest campaign ever against him. I am rejecting corporate-PAC contributions.
I am running to bring Medicare-for-All to this country. I am running to make college more affordable. I am running to protect my constituents from predatory lenders and the recklessness of Wall Street bankers. I am running to provide clean air and clean water for my children and yours.
I am running to get money out of politics and restore the public trust in government. Above all, I am running because every day our Representatives should not be asking lobbyists and millionaires for money, instead they should be asking their constituents: “How can I help you?”
(MI-02) PFAs Found In Water My Family Drinks; My Congressman Takes Money From Corporate Polluters, Guts EPA
RobDavidsonforCongress
Davidson calls on Congress to end inaction on drinking water safety after PFAS found in Grand Haven supply
SPRING LAKE, Michigan — Emergency physician and congressional candidate Rob Davidson called on Congress to take stronger steps to protect Michigan’s drinking water supply after PFAS was found in drinking water in Grand Haven, mlive.com reported today. Davidson said Congress must fully fund the Environmental Protection Agency, strengthen safeguards against toxic chemicals like PFAS in drinking water and stand up to the Trump Administration's efforts to slash clean air and water protections.
“Families across West Michigan demand and deserve clean water that they can feel confident drinking and giving to their children, yet Congress continues to look the other way while our water infrastructure crumbles and corporate polluters continue to let toxic chemicals like PFAS poison our lakes and water supplies,” Davidson said. “Clean drinking water is vital to public health. Washington’s culture of corruption that puts campaign donors ahead of ordinary people must stop.
(VA-01) Rural Americans Need Broadband Access
Vangie4Congress
Vangie Williams wants to expand access to broadband Internet for Americans in Virginia’s 1st District and all throughout America. Fair and unfettered access to high-speed internet is critical for success in the 21st Century. It opens the door to things like telecommuting, online education, and new labor markets. Having access to broadband Internet is crucial for a successful in life in our current society.
It’s time to provide broadband Internet access to Americans throughout the 1st District of Virginia and across the country. How do we make this happen? We start by tackling this challenge the way we brought electricity to every area of the country.
The Rural Electrification Act of 1936 revolutionized power in America. Through the issuance of block grants to private corporations over the next few decades following the Act’s passage, the federal government helped provide access to electricity for millions of Americans. We take this for granted now, but the economic impact was immeasurable.
Davey1107
News from the front: Cook Political upgrades VA-02 from “lean R” to “toss up.”
The VA-02 race features Rep Incumbent Scott Taylor squaring off with retired Naval officer Elaine Luria. Cook adjusted their rating in the Dem’s favor this morning.
A primary reason for the change was the disqualification of a third party candidate, who the Taylor campaign had collected signatures for to get on the ballot. A judge booted the independent based on outright fraud on the part of Taylor operatives...the old forged signatures trick.
So let’s pause and consider this corruption. Taylor, afraid he couldn’t win on his own merits, went and found some random independent who didn’t want to serve, but was willing to run. He chose an African American candidate specifically to siphon votes. But he couldn’t competently get the required signatures.
(VA-07) Call 911! Dave Brat Needs Shot Against YUCKKY Girl Cooties QUICK!!
Aleurophile
Dave Brat is clearly not getting proper medical care: he didn’t get vaxxed against girl cooties!! That’s the only thing that can account for this bizarre incident at an outdoor event in Virginia on Saturday:
One of the things that Republican candidates do during campaign season is to post B-Roll footage of themselves purportedly taking to voters, pointing at stuff, and just looking like they’re regular guys. They do this in hopes that some dark money group, like the Kochs Americans for Prosperity, will take the footage and run expensive ads with the footage. Republicans know that coordinating with these groups is, well, illegal, so they can’t just hand it to them with a “thanks in advance” note.
Well, Bryan Steil, former staffer for Paul Ryan and winner of the Republican primary for his seat, posted the obligatory footage, but it’s seriously backfired on him. His opponent, Randy Bryce (who posts here as IronStache, found that footage and created an ad just for Bryan. It’s a hoot and definitely NOT the kind of ad Steil had in mind when he posted the footage.
OK, now, swallow anything you have in your mouth before you view the video. You have been warned.
(WV-03) voted for Trump by 50 points. And now it's going to be the 25th seat to flip the house.
Ojeda4Congress
This time last year, an R + 23 district that voted for Donald Trump overwhelmingly by 50 points would have never been seen as a chance to flip the House. After a year of fighting, talking with voters, putting boots on the ground and never giving up, the polls are in and we ARE winning in West Virginia.
Our race has been moved to a Toss-Up and will be one of the biggest upsets and shockers of the 2018 midterm election.
The NRCC has already started their attacks but we are standing strong with the people of West Virginia. These people know me. They know that I have dedicated my life to service, this country, my community and my state and that I would rather fight than eat when it comes to giving their families what they deserve. Let’s shock the nation in November and send the biggest message to Washington in 2018.
Ojeda is running in one of the most Trumpian districts in the country. He doesn’t give a damn about that. The National Right to Work Committee sent him a questionnaire to see if they should endorse him.
Based on his response, I don’t think they will.
Check out Ojeda’s ActBlue page even if you don’t donate!
State and more
(FL) Racism Thrives in Florida After 20 Years of GOP Control -- We Have Candidates to Break the Cycle
JaxDem
The most current example of Florida’s GOP racism came last week when the Republican candidate for Governor, Ron DeSantis claimed the day after Andrew Gillum emerged as the Democratic candidate for Governor, that Gillum who although “articulate” would “monkey up” Florida’s finances.
The comment came on the heels of robocalls from The Road to Power, a white supremacist, anti-Semitic group, which featured jungle noises in the background while a voice using an old-time minstrel dialect and claiming to be Andrew Gillum, asked for the voter’s support ~ source.
Then it was capped off with the discovery that DeSantis served as an administrator for a racist, Islamophobic, and conspiratorial Facebook group whose highly offensive posts have targeted, among others, the Parkland shooting survivors, Black Lives Matter activists, and the religion of Islam. DeSantis did resign that post after it was made public. ~ source
On July 11, I held a press conference with 3 other candidates whose districts overlap with my own. The topic for the press conference was the removal of two van accessible disabled parking spaces by one of the largest developers in our community, leaving no disabled parking spaces in proximity to any of the business entrances at one end of a shopping plaza. This was an absolute, blatant disregard of law at every level of government. This sent the message to people with disabilities, disabled veterans, and the elderly that they are not valued and their business was not wanted at this location. Why would a business take such an action? They wanted to put in a decorative fountain where the disabled parking was located. Yes, that’s right. They literally bulldozed over people’s civil rights for a beautification project.