Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) campaign has spent months drawing the connection between primary rival J.D. Hayworth and disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff. On Monday, McCain drove the point home with his first TV ad to explicitly link the two men.
"Congressman J.D. Hayworth did favors for the infamous Jack Abramoff and his friends," the announcer says in the 30-second spot, which is airing statewide on cable and broadcast.
The McCain campaign spent the spring pressuring the former congressman to disclose the donors to the Freedom in Truth Trust (FITT), which he set up in 2008 to pay down legal bills stemming from the Abramoff lobbying scandal.
It then pivoted to hitting Hayworth on earmarks and his appearances in an infomerical for "free money" grants. It seemed to be effective -- polls have shown McCain pulling steadily ahead as the Aug. 24 primary approaches.
Hayworth released a TV ad last Friday that accused McCain of "lying" about his support for the "amnesty bill."
Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D) continues to target her fire on Rep. John Boozman's (R) ability to deliver federal dollars to Arkansas.
Lincoln, the chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, had been trying to get $1.5 billion to help farmers in Arkansas and around the country who are coping with natural disasters into a small-business bill. She later agreed to remove the provision after the Obama administration promised to fund the measure through the Department of Agriculture.
Boozman criticized Lincoln and the White House for the maneuver.
"It looks like they're just trying to bail out somebody who's in a difficult election by somehow coming up with money that there are real questions about whether they have the authority to do it," Boozman toldThe Associated Press in an interview.
Lincoln's campaign took issue with the remark.
"If he truly wanted to help Arkansas agricultural producers overcome $400 million in crop losses with an aid package that will boost our state's rural economy, he would help Senator Lincoln get the job done," Steve Patterson, Lincoln's campaign manager, said in a statement Monday. "Instead, he stood in the way and now complains when she worked around him."
The Boozman campaign insisted the Republican "unequivocally supports farmers" but wants "transparency in the process."
"Instead of paying for the relief, Speaker Pelosi [Calif.] put the provision in the 'Tax Extender Bill' which cloaked temporary tax relief in billons of dollars of permanent tax increases while greatly adding to our deficit," Patrick Creamer, a Boozman campaign spokesman, said in a statement. "As for the questions that many have raised surrounding Senator Lincoln’s arrangement with the White House, those are a direct result of the lack of transparency in the process."
In an interview with The Ballot Box last week, Lincoln dismissed the suggestion that a reelection pitch focused on federal dollars was against the grain in a year when spending is motivating street protests.
"I think people really want to see us getting results and that’s what I've worked to do," she said. "I think they appreciate that. I've worked hard for Arkansas and I've been an independent voice for Arkansas and I think that’s what they want."
Florida Senate candidate Kendrick Meek’s (D) campaign canceled a planned conference call with reporters Monday so he could cast an early ballot.
After voting at his precinct in Miami-Dade County, Meek encouraged supporters to vote for "the only real Democrat" in the race. He faces a challenge from real estate mogul Jeff Greene (D), with different polls showing each candidate in the lead.
Early voting runs through Aug. 21 in some counties and Aug. 22 in others. A spokeswoman for the Florida Department of State said it wouldn't predict how many voters will cast ballots before the Aug. 24 primary day. Early voting was instituted in Florida in 2004.
The Meek campaign also released the script of a robocall made on his behalf by Bob Graham, the former governor and senator.
"I know what it takes to get the job done for Florida, and I know Kendrick will get it done because he's a hard worker and knows what everyday Floridians are going through," Graham said the recording. "And, he's the only real Democrat in the race. All the other major candidates have run as Republicans. Please vote for my friend Kendrick Meek."
Greene also built events around early voting. His campaign organized a conference call Sunday that drew 7,800 supporters, according to a spokesman.
Meanwhile, Greene faces more negative coverage of his vast real estate holdings. Residents at the The Oasis, an apartment complex near Los Angles that Greene owns, complained about maintenance. "He needs to treat us better," one resident told the St. Petersburg Times.
In response, the Meek camp launched the website, SlumlordBillionaire.com.
After an ugly and personal campaign, the Republican primary for Senate between former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton and prosecutor Ken Buck is too close to call heading into Election Day.
Final numbersfrom Public Policy Polling out Monday have Norton leading Buck 45 percent to 43 percent, with 12 percent undecided.
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) made two campaign stops for Norton in Colorado Sunday as the candidate made her closing pitch to voters. She used McCain as a proxy to suggest Buck isn't as committed to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Buck has worked to paint Norton as the pick of the GOP establishment and is backed by many Tea Party groups in the state.
Among the 35 percent of likely Republican primary voters who called themselves members of the Tea Party movement, Buck leads that group by seven points. Among the 47 percent of likely voters who don't consider themselves members of the Tea Party, Norton holds a seven point lead.
The poll surveyed 767 likely voters and has a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3.5 percentage points.
On the Democratic side, Sen. Michael Bennet leads former state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff 49 percent to 43 percent, with 9 percent undecided.
Bennet has had the support of the White House, while Romanoff won the backing of former President Clinton.
The Democratic primary poll surveyed 448 likely voters and has a margin of error of plus-or-minus 4.6 percentage points.
The wildcard in both of these races is the role early voting will play in the process. In most of the state's 64 counties the election is mail-in only, with the secretary of state's office estimating that well over half of voters have already cast a ballot ahead of Election Day.
New numbers from Quinnipiac show former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon pulling away from former Rep. Rob Simmons (R) in Connecticut's Republican primary for Senate.
McMahon leads Simmons 50 percent to 28 percent, with businessman Peter Schiff polling at 15 percent.
A Q-poll from last week had showed Simmons making up some ground after restarting his Senate campaign a few weeks ago. Simmons has run two TV ads and made a handful of campaign appearances during the past three weeks.
He had suspended his campaign back in May after losing out on the party's endorsement at the Republican state convention, but never bowed out completely.
In a statement Monday, McMahon spokesman Ed Patru said the campaign is confident that primary voters will back McMahon Tuesday, calling her "the only fiscally conservative outsider with a record of job creation who can beat Dick Blumenthal."
Meanwhile, the Democratic primary for governor in Connecticut is in a dead heat ahead of primary day.
Businessman and one-time Joe Lieberman opponent Ned Lamont holds a 3-point lead over Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy — 45 percent to 42 percent.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the nation's largest business coalition, endorsed former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina (R) in the California Senate race.
The Chamber's national political director, Bill Miller, cited Fiorina's business acumen in his endorsement, saying her experience could help fix the country's economic woes.
"We’re endorsing Carly because she understands the challenges businesses are facing and will stand up for the people of California during these tough economic times," Miller said in a statement. "She is an invaluable leader who has a common-sense approach to job creation and getting America back on the road to recovery."
Fiorina is running to unseat Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), the chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
As the head of the panel, Boxer has been a strong advocate of cap-and-trade climate change legislation. The Chamber caused a stir last year when it lost several high-profile companies due to its opposition to similar legislation passed in the House.
The Chamber of Commerce has said it would support legislation that has a lesser impact on businesses than several current proposals.
Boxer's seat is a top Republican target this cycle. Several recent polls show the senator leading Fiorina by single digits.
To tout the group's endorsement of Fiorina, Miller will travel with Fiorina on a two-day, six-city tour in California to highlight "her record of supporting the state’s businesses and workers."
Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan (D) says shewould be happyto have President Obama back to the state to headline a campaign rally for her Senate campaign, and painted her Republican opponent as the Washington insider.
Carnahan is running against Rep. Roy Blunt (R) this fall for the seat left open by retiring Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.).
"The president's always welcome to come here," Carnahan said Saturday, according to Springfield's News-Leader. "I don't know what his plans are."
Last month, Obama hosted two fundraisers for Carnahan in Kansas City, events that Blunt's campaign quickly pounced on and turned into an attack ad.
Republicans are banking on the president's unpopularity in Missouri costing Carnahan in November. But Carnahan says it's her Republican opponent who should worry about his ties to Washington.
From the News-Leader:
During a stop at the Greene County Democratic Party headquarters, Carnahan said Republicans are wrong if they think equating the race for the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Christopher Bond with the president's popularity will work.
The race with Blunt, who has represented the Seventh District in Congress for 14 years, actually revolves around who will best represent Missourians, the Missouri secretary of state said.
She described Blunt as beholden to special interests and out of touch with the needs of Missourians.
"I'm not trying to be hard on him," Carnahan said of Blunt. "You know before he went to Washington, he was a pretty decent guy."
Still, the recently enacted healthcare law and other Obama administration priorities are deeply unpopular in the state.
Last week, a ballot measure rejecting the provision in the healthcare law requiring individuals without insurance to purchase coverage passed overwhelmingly. A full 71 percent voted in favor of Proposition C, which some pundits called a warning sign for Carnahan.
The latest Rasmussen numbers on the race have Blunt leading 49 percent to 43 percent.
Democratic Senate candidate Elaine Marshall says a trip to her state from President Obama would be "a great thing." But the Democrat didn't exactly endorse a campaign visit from the commander-in-chief.
Writing on the Huffington Post, Marshall attempted to clarify remarks she made on the Bill Press Show Friday that were reported by The Hill and others.
The Democrat, who's facing Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) in the fall, told Press that her campaign was discussing plans for a rally headlined by President Obama but that nothing was set.
Marshall also floated several other administration names as potential campaign surrogates, including First Lady Michelle Obama and Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.
"We want Robert Gibbs to come to North Carolina, he’s a North Carolina boy," she said.
Later Friday, Marshall said her comments were "taken a bit out of context and blown up to a bigger story."
Were Obama to make a trip to the state, Marshall said, "I would take the opportunity to thank him for endorsing legislation that would help small businesses and save 4,500 teacher jobs in North Carolina. I would also speak with him about ending the War in Afghanistan, and how Washington as a whole isn't responding to the needs of ordinary Americans."
She continued: "There is no doubt in my mind that anytime the President comes to our state it is a great thing. I would love to see President Obama come to North Carolina to discuss the issues and talk about what he is doing to try and fix the economy."
"Consider the record straightened," Marshall concluded.
But for Marshall the original question is still a tough one--would a campaign visit from Obama help?
While the president won North Carolina in 2008, his current approval rating in the state is underwater. A Rasmussen poll out Friday found 48 percent of likely voters "strongly disapprove" of the president's performance.
Polling shows Marshall within striking distance of Burr--the latest Rasmussen numbers have Burr up 49 percent to 40 percent.
But the problem for Marshall is with independent voters in the state. A recent survey from Public Policy Polling showed Burr with a 45 percent to 22 percent lead with independents.
Pollster Tom Jensen noted Friday that when Sen. Kay Hagan defeated Elizabeth Dole in 2008, she won independent voters in the state 48 percent to 44 percent.
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