Senate Races on The Huffington Post

Diane Tucker: What's an Underemployed Gal to Do? Run For Office.

2009-12-15T12:45:58Z

Since the recession began, millions of women have found themselves underemployed, working in survival jobs for which they're overqualified. If you're in the process of making similar life changes, why not run for office? America needs more women in politics.

Because why?

"Governments with more women legislators are more productive," noted the World Economic Forum.

"National parliaments with the largest numbers of women have the lowest levels of corruption," reported the World Bank.

It's a shame more American women aren't thinking outside the box, by putting their names inside the ballot box. Men still dramatically outnumber women in the U.S. Senate, the House of Representatives, state legislatures, and city councils. The U.S. ranks a pathetic 71st out of 189 countries in the proportion of women in national legislatures. American women aren't even close to the magical 33% tipping point where we could begin to change the conversation.

No wonder the big stimulus winner in 2009 was Wall Street. The Old Boy's Club decided that if we bailed out Wall Street, the problems on Main Street would take care of themselves. "Nonsense!" said my gal pals, but few politicians heard them.

More women in politics -- that's change I can believe in.

I know, I know, it means we would have to knock on doors ... and we would have to raise money ... mean people might diss us ... and ... and ...

Ladies, it's time to stop eliminating ourselves from positions of power. Today I spoke with a woman who took the plunge, got elected, loves her new career, and is happy to share lessons learned. Anne Doyle was one of the first women in the U.S. to gain access to professional locker rooms as a sports reporter for CBS-TV in Detroit. Years later, she rose through the ranks of Ford Motor Company to become director of North America Communications. In 2009 she ran for a seat on the Auburn Hills City Council -- and won.

* * *

Politicians live in a fishbowl. Weren't you afraid of becoming so visible a target?

Anne Doyle: No, not at all, but I understand what you're saying. Fear is a huge barrier for women. I worked for three decades in sportscasting and the auto industry, places where people didn't always want me. I'm not afraid anymore.

But don't you think a lot of women are too thin-skinned for politics?

Women are better able than men to receive emotional messages. It's one of our strengths, but it also makes us more vulnerable. If we're going to put ourselves out there and become leaders, we simply have to accept that a certain number of people aren't going to like us. You grow thick skin like bark on a tree -- it takes time. The more you let the criticisms go, the better you get at it.

Is fundraising another huge barrier for women?

I had no problem raising money at all. In fact, and this is funny, I was so successful at raising money the other candidates started saying, "Hey, she's trying to buy the election!"

Well then, you're the right person to ask for advice on soliciting campaign contributions.

You start with people who believe in you. I wrote a personal letter outlining what I wanted to do, and asking for help. In response, several friends wrote sizable checks and it turbo-charged me. A California woman learned about me online and mailed a check. That was huge! We all have to write bigger checks for other women. It's in our best interest to get more women into politics.

Why is 33% considered the tipping point?

It's critical mass -- the point at which an environment changes in such a way, it can no longer go back to what it was. Take the Supreme Court, for example. One woman justice is newsworthy -- she's first. Two women are still the exception, not the rule. When you have three women on the bench, it stops being unusual.

Whether you're talking about the halls of Congress or a board of directors, until women achieve 33% we're just tokens. Our numbers are too small to influence men to see things in a completely different way. It's not that women are better, it's that balance among the two genders is better. Across the board in a variety of professions, the number of women in leadership positions today is only 18%. We have a long way to go. That's why it's all about numbers now.

How do we move the needle?

We can move the needle the fastest by getting more women elected to political office, because that's where female leaders are the most visible.

I was surprised to learn that women's progress into leadership positions has been stagnating for more than a decade.

We made tremendous progress in the 70s and 80s, but in the 90s and 2000s the numbers got bigger only in the middle. Today we have more women doctors, more women lawyers, more women with graduate degrees, but we are stalled in terms of progress into leadership positions that shape the culture. How many women CEOs are there today? That number has barely changed in 20 years, even though there is a perception that it has.

Let's say I want to throw my hat in the ring. What are the first three things I should do?

First, start talking about it. I guarantee you'll be amazed at the encouragement you get. Next, become very clear about why you want to run. One way to do this is by developing your candidate website. It doesn't have to be fancy, but the process will force you to put into concise words who you are and what you stand for. Finally, make a list of people you can ask for campaign contributions, because you'll need money for postage, a Web site, and campaign materials.

On the slim chance I raise more than $2 in campaign contributions, what's next?

I highly recommend the White House Project training. It's a national, non-partisan initiative focused on dramatically increasing the number of women running for office. They've already trained over 9,000 women candidates, and hope to train well over 36,000 by 2013. I enrolled in their Debate Boot Camp, where I learned how to refine my message and present it to a large group.

You took the risk and ran for office. What was the reward?

Knocking on doors, I met the incredible people who are my neighbors. It created a powerful sense of community. That was the richest reward for me. You can't imagine how it feels, seeing your yard sign on the front lawn of people you've never met. I would jump out of my car and introduce myself. After the election, I was keenly aware these people were counting on me.

How does being a politician compare to being a journalist or a corporate executive?

Journalists are independent operators -- they develop and write a story, it's their own work -- and corporate executives make many decisions unilaterally. Political leaders, however, can't get much done by themselves. You have to collaborate. You have to influence people. Somebody called politics the art of the possible. It's about getting people to evolve together. Where's our common ground?

Can women excel at this?

The experience of running convinced me that women have a tremendous natural ability for politics. We just have to get over our fear of it and go for the brass ring. The good news is that there's been a dramatic change in attitude about women in leadership positions. I want to say to women, "C'mon, let's go!"

Have you run for political office? Are you thinking about running in 2010? In 2012? What is the best advice you would give women thinking of running for a first time? Share your questions, concerns, and experiences with us and other women in the Comments thread below.

Bruce A. Blakeman May Run Against Gillibrand

2009-12-15T10:28:03Z

Bruce A. Blakeman, the Republican candidate for New York State comptroller in 1998, said on Monday that he was exploring the possibility of a run against Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand next year.

GOP Pressuring 17 House Democrats To Retire With 'Assault List'

2009-12-09T15:13:50Z

Two Dem retirements in competitive districts have given GOPers new hopes that a wave of open seats can hand them new opportunities. Now, GOP strategists are putting extra pressure on more than a dozen Dem lawmakers, hoping to convince them to retire rather than face difficult re-elections.

An informal list of 17 members the NRCC believes can be convinced to step down, privately called the "Dem Retirement Assault List," makes clear the party needs Dem incumbents to step aside if they have hopes of taking back the majority. The NRCC has taken pains to attack those lawmakers in recent weeks.

Cal Cunningham: All the Way Against Richard Burr

2009-12-07T10:25:01Z

I just made one of the most important decisions of my life. Today, I announced that I am entering the race to challenge Richard Burr for the U.S. Senate seat from North Carolina.

I didn't get to this point easily. We have so many strong Democrats and voters eager for change in North Carolina, but I know we're still going to have a rough battle against Burr. My wife Elizabeth and I felt like we couldn't shy away from tough fight -- not if it meant a chance to do better for my children, my friends, and the state I loved.

So we're in -- and we hope you'll be there with us. I believe in the power of the grassroots, and that there is nothing more powerful against the inertia of the status quo and the entrenched interests of politicians like Richard Burr.

Please watch my campaign announcement video:

Right now, more than ever, we need someone who won't back down from the tough fights -- to create jobs, strengthen our schools, improve veterans health care, and to stand up against the Wall Street firms, insurance companies, and special interests gaming the system at the expense of taxpayers and small businesses.

I'm not new to tough battles -- both here as a state senator and then as an Army prosecutor and Captain in Iraq. I've taken on some of the fiercest adversaries and most entrenched interests to fight waste, fraud, and criminal conduct.

In particular, I was proud to be awarded a Bronze Star for cracking down on contractor crimes in Iraq... crimes that threatened my fellow soldiers, endangered our mission, and wasted taxpayer dollars.

I didn't give up when faced with fiercest adversaries then, and I won't back down now.

I'm eager to take on the Wall Street firms, the corporate interests and the culture of recklessness that caused the economic crisis, demolished the retirement funds of millions, put millions more into foreclosure -- and then had the audacity to squander billions of dollars in bailout funding while giving themselves bonuses.

One thing I can promise you now -- I'll always put North Carolina and America's families first. That sounds like a no-brainer for politician, but I'm shocked at how many talk the talk but won't walk that walk.

Including Richard Burr. In the years he's been in public office, it is clear the only thing we can count on Richard Burr to put first is himself. When the fiscal crisis came to a head. When this nation first heard the news and was gripped with fear, even those without much to spare thought about their communities, their families, and what they could do to help.

Richard Burr? He was calling his wife to make sure she made a dash to the ATM to pull out as much cash as they could.

After 9/11, I joined the U.S. Army Reserves to do my part and trained with the Army airborne. As a paratrooper I learned that when the mission is important, you can't allow yourself to be dissuaded by tough conditions or past injuries.

You simply commit fully and then throw yourself out the door, off the plane, and into the mission. You must tackle any hurdle that comes your way, and stand your ground when your buddies are depending on you. No matter what. And when you fall, when you've taken a hit, you cannot give up; you have to dust yourself off and get back up. When people are depending on you, no matter the potential personal cost, you simply must get back up.

We had a phrase for that at paratrooper training -- "all the way." I'm ready to commit to the race "all the way" -- and I'm hoping you'll join me at www.CalforNC.com.

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Axelrod: 'I Thought Lisa [Madigan] Would Give Us The Best Shot' Of Keeping Obama's Senate Seat

2009-11-24T19:08:44Z

CHICAGO — The White House and Illinois Democrats said Tuesday that their bid to hold on to President Barack Obama's old Senate seat won't be easy and their difficulties aren't just because of the scandal that engulfed ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Next year is the first major election for Democrats since Blagojevich was arrested last year on federal corruption charges and removed from office. He has pleaded not guilty to charges that he tried to sell or trade Obama's Senate seat.

Giannoulias Says He Made $1M Off Family Bank Dividend Sale

2009-11-24T16:48:01Z

Illinois Treasurer and U.S. Senate hopeful Alexi Giannoulias said Tuesday that a "minimal" amount of the $70 million he and his siblings received in 2007 and 2008 dividends from Broadway Bank, the troubled Chicago lender the family owns, actually went to them individually.

Anthony Papa: Senator Chuck Schumer Running Scared Says Candidate Randy Credico

2009-11-19T09:31:56Z

Stop the presses! Political comedian-turned-activist-turned-candidate for United States Senate Randy Credico has resigned his position as Director of the Kunstler Fund to devote himself full-time to defeating New York Senator Charles Schumer in his re-election bid next year. In the week since he dived in the race he already is creating a buzz with a New York Times article about him and surprising public support.

A new Siena Research Institute poll conducted from Nov. 8-12 shows that the political spitfire Credico -- the official comedian on the Fred Dicker Show, the most powerful and influential talk show in Albany, New York -- is gaining momentum in the race for the Democratic nomination next September. Credico's support in the poll skyrocketed to a walloping 9% as soon as he filed papers to enter the race.

Credico says that he has decided to challenge his opponent, incumbent Sen. Schumer, because no one is more responsible for the nation's financial meltdown than Chuck "Pay to Play" Schumer. Credico waxes, "He has taken millions in campaign contributions in return for gutting oversight and regulation of our financial sector. Chuck Schumer has been a prostitute for corporate America at the expense of the average citizen. Chuck Schumer has taken millions from Wall Street, bankers, traders and even got a check from Bernie Madoff -- although Madoff makes Schumer look honest."

Credico counts among his supporters Seinfeld co-creator Larry David and TV comedienne Roseanne Barr. He'll also be courting the millions of marijuana smokers in NYC -- including the 240,000 that have been arrested in the last 10 years -- with his message of ending the drug war and decriminalizing all drug use. "The war on drugs does not work and it destroys lives," he says.

Randy makes no secret of his previous drug use, and he takes pride in the fact that he once got arrested, he says, for tipping off teenagers to avoid a police "hot spot" for marijuana arrests.

Credico is no stranger to drug policy advocacy. In 1998 he co-founded the group Mothers of the New York Disappeared to build support for an overhaul of New York's draconian Rockefeller Drug laws, which were revamped earlier this year. Now he says he'll even fold marijuana into his campaign slogan: "Which candidate would you rather smoke a joint with, Credico or Schumer?"

Credico is also deeply attuned to the discriminatory impact of our current marijuana policies, noting that "New York City is the marijuana arrest capital of the world."

In 2008 alone, there were 40,000 marijuana arrests in New York City, most of them teens and young adults under the age of 26. What's more, 87 percent of those charged with pot possession were black and Latino. Nationwide, police arrest someone every 36 seconds on marijuana charges. A record 872,000 arrests were made in 2007, more than for all violent crimes combined.

"You have a right to inhale and enjoy marijuana without facing arrest," says Credico, who has launched a campaign website at www.Credico2010.com.

Credico's platform includes an ambitious list of priorities:

* Legalization of Marijuana
* Immediate pullout of Iraq
* Immediate pullout of Afghanistan
* Ending Plan Colombia Immediately
* End Drug War at home and abroad
* Repeal Patriot Act
* Abolish Mandatory Minimum Sentencing
* Repeal 1996 Omnibus Crime Bill
* Constitutional amendment abolishing death penalty
* Decriminalization of all Drugs

Mark Kirk Gets Skittish About Possible Glenn Beck Endorsement (WATCH)

2009-11-17T16:29:30Z

U.S. Senate candidate Mark Kirk may or may not accept an endorsement from conservative talk show host Glenn Beck -- he won't say either way.

After word broke that the self-described moderate Congressman was seeking kind words from Sarah Palin on behalf of his Senate bid, Think Progress caught up with Kirk and asked whether he would be open to an endorsement from the Fox News host, similar to the one Beck gave Doug Hoffman in the recent New York Congressional election.

"How about Glenn Beck," the interviewer asked Kirk, "If he offered his endorsement, would you accept that?"

Kirk smiled and said, "Uh, he's a very interesting guy. I don't think he's endorsing any candidates though."

"He endorsed Hoffman, though," the interviewer pressed. "You don't want him to endorse you?"

Kirk did he best to dodge, mumbling "nice to see you" and trying to walk off.

Kirk's Palin courting didn't go quite as planned, either. The campaign's hope was to have her say something positive about Kirk while she was in Chicago for the "The Oprah Winfrey Show." Palin, however, came and went without any public praise for Kirk.

Watch:

Schakowsky Endorses Giannoulias For Senate

2009-11-16T13:21:22Z

Democratic frontrunner Alexi Giannoulias trotted out another endorsement in his bid for President Obama's former U.S. Senate seat.

U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky this weekend became the latest of Illinois' Congressional Democrats to line up behind Obama's old basketball buddy, joining fellow Illinois Democratic Reps. Luis Gutierrez, Phil Hare, Bill Foster and Mike Quigley.

Schakowsky is a leading proponent of health care reform, particularly the public option, and she praised the state treasurer for pledging to support families over insurance companies.

"Alexi Giannoulias is the best candidate to retain President Obama's seat because he has the courage to take on powerful interests and stand up for Illinois families," Schakowsky said in a statement. "He supports health-insurance reform that will reign in the soaring costs of premiums and protect families from losing coverage during these difficult economic times."

Giannoulias faces former Chicago Urban League President Cheryle Jackson, former Chicago Inspector General David Hoffman, and attorney Jacob Meister in the Democratic primary.

North Shore Congressman Mark Kirk is fending off a challenge from Hinsdale developer Patrick Hughes in the Republican primary.

Kirk has been a consistent opponent of the Democratic-led health care reform efforts, and Giannoulias and Schakowsky criticized him as being on the wrong side of the debate.

"Jan and I believe in a simple proposition: if you pay your premiums your insurance company should cover you - no exceptions, no caps, no limits," Giannoulias said in a statement. "Mark Kirk disagrees. He believes in protecting insurance companies, not protecting people."

As of the latest reporting period, Giannoulias leads all candidates in money raised.

Jacob Meister, Long Shot Dem Senate Candidate, Rips Higher Profile Rivals

2009-11-13T14:21:02Z

Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Jacob Meister criticized his opponents Thursday for being political insiders.

'Anti-Washington' Jane Norton Gets Acquainted With DC Lobbyists

2009-11-12T17:06:12Z

Colorado Senate contender Jane Norton seems to already enjoy a cozy relationship with DC insiders, despite her crusade to craft a decidedly anti-Washington image.

Norton will attend a GOP fundraising fete Tuesday at a Capitol Hill townhouse with a guest list that boasts lobbyist Judy Black, wife of Charles Black, a top adviser to Sen. John McCain in his presidential bid, Maria Cino, a 2008 Republican convention organizer, and lobbyist Susan Molinari, a former member of Congress, according to the Sunlight Foundation's Political Party Time blog.

Norton lambasted traditional DC fundraising practices at a GOP Senate candidate forum Tuesday night, reported the Denver Post.

"The very heart and soul of who we are as Americans is being eroded. We're seeing Washington's giant hand grabbing everything in site."

Norton, favorite in the Colorado Senate race, has already raised over a half a million dollars since announcing her bid for the Senate in September. Her impressive donor list includes such "anti-establishment" politicians as Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Minority Whip Jon Kyl, Sens. Chuck Grassley, Lindsey Graham, Kay Baily Hutchison and, of course, John McCain, according to Congressional Quarterly.

She had this to say on reckless government spending when kicking off her Senate campaign:

"Colorado deserves a senator who will stand up to big government power grabs. Colorado deserves a senator who will stand up to the big spenders in both parties.

UPDATE: A spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee points out that Jane Norton and Judy Black are sisters, so they were already quite cozy before this event was scheduled.

Read more: Senate Races, Lobbyblog, Politics News

Howie Klein: Can We Afford to Let Blanche Lincoln Stop Health Care Reform Dead in Its Tracks?

2009-11-10T11:07:33Z

You can rail all you want at Joe Lieberman -- we all do -- but it's like feeding a troll; he loves the attention and the sense of martyrdom. And getting the Democrats to kick him out of the caucus if he joins the Republican filibuster of health care? Fat chance. Mary Landrieu? As usual she's more concerned about what her corporate donors and K Street lobbyist pals think than what her constituents want -- especially when she's not up for re-election for 5 years. Baucus? Nelson? Same thing. They each figure everyone's attention span is short enough so that nothing will matter when they face the voters in Montana and Nebraska next ... respectively in 2014 and 2012.

No, as we've been telling you all year, there's really only one weak link worth trying to beat into submission: Arkansas' corrupt and reactionary -- don't those two terms always seem to find a way of cuddling up with each other? -- senior senator, Blanche Lincoln. Blue America has run TV spots against Lincoln all summer and fall and she's watched her re-elect numbers dwindle down to a place where if a serious opponent -- i.e., one with big bucks to buy advertising -- jumped into the race, she would lose. She may lose anyway, even though her current opponents would probably do better if they toured together as a carnival freak show. Yesterday the RNC started their own campaign against her, trying to push her to vote with Republicans -- as she so often does -- and against health care reform.

This week Blue America and our friends at Donkey On The Edge Productions have a brand new ad for Arkansas voters to look at -- the fourth in our series -- and the message is very different from the Republicans'. By all means, be the first to view it, and please consider making a contribution on our Campaign for Health Care Choice page so we can run it deep and wide.

Gutierrez Endorsing Giannoulias For Obama's Old Senate Seat

2009-11-09T13:33:32Z

Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias is set to receive the endorsement today of Illinois' highest-ranking Hispanic elected official, U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, in the Democratic primary race for U.S. Senate.

Reese Schonfeld: "Informed Sources": What Really Happened When Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin Got Into Upstate New York Politics

2009-11-08T19:50:04Z

As New York residents know, ever since Governor Spitzer got caught in the wrong hotel room, Albany has been in turmoil. The latest tempest involved the 23rd Congressional district where, to the astonishment of the political establishment, the Republican candidate was forced out of the race because of her positions on gay and abortion rights. Her departure left the field wide open for the Conservative Party nominee.

Who forced her out--Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh and the other far-right Conservatives, who argued that a woman who supported abortion rights and gay marriage should not run be on the Republican ticket. (The Democratic candidate won, but that's beside the point.) The question is why did the Republican Party drop its own nominees and abandon out the race?

The answer (according to "informed sources"): former NY Governor George Pataki brokered a deal in an attempt to sew up his nomination on the Conservative line if he runs for the Senate in 2012. After the deal was announced Pataki made a statement in support of the Conservative candidate and campaigned for him. Pataki had been backed by the New York Conservative Party when he ran for Governor, but he was perceived as relatively "moderate" during his three terms in office. According to my sources, Pataki's political ambitions are centered on a Senate run for the seat formerly held by Hillary Clinton and now, thanks to Spitzer's successor as Governor David Paterson, occupied by Kirsten Gillibrand, a former upstate Democratic Congresswoman.

How did she get the nod from Paterson? My sources suggest that former Republican Senator Al D'Amato, a close Pataki political ally, and now an equally close advisor to Democratic Governor Paterson, persuaded him to choose the little known Gillibrand over Caroline Kennedy (JFK's daughter). who had been expected to gain the appointment. Paterson's decision seemed abrupt and strange, and was certainly badly handled. The appointment brought upon him the wrath of many in the Democratic Party, and according to polls, has reduced his popularity with Democrats in the state to a mere 17%.

Who has it helped? Certainly George Pataki, Al D'Amato's close pal. Gillibrand, who has done a pretty good job as Senator, is a far less formidable opponent than Caroline Kennedy would've been if Pataki decides to run in 2012.

But still, why did Pataki broker the deal in the first place? The answer: he wants to ensure the support of the Limbaugh-Palin wing of the Republican Party; he doesn't want a challenge for the Senate spot on the Conservative Party line either. So according to my upstate New York "informed sources", the biggest winner in last Tuesday's New York election is George Pataki. Republicans may have lost a seat in the House of Representatives, but that's a small price to pay if they gain a Senate seat in 2012.

As for pro-tem Governor David Paterson, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is favored to win the Democratic nomination for Governor in 2010 and Patterson may be consigned to the dustbin of Albany history. It cannot come too soon.

Kirk Slammed From Right And Left For Courting Sarah Palin

2009-11-05T20:50:36Z

When word broke that self-described moderate Republican Mark Kirk was angling for kind words from Sarah Palin for his U.S. Senate bid, the response from his rivals was savage and uniform.

All three leading Democrats, as well as Kirk's Republican challenger, accused him of inconsistency, a criticism that has nagged Kirk ever since he backed away from his vote in favor of climate change legislation in June.

Kirk said he voted for the Democratic climate change bill because the constituents of his North Shore Congressional District wanted him to. As a senator representing an entire state, he said, he would vote against the same bill.

Kirk's rightward evolution was seen as an attempt to appeal to a Republican base that remained skeptical of his conservative bonafides. And while his courting of Palin could be seen as another effort to shore up support of the base, opponents seized on Kirk's snubbing of Palin during the 2008 presidential race as further evidence of his lack of conviction.

"Mark Kirk begging for Sarah Palin's endorsement makes it clear that he'll seek any endorsement, take up any policy position, and attempt any political maneuver that he thinks will get him more votes," state treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, a leading Democratic candidate, said in a statement. "At the very best, this is shameless political pandering. At worst, it's further proof that Mark Kirk lacks the political courage to make the tough decisions to move our nation forward."

"What does Mark Kirk really believe?" asked Democratic candidate David Hoffman. "Last year he correctly called the addition of Sarah Palin to the McCain ticket a mistake. This year, when faced with a conservative primary challenge he is pandering to her. Kirk has again revealed his true colors: No principles, no standards, whatever it takes to win."

For Democrat Cheryle Robinson Jackson, Kirk's reaching out to Palin seemed to nix any claim he has to being a moderate.

"By openly soliciting Sarah Palin's blessing, Mark Kirk is showing Illinois his true colors," Jackson said in a statement. "Although he claims to be a moderate, Kirk is pandering to the extreme right wing of his party, and in so doing turning his back on the hard-working Illinois families who hope to change the way our government works and don't want to go back to the failed policies of the Bush Administration."

Republican candidate Patrick Hughes responded to Kirk's move to the right by trying to protect turf he wants to establish as his own-- by also accusing Kirk of pandering.

"I believe Mark Kirk, who has consistently supported President Obama's legislative agenda, including cap and trade legislation, is quickly realizing that Republican Primary voters do not share his extreme views," Hughes said in a statement. "In a desperate attempt to prove otherwise, he is seeking the endorsement of Sarah Palin, a true Reagan conservative, to help disguise his liberal voting record."

The Hughes campaign followed up on Thursday with poll numbers that it claims show that self-described conservatives overwhelmingly prefer Hughes to Kirk. According to their numbers, Kirk's favorable to unfavorable rating among conservatives is 2.7:1, compared with 9:1 for Hughes.

The Kirk campaign could not be reached for comment.

Kirk holds a vast lead over Hughes in both fundraising and name recognition. Recent polls show Kirk and Giannoulias nearly even in a hypothetical general election.

On Thursday, the Giannoulias campaign used Kirk's Palin memo to try drum up campaign contributions.

"We can't let Mark Kirk and Sarah Palin take us back to the failed, Republican policies that got us into this economic mess," an e-mail solicitation reads.

Palin has yet to say whether she will tout Kirk when she comes to Chicago to appear on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" Nov. 16.

UPDATE: The Giannoulias campaign wasted little time turning Kirk's Palin play into a negative campaign ad, which it titled "Mark Kirk Going Rogue...on Himself."

Mark Kirk: I Expect To Face Giannoulias For Obama's Old Senate Seat

2009-11-03T15:24:32Z

North Shore Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk said today that he expects he and first-term Democratic state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias will face off a year from now in the general election for U.S. Senate.

Giannoulias Pulls Ahead Of Kirk In New Poll From Campaign

2009-11-02T15:15:21Z

Democrat Alexi Giannoulias has pulled slightly ahead of Republican Mark Kirk in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup in the race for Illinois' soon-to-be-vacant U.S. Senate seat, according to a new poll.

A poll commissioned by the Giannoulias campaign shows the first-term state treasurer and Democratic frontrunner beating the North Shore congressman 46 percent to 43 percent based on a sample of 805 likely voters.

The same poll, conducted Oct. 25-28 by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, shows Democratic rival David Hoffman trailing Kirk 39 percent to 48 percent. The poll contains a 3.5-percentage-point margin of error.

Fellow Democrats Cheryle Robinson Jackson, the former president of the Chicago Urban League, and Jacob Meister, a Chicago attorney, were not included in the poll.

Giannoulias campaign spokeswoman Kati Phillips said Monday it left Jackson out because it already had information on her from a previous poll the campaign commissioned in late July. That poll showed Giannoulias getting 45 percent of the vote, compared with 7 percent for Jackson and 17 percent for Chris Kennedy, who never entered the race.

This was the first time the Giannoulias team had included Hoffman in a poll. The former Chicago inspector general and federal prosecutor entered the race in late August.

The Kirk campaign, however, conducted its own poll Oct. 12 which had their candidate leading Giannoulias by seven points.

A Rasmussen poll from two weeks ago had the two candidates in a dead heat.

Both Giannoulias and Hoffman have had White House meetings with President Obama's senior advisor, David Axelrod, about the race for the president's former seat.

The Obama Administration has said it will not endorse a candidate after it failed to persuade Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan to enter the race.

Matt Mackowiak: Crist's Senate Candidacy Undercut by Claims, Power Grab

2009-10-29T16:34:45Z

As
the open U.S. Senate race in Florida heats up, the record of incumbent Governor
Charlie Crist is rightly being examined by the news media, conservative
activists and Florida voters.

The
deeper one digs into his record, the more skeptical they become.

While
Crist once rode sky-high approval ratings, today he’s facing fire from all
sides as unemployment in Florida has reached 11 percent, the housing bubble
burst in South Florida, and the state faces a bleak economic picture. Meanwhile, the state’s Chief Executive has
his eye on another office.

With
the surging candidacy of Florida Speaker of the House Marco Rubio (R-FL), Gov. Crist
recently moved his Gubernatorial Chief of Staff over to manage his U.S. Senate
campaign. With this decision, it’s clear
where Gov. Crist’s priorities lie.

Conservative
columnist Reihan Salam recently wrote in Forbes magazine
that Gov. Crist may be “America’s worst Governor.”

In
recent weeks, we have seen two important examples of Crist’s dubious claims and
self-dealing.

First,
in an attempt to shore up his conservative credentials, Crist utilized his huge
cash advantage to air radio advertisements 11 months before the primary. In the ad, Crist claims to have cut
government spending by 10 percent ($7 billion) is his first term.

But
a fact
check by the St.
Petersburg Times called Crist’s claims “barely true,” given that the State
Constitution requires a balanced budget and with the Florida economy
contracting Crist had no choice and little to do with the cuts.

About
Crists’s claims, Florida TaxWatch CEO Dominic Calabro said, “This is not a
concerted effort on the part of our Governor and Legislature to cut the
budget. It’s because of the worst
economy Florida has had since the Great Depression.”

Second,
apart from the Florida economy, Gov. Crist has also clumsily attempted to stack
the deck of an independent regulatory body to overturn a likely agency decision
that he disagreed with.

Gov.
Crist announced on October 1 that he was denying a request for re-appointment
of two members of the five-member Public Service Commission (PSC), which
oversee the public utilities in Florida, and instead deciding to “clean house”
and appoint two new members of the board in the middle of complicated hearings.

This
announcement, viewed independently, falls within his powers as the Governor.

But
the PSC was in the midst of considering rate requests, the first in two
decades, from two utilities, which they claim will increase efficiency and
result in cleaner, stronger and smarter energy infrastructure in this rapidly
growing state. Also at stake are the
credit ratings of both utilities if their cash flow is not maintained through
their rate increase proposal.

The
notification of the proposed rate appeal, which requires approval from the PSC
to take effect, was first made in late 2008 as the existing rate term expires
at the end of 2009.

With
explosive population growth and the need to foster economic development,
Florida should be particularly sensitive to ensuring that their infrastructure
is meeting their needs. But at the heart
of this case is the long and combative relationship Gov. Crist has with the
Florida utilities. In 2005, as Attorney
General he challenged a rate hike for new power plants and maintenance. In 2006, at the last minute, he made known
his opposition to a utility request for customers to cover storm costs, which
resulted in a partial denial from the PSC and reduced earnings.

One
reasonable question to ask: why did the Governor appoint two new members in
October for board seats that would not be available until Jan. 1?

It
appears that Gov. Crist, who publicly opposes the proposed rate changes,
attempted to sideline two current members of the PSC with the hope that it would
affect votes set for Nov. 19 and Dec. 21, before their terms expire. One of the board members resigned immediately
and now Gov. Crist put his selected applicant in place before the November vote.

On
Oct. 2, Gov. Crist even asked the PSC to delay their rate case decision until
his appointees took office in January. On
Oct. 27, the PSC agreed to Crist’s demand and will delay the rate decisions
until at least Jan. 4.

Besides
the suspicious timing of the appointments and the delay sought, Gov. Crist then
tried to claim that the question of rate increases was never brought up before
he announced his two new appointees, David E. Klement and Benjamin “Steve” Stevens.

According
to the Orlando Sentinel, Gov. Crist said he did not pose any
rate-increase litmus test questions to Klement or Stevens, though he has
clearly and publicly signaled his desired outcome. "I did not pose that
question," he said. Such a
statement requires willing suspension of disbelief.

This case may have a chilling
effect in Florida. Government officials,
even those at independent regulatory bodies, must toe the line of the Governor
or risk being professionally embarrassed, undermined or passed over.

"I think it's no accident that all these
shenanigans and sideshows are happening because we have these two rate
cases," PSC Chairman Matthew Carter has said.

In choosing to run for the U.S. Senate seat
before completing his first term as Governor, Charlie Crist has brought
scrutiny, pressure, and examination onto his record of public service.

And while many Washington Republicans initially
backed Crist for political reasons, they now have cause for worry about the
Governor’s political prospects.

Matt Mackowiak is an Austin
and Washington, D.C.-based GOP political and communications consultant and
founder of Potomac Strategy Group, LLC, and was Press Secretary to two U.S.
Senators from 2005-2009.

GOP Senate Candidate Caught Overplaying Mike Ditka's Endorsement

2009-10-22T17:42:27Z

In a single day, a longshot Republican Senate candidate got caught trumpeting an endorsement he didn't have, then landing the endorsement after all.

In a bizarre political mix-up, former Bears coach Mike Ditka denied having endorsed Patrick Hughes, the Hinsdale developer running for President Obama's former Senate seat, or agreeing to serve on his finance committee. But hours after the news was reported on the blog Team America and picked up by the widely-read Capitol Fax blog, the two men released a terse joint statement designed to smooth the damage.

"As of October 22nd, Mike Ditka is endorsing Patrick Hughes for U.S. Senate," the statement read. "We have no further comment on anything that has been discussed or reported in any media."

The Hughes campaign touted the endorsement of the prominent former coach on its web site at the beginning of October.

"I pledge all my support to Patrick Hughes and I will help him in any way I can," the erroneous announcement read. "Patrick Hughes stands for the same mainstream values that Mike Ditka stands for. Patrick Hughes knows who he is and what he believes. He knows that Washington is not the answer to all of our problems today."

The campaign, however, had jumped the gun and removed the announcement after Andy Martin, a perennial Republican candidate, and the conservative blog Illinois Review raised questions about the endorsement.

A statement from Ditka's lawyer to Team America made it clear that the Hughes campaign mistook the coach's enthusiasm for an official endorsement.

"Pat spoke at the restaurant last week and presented small government and Reaganomic points of view," Ditka said in a statement clarifying his position. "He asked if I would endorse his candidacy and I indicated I supported his views. We were never given the opportunity to agree to a press release which claimed I officially endorsed his candidacy."

Ditka went on to say that while he may have endorsed some concepts discussed at a gathering at his restaurant, he never "publicly officially endorsed [Hughes] and certainly did not agree to serve on his finance committee."

The latest statement, the one released by both men Thursday afternoon, confirmed that Ditka will not in fact serve on Hughes' finance team.

"Due to Coach Ditka's numerous business and personal commitments, he will not be serving on Patrick Hughes' finance committee," the statement read.

Hughes, who entered the race in August, is far behind frontrunner U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk in fundraising. The Hinsdale developer reported raising $380,000 compared with Kirk's $2.3 million.

The notion that Ditka had endorsed Hughes over Kirk had helped buttress the perception that conservative Republicans are reluctant to support the self-described moderate North Shore congressman.

Race For Obama's Former Senate Seat A Dead Heat In Recent Poll

2009-10-21T19:10:02Z

Democrat Alexi Giannoulias has closed a narrow gap with Republican Mark Kirk in a hypothetical showdown between the current frontrunners for President Obama's former Senate seat, a new Rasmussen poll finds.

The Democratic state treasurer and the Republican Congressman tied with 41 percent support in the latest Rasmussen Reports Illinois phone poll of 500 likely voters released Monday. Another 4 percent said they intend to support some other candidate, and 13 percent were undecided.

Women prefer Giannoulias over Kirk 43 percent to 38 percent, while men prefer Kirk 45 percent to 39 percent. And especially important for a race that both parties expect to be close, independents favor Kirk over Giannoulias by a two-to-one margin, 52 percent to 23 percent. Giannoulias campaign told the Sun-Times' Carol Marin that its internal polling shows the Democrat five points ahead of Kirk.

Rasmussen conducted its phone survey of 500 likely Illinois voters on Oct. 14. There is a 4.5 percent margin of error.

A Rasmussen poll done in August showed Kirk leading Giannoulias 41 percent to 38 percent.

The same poll showed 17 percent undecided in August, a number that dropped to 13 percent in the same period that Giannoulias gained 3 percentage points. The percentage who said they intend to vote for some other candidate stayed consistent between the two polls at 4 percent.

Kirk and Giannoulias far outpace the rest of the field in both fundraising and name recognition. Kirk raised way more money than his GOP primary opponent Patrick Hughes in the latest fundraising period -- $1.6 million versus $380,000.

Former Chicago Urban League president Cheryle Robinson Jackson, a former Blagojevich spokeswoman who on Monday won the backing of U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, narrowed the gap in a head-to-head with Kirk to four points -- 43 percent to 39 percent. Kirk led Jackson by 17 points in August.

Polled Independent voters, however, picked Kirk over Jackson 52 percent to 19 percent.

Kirk also leads another Democratic hopeful, former Chicago Inspector General David Hoffman, 43 percent to 33 percent.

In what could be a promising sign for Hoffman, 16 percent are undecided in a match-up with Kirk, the highest undecided percentage in any of the three polled scenarios. The survey did not include how Hoffman fares against Kirk with independents. More respondents said they had no opinion of Hoffman (48 percent) than any other candidate.

Neither the new Rasmussen poll nor the one done in August included Chicago attorney Jacob Meister, a fourth Democratic candidate.

Democratic Senate Candidates Blast Kirk Over Health Care Comment

2009-10-20T16:37:51Z

Three Democratic U.S. Senate candidates jumped all over Republican rival Mark Kirk Tuesday after the North Shore congressmen said voting for the Obama administration's health care reform effort would endanger vulnerable Democrats.

In a sign of how the national health care reform debate is affecting local Senate races, former Chicago Inspector General David Hoffman, state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias and former Chicago Urban League president Cheryle Robinson Jackson all released blistering statements in response to Kirk's suggestion that voting for health care reform is politically toxic.

"Several dozen House Democrats risk losing their jobs if they vote for reform," Kirk told Politico Tuesday, saying that Republicans were comfortable as the party of 'no' because they sense voters will punish Democrats for the bill in the mid-term elections.

The Democrats charged Kirk with putting politics above people's health.

"Mark Kirk is aiding and abetting the insurance companies who are trying to stop health care reform," Hoffman said in a statement. "It's shameful. Illinois families who have lost their jobs and health care deserve better. Kirk continues to play politics on this critical issue."

Minutes later, the Giannoulias campaign sounded off.

"It's sad that Congressman Kirk would rather win an election than lower the cost of health care for Illinois families, but with these words and ten years of voting with big drug and insurance companies to block reform, Congressman Kirk has made it clear he puts politics ahead of our families," Giannoulias said in a statement.

"Mark Kirk's statement to politico.com shows he is first and foremost focused on political gain at the expense of sound policy and the needs of Illinois families," the Jackson campaign said in its statement. "The time is long past to put people before politics in Illinois. Mark Kirk needs to think more about policy and what's good for his constituents and less about maneuvering for mere political gain."

Kirk released his own national reform plan in August that he said would prevent government interference in health care and cut costs by limiting medical malpractice suits. He gave no specifics, though, on how much it would cost or save.

Kirk and Giannoulias are neck-and-neck in fundraising and popular support. A Rasmussen poll released Monday found the two frontrunners in a dead heat, and both have raised more than $2 million toward their runs.

Hoffman trails Giannoulias in fundraising and name recognition. In a hypothetical head-to-head with Kirk, Hoffman trails by 10 percentage points, 43 percent to 33 percent. Jackson trails Kirk by just 4 points in Rasmussen's hypothetical matchup, 43 percent to 39 percent.

Democrat Jacob Meister and Republican Patrick Hughes are also seeking to replace Roland Burris in President Obama's old Senate seat.

Hoffman Releases Tax Returns, Dares Giannoulias To Follow

2009-10-16T20:15:03Z

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate David Hoffman released his last five end-of-year federal income tax returns Thursday and pointedly called on frontrunner Alexi Giannoulias to follow suit.

The former federal prosecutor and Chicago inspector general opened up his personal finances to scrutiny this week while challenging the state treasurer to let the public have a close look inside his pocket book, particularly his ties to the bank his family controls.

Crain's Chicago Business reported last month that the Giannoulias family-owned Broadway Bank pulled out $70 million-worth of dividends in 2007 and 2008, just before the housing downturn threatened the bank's solvency.

"It's a simple request -- full and complete transparency of personal tax returns," Hoffman said in a statement distributed by the campaign. "After the recent problems and scandals in Illinois, that's the very least that candidates for U.S. Senate owe the voters."

The Giannoulias campaign declined to respond. Hoffman did not specifically target another rival Democratic candidate, Cheryle Robinson Jackson, in his statement.

In the last five years, Hoffman made between $247,726 (2008) and $630,034 (2007), the most fluctuation coming in capital gains. He inherited a sizeable trust from his grandfather, a former CEO of GEICO Insurance.

In the press release accompanying the tax returns, Hoffman pledged to place his money in a blind trust should he be elected to the Senate.

"If we are going to restore trust and integrity in the system, it is critical for candidates to be completely transparent about their personal finances," Hoffman said in the statement. "The voters are entitled to know as much as possible about each candidate so they can be sure there are no conflicts-of-interest, improper dealings, or private agendas in play."

Hoffman Tax Returns -

Cheryle Jackson Behind Rival Democrats In Senate Money Hunt

2009-10-13T15:56:56Z

Democrat Cheryle Robinson Jackson raised $355,000 in the latest fund-raising period toward her run for President Obama's former Senate seat, her campaign announced Tuesday.

The former Chicago Urban League president's campaign has the bulk of that money available, but it still trails Democratic rivals Alexi Giannoulias, the state treasurer, and former Chicago inspector General David Hoffman in total money raised.

The Jackson campaign said the total does not yet reflect the potential influence of her endorsement by EMILY's list, a national organization that raises money for pro-choice women candidates.

"These results, coupled with Cheryle's strong base among African-American voters and growing support from women show we will have the necessary resources to deliver our message and win in February, 2010," campaign manager Rodney Shelton said in a statement. "The campaign is off to a solid start since Cheryle announced last month."

Giannoulias leads the Democratic candidate money hunt, with $1.1 million raised over the summer and a total of nearly $2.4 million on hand. Hoffman and attorney Jacob Meister each bolstered their coffers with significant personal loans of $500,000 and $1 million, respectively.

The Jackson campaign, which was the last to release its fundraising numbers, took a shot at Hoffman and Meister for tapping personal money for their bids.

"Jackson does not enjoy the personal wealth that enables her opponents to self-finance their campaigns," the campaign press release read.

U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk, the frontrunner for the Republican nomination, raised the most of all candidates during the period with a $1.6 million quarter. His primary rival Patrick Hughes raised $380,000 in the same period.

Mark Kirk Campaign Poll Has Him Ahead of Giannoulias In Senate Race

2009-10-12T19:24:54Z

Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) holds a seven-point lead over Alexi Giannoulias (D) and a wide lead over GOP primary opponents in his Senate campaign, according to automated polling conducted for Kirk's campaign.

Giannoulias Trails Kirk In Latest Fundraising But Leads Overall Senate Money Race

2009-10-06T12:15:15Z

State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias reported Tuesday his campaign raised $1.1 million in the third quarter of 2009 and has $2.4 million on hand in the race for President Obama's former Senate seat.

Giannoulias outpaced Democratic challengers David Hoffman and Jacob Meister, both of whom raised about $1 million in the third quarter, but did not equal Republican Mark Kirk's $1.6 million haul for the fundraising period.

U.S. Rep. Kirk, the Republican frontrunner, still trails Giannoulias in total campaign cash, but narrowed the gap after using Sen. John McCain's donor list for a Chicago fundraiser that netted him $500,000 according to Capitol Fax. McCain has endorsed Kirk and is actively supporting his campaign.

Giannoulias has raised $2.85 million since launching his Senate bid in March, none of it from corporate PACs or federal lobbyists, according to his campaign. That total does not count donations Giannoulias has made to his own campaign.

By contrast, Hoffman's $905,000 includes a $500,000 personal loan to his campaign, while over $1 million of Meister's $1,057,000 third quarter total came from the candidate himself.

The Giannoulias camp has made contributions from lobbyists and PACs a central point of difference between the state treasurer and Congressman Kirk, whom they have tried to paint as beholden to corporate influence.

"Lobbyists and special interests in Washington have blocked change for too long," Giannoulias said in a statement. "Mark Kirk has taken their money and voted their way and the people of Illinois deserve better."

Another Democratic candidate, Cheryle Robinson Jackson, the former Chicago Urban League president, has yet to release her third quarter numbers.