Senate races

Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) spoke publicly for the first time Wednesday regarding his ex-legislative aide Brian Furer, who police allege held his girlfriend at knifepoint in 2008. 

Vitter downplayed the controversy, calling it old news. According to ABC News, Vitter told reporters the issue has been "misrepresented."

The Vitter aide who was involved in the 2008 altercation resigned last month after an ABC News report on the incident. Until Wednesday, Vitter repeatedly refused to answer questions about his decision to keep the man on his staff for two more years despite his arrest and subsequent guilty pleas to lesser charges.

When asked why he had assigned Furer to handle women's issues, Vitter said that he had done no such thing.

"He was not," Vitter said. "That's just one of several issues that have been completely misreported. Tanya Newman, Nicole Herbert in my office are assigned to women's issues. That's always been the case."   

Democrats are pushing back hard against that denial. Furer was listed on a number of websites and legislative directories as working on women's issues in Vitter's office. 

The National Organization for Women asked the Senate to censure Vitter this past weekend for keeping Furer on staff after the senator was made aware of the incident. 

Vitter spoke to reporters after officially filing papers for his re-election at the Louisiana secretary of state's office. 

Despite the controversy, Sen. Vitter still leads Rep. Charlie Melancon (D) in the polls. The latest Rasmussen numbers had Vitter ahead 53-35. 

South Carolina's unlikely Democratic Senate candidate, Alvin Greene, suggested manufacturing dolls of himself to bolster the U.S. economy and create jobs.

Greene proposed the idea Tuesday in an interview with The Guardian.

"Another thing we can do for jobs is make toys of me, especially for the holidays," he said. "Little dolls. Me. Like maybe little action dolls. Me in an army uniform, air force uniform and me in my suit. They can make toys of me and my vehicle, especially for the holidays and Christmas for the kids. That's something that would create jobs. So, you see, I think out of the box like that. It's not something a typical person would bring up. That's something that could happen, that makes sense. It's not a joke."

Greene is an Army and Air Force veteran and is unemployed. His surprise win has spurred suspicions among politicians that he might be a plant.

Last month Greene was asked to step down as the Democratic candidate by the South Carolina Democratic Party following reports he faces pending felony charges for obscenity, but he continues to stay in the race where he will be challenging incumbent Senator Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) in the election.

Gov. Manchin (D-W.Va.) would “highly consider” running but is waiting for the attorney general to rule on the process.

Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) weighed in Wednesday on the succession process for the late-Sen. Robert Byrd's seat for the first time.

Capito called for a special election this November to fill the seat. She echoed concerns raised by lawmakers and interests across the state that 28 months was too long for an appointed senator to serve. 

Capito's declaration comes ahead of a Wednesday morning announcement from Gov. Joe Manchin (D) about the process for Byrd's seat. Manchin is expected to address reporters at 11 a.m.

Capito is widely considered the top Republican contender for Byrd's seat or for the governor's office in 2012 should she decide to run for either. 

J.D. Hayworth (R) went up with his first TV ad of the Arizona Senate primary campaign Wednesday. 

“John McCain is hiding his record behind false attacks on my husband,” Mary Hayworth, the former congressman’s wife, says in the ad. “John McCain has sold out the people of Arizona on immigration, bailouts and tax increases. Now, John McCain has embraced character assassination to keep his job. John McCain should be ashamed.”

She notes that her husband is “not perfect” but he is a “principled conservative.”

This is Hayworth’s first response to a recent TV ad blitz by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). It’s not yet clear where the ad is airing. 

In their first debate Tuesday, Kansas Reps. Jerry Moran (R) and Todd Tiahrt (R) both assailed each other's congressional voting records.

The two are locked in a Republican primary for the nomination to fill the seat of Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback (R), who is running for governor. The primary is Aug. 3.

So far, it's been a race to prove which candidate is more conservative, which was Tuesday's theme.

Tiahrt accused Moran of not supporting former President George W. Bush's tax cuts, while Moran hit his opponent on his vote in favor of the Medicare prescription drug benefit.

One of the debate's most contentious exchanges came on the issue of immigration. From the AP:

[Moran] criticized Tiahrt during the debate for past support of proposals to allow some illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses and to make it easier for some to pay lower college tuition. Tiahrt said his views shifted as he consulted with Kansans and studied the issue.

... Tiahrt said he not only wants to complete the border fence but wants to stop printing bilingual election ballots, a practice he said encourages people to come to the U.S. illegally. Moran endorsed the new Arizona law - directing local police to check people's immigration status - and derided the Obama administration's challenge as "a silly waste of taxpayer dollars."

But amid that tough talk, Tiahrt acknowledged he once supported proposals on tuition and driver's licenses; Moran's staff noted Tiahrt co-sponsored legislation in 2001 and 2003. Supporters of such policies say they mostly help children who are brought to the U.S. by their parents and stay into young adulthood.

"A long time ago, I thought it was compassionate to not punish the children for the parents' sins, but I've listened to the people of Kansas. I've studied this issue," Tiahrt said. "I've come to the conclusion that we must build the fence, that we must say no to amnesty."

Tiahrt also reminded voters he has the backing of the Tea Party Express and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who endorsed him last month. Moran has the endorsement of Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) who will campaign Friday for Moran in Kansas. 

A Survey USA poll from late June gave Moran a 20-point lead. 

Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner has yet to endorse Senate nominee Lee Fisher and officials say she won’t.

Gov. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) will make a statement on the process to fill Robert Byrd’s seat Wednesday at 11 a.m.

President Barack Obama will campaign with Harry Reid at the Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on Thursday, the Senate majority leader’s campaign announced Tuesday.

Obama will then deliver a speech on the economy Friday morning at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He’s also expected to appear at a fundraiser for the senator.

Reid, who faces Republican Sharron Angle in November, sounded excited about the overnight presidential visit.

“I’m happy the president’s coming,” Reid told the Las Vegas Review-Journal after he toured a construction project in North Las Vegas Tuesday. “He’s got a plate full of problems.”

Asked if Obama’s visit will help his chances, Reid talked about how the late President Ronald Reagan came to Nevada to campaign for his GOP opponent when he first ran for Senate in 1986.

“Every time he came my numbers went down,” Reid said with a smile.


Labor groups are placing greater emphasis on state-level elections in Ohio with redistricting looming on the horizon. 

“We’ll be working very hard on the gubernatorial race,” Tim Burga, chief of staff for the AFL-CIO’s Ohio chapter, told The Ballot Box. “There’s added importance to that race, there’s no question about it.”

Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland (D) is facing a tough challenge from former Rep. John Kasich (R). 

Burga noted that unions, which boast close to a million members in the Buckeye State, aren’t neglecting the House or Senate races. “We’re going to be working hard on both” federal and state races, he said.

But there’s added significance to the governor’s race because the office plays a powerful role in the redistricting process, which takes place after the 2010 Census is completed in December. Ohio is expected to lose up to two of its 18 seats because of a population decline, which means the governor’s office and the General Assembly will be grappling over how to redraw the state’s House boundaries. 

“That’s why there’s so much added attention,” said Burga.

Labor’s focus on the governor’s race could be an added worry for Senate candidate Lee Fisher (D), who is battling Republican Rob Portman for the state’s open Senate seat. 

The AFL-CIO is set to begin its member education program this week, according to Burga. 

—Updated at 4:25 p.m.