Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R), whose first debate with Democratic state Attorney General Terry Goddard (D) featured an agonizingly long period of silence after Brewer stumbled in her opening statement, said Thursday she won't debate her opponent again ahead of November.
"I certainly will take my message in a different venue out to the people of Arizona," Brewer told Arizona's Capitol Media Services.
Brewer argued both she and Goddard have been in public service long enough for their records to be well known among Arizona voters and suggested no other debates were necessary.
The governor also said additional debates would only serve to help Goddard.
"Why would I want to give Terry a chance to redefine himself?" she said.
The video of Brewer from Wednesday's debate is below.
Former Rep. Nathan Deal (R) released three decades of his tax returns on Thursday. The Georgia gubernatorial candidate had been under pressure to release the documents after Democratic rival Roy Barnes earlier released 25 years of returns.
The former North Georgia congressman, who listed his net worth at $2.5 million on his financial disclosures, put 29 years worth of his income tax records online after 6 p.m. He released only 1040 forms, which offer a basic overview, however, not the detailed supplemental forms that show the specific revenue streams from specific businesses and properties.
The more detailed forms might shed light on his financial interest in a salvage business in Gainesville — questions about those interests led to a congressional ethics investigation.
Campaign spokesman Brian Robinson did not say whether Deal planned to give the same detailed accounting as Barnes, but said the 1040 forms, combined with the financial disclosures to the state Ethics Commission and to Congress gave a complete financial picture.
"It shows how much he made and how much he paid in taxes," Robinson said. "It shows what he owns."
Deal's tax returns have been a political liability for him in the past. The Office of Congressional Ethics in March found that he had improperly described income from his family's salvage business. He classified the $75,000 he received from Recovery Services Inc. as dividends in his congressional filings, when in fact he reported the money as wages on his 2008 tax return. That amount exceeded the House rule on outside income — the Republican retired on March 21, before the House ethics committee could take further action against him.
Colorado Republicans appear set to replace embattled gubernatorial candidate Dan Maes.
Maes has been losing the support of prominent backers since a story broke that he embellished his record as a police officer in Liberal, Kan. Now Tea Party groups are turning on the candidate they once supported.
"Alright Dan Maes — it's time for you to go. Get out now, while the gettin' is still good,” Lesley Hollywood, director of the Northern Colorado Tea Party, wrote on her Facebook page. And Tea Party organizer Janet Rowland, a Mesa County commissioner, called Maes a "fraud,"according to the Denver Post.
"He has nobody left," state GOP Chairman Dick Wadhams said.
Maes remains defiant.
"This is a culture war, a culture war between the people and the machine, and we're going to find out who controls things," Maes said. "I am not getting out of the race."
Former state Senate President John Andrews hinted Republicans are looking at former Senate candidate Jane Norton (R) to step in for Maes.
"I intend to write in a vote for Jane Norton for governor," he said on Thursday.
Norton lost to Republican Senate nominee Ken Buck in the primary. Her entry into the race could offer the Colorado GOP a more appealing option than former Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.), who's running under the American Constitution Party banner. Democrat John Hickenlooper is considered the front-runner.
Colorado Republican Dan Maes insists he's staying in the governor's race despite a chorus of prominent Republicans calling for him to step aside.
Former Senate candidate Pete Coors (R) on Thursday said, "[I]t would be in the Republican party's and Colorado's best interest if Dan would step down so that a more competitive situation with a new, unifying candidate could be put forward."
Maes is under scrutunity for claims he worked "undercover" for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. But the agency said it has no record of his service during his time as a police officer from 1983 to 1985. Moreover, the chief of police in Liberal, Kan., where Maes worked as a cop, did not remember his department ever being involved in the investigation Maes referenced in his website biography.
Maes was eventually fired from his job in Liberal, and he blamed his dismissal on "corruption."
Coors wasn't the only Republican on Thursday to call on Maes to quit.
Former state Senate president John Andrews said Maes "flunked his job interview."
"The party should cut Maes loose if he does not resign the nomination," he said in a statement.
He added: "I intend write in a vote for Jane Norton for Governor."
Norton lost to Republican Senate nominee Ken Buck in the primary. Her entry into the race could offer the Colorado GOP a more appealing option than former Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.), who's running under the American Constitution Party banner. Democrat John Hickenlooper is considered the frontrunner.
Maes insists he's staying in the race. "I am not getting out of the race, and that's all I have to say at this time," he toldTheDenver Post.
The Democratic Governors Association on Thursday filed a complaint with the Ohio Elections Commission, alleging Fox News gave an in-kind contribution to Ohio Republican John Kasich.
"There is reason to believe that FOX News Network, L.L.C. violated Ohio election law on August 18, 2010 when John Kasich appeared on a network program, solicited contributions for his campaign and FOX added the graphics 'John Kasich (R), KasichforOhio.com' under Mr. Kasich's image," the complaint states.
"The Republican Governors Association is actively engaged in working to elect John Kasich in Ohio. It appears that News America, Inc. and FOX News Network, L.L.C. are pursuing a multi-pronged strategy to support and elect Republican candidates."
Kasich is challenging Gov. Ted Strickland (D).
The committee called on the commission to investigate.
In August, The Wall Street Journal reported that News Corp., which owns Fox News, gave $1 million to the Republican Governors Association in June.
Republican Dan Maes, who is running for governor in Colorado, lost an influential endorsement after the Denver Post questioned his claims that he worked as an "undercover" police officer 25 years ago.
Former Sen. Hank Brown (R-Colo.) had backed Maes but said on Wednesday he was withdrawing his support.
"I'm concerned about the revelations. I'm withdrawing my endorsement," Brown told the paper. "I'm beginning to find that [Maes’] explanations are not adequate."
Maes was already facing a threat to his right flank from Tom Tancredo. The former Republican congressman asked Maes to withdraw over his campaign finance violations, and when he refused, Tancredo entered the race as a third-party candidate.
According to the Post, the Maes website biography stated: "At one point in my 2 years there I was place (sic) undercover by the Kansas Bureau of Investigations (sic) to gather information inside a bookmaking ring that was also allegedly selling drugs. I got too close to some significant people in the community who were involved in these activities and abruptly was dismissed from my position. ... I was blindsided and stunned to say the least."
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation, however, said it has no record of Maes working with the agency during his service as a police officer from 1983 to 1985. The chief of police in Liberal, Kan., where Maes worked as a cop, did not remember his department ever being involved in the investigation Maes described in his biography.
"Some people are probably taking that a little too literally," Maes said. "I was a city police officer providing information to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation."
But Maes admitted that he may have made some "incorrect comments."
Referring to his website biography, he said, "Whoever typed it, typed it. That's all I've got to say."
But Maes spokesman Nate Strauch later confirmed that Maes had written the comments.
Maes is up against Tancredo and Democrat John Hickenlooper in November.
Hugh Hefner rarely has much to tweet about when it comes to politics.
Tuesday proved an exception, though, when he noted that one California Democrat had visited him at home in Los Angeles.
"Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez is having lunch at the Mansion," he said. "I'm a long time supporter."
Sanchez, who represents the state's 47th district in neighboring Orange County, recently filed paperwork to fundraise for a 2014 gubernatorial run in California.
If she decides to run, it's a wise move to start early: In this year's race, former eBay CEO Meg Whitman (R) has spent $104 million of her own fortune so far to Attorney General Jerry Brown's (D) meager $630,000. Polls find the two to be virtually neck and neck, though observers note that Whitman could gain the upper hand with major TV ad buys.
In the event that Whitman loses, Sanchez would face the incumbent Brown in a Democratic primary. Otherwise, she'll need all the fundraising sources she can find.
Georgia Republican Nathan Deal's tax returns are again causing problems for the former lawmaker.
Deal's gubernatorial campaign has for the last two weeks been promising reporters he'll release his past tax returns. But a spokesman admitted on Friday he didn't file a 2009 return and instead sought an extension.
Democrat Roy Barnes, Deal's opponent, has released 25 years of tax returns.
Because of Deal's past tax returns, the Office of Congressional Ethics in March found that he had improperly described income from his family’s salvage business. He classified the $75,000 he received from Recovery Services Inc. as dividends in his congressional filings, when in fact he reportedthe money as wages on his 2008 tax return. That amount exceeded the House rule on outside income — the Republican retired on March 21, before the House ethics committee could take further action against him.
"We'll release them," Brian Robinson, a Deal spokesman, told the Savannah Morning News about the 2009 returns. "You'll know when we make the decision."
When contacted by The Ballot Box, a spokeswoman for Deal said it would happen soon.
Iowa Republicans will hear from Sarah Palin at the party's annual Ronald Reagan Dinner in September.
"The Iowa GOP is pleased that Gov. Palin is traveling to Iowa to join the battle to return principled, conservative leadership to Iowa," Matt Strawn, the party chairman, said in a statement. "Our economic and personal freedoms are under attack in Washington, DC and Des Moines. I know Iowa Republicans will be energized and motivated by Gov. Palin to stand up and fight for these principles all the way to Election Day and beyond."
There are at least two competitive House races and the gubernatorial contest happening in Iowa this cycle. The dinner, dubbed "A Salute to Freedom," will take place Sept. 17.
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