Louisiana Democrats are continuing to probe for issues they can use against Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) this fall. The latest to emerge is a $9,000 campaign expenditure that went to Jim St. Raymond, Vitter's first cousin and a longtime political adviser.
Raymond has filed for bankruptcy protection after the failure of a high-profile New Orleans real estate venture. He owes some $13 million and declared less than $34,000 in assets as of early January, according to The Times-Picayune.
"One has to wonder, given the state of his personal finances, exactly what level of strategic political advice Mr. St. Raymond can give Sen. Vitter," Kevin Franck, a spokesman for the state Democratic Party, told the paper "Is St. Raymond a legitimate political operative who is still providing valuable advice, or did Sen. Vitter find a way to funnel money to his broke cousin through his campaign funds?"
Vitter spokesman Luke Bolar said St. Raymond was paid to handle direct mail. "Jim St. Raymond has been a political consultant for over 25 years and has been involved, focusing on direct mail, in all of Sen. Vitter's campaigns for 19," Bolar said.
The senator faces a primary Saturday but is expected to retain the nomination.
Alaska's Democratic Senate nominee, Sitka Mayor Scott McAdams, made an appeal to supporters of Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) to jump aboard his "moderate" and "rational" campaign Wednesday.
After the surprising turn of events in the state's GOP Senate primary, McAdams was thrust into the spotlight and in a news conference Wednesday, he attacked attorney Joe Miller, who leads Murkowski by less than 2,000 votes on the Republican side.
McAdams implored Murkowski backers to "look at our campaign" and promised to run a "practical and commonsense" race while Miller espouses "19th Century ideology."
He also derided the Tea Party Express, the group that spent some $600,000 on TV and radio ads to help elect Miller, as "a national media phenomenon that doesn't reflect Alaska values."
As for former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's potential impact on the general election, McAdams called her "a larger figure at the national level than at the state level. I don't see her playing a large role in this race."
Palin endorsed Miller in the GOP primary and the candidate credited her with his strong showing Tuesday.
Even though McAdams and national Democrats are already looking beyond Murkowski and anticipating Miller will emerge as the Republican nominee for the fall, the incumbent told reporters Wednesday she isn't giving up just yet. With thousands of absentee ballots yet to be counted, Murkowski said she could still overtake Miller.
McAdams admitted he was surprised by the close contest on the Republican side, calling it a clear indication voters want "change" in November. "I submit to you that I am that change, not Joe Miller," he said.
McAdams dodged questions over whether he has had contact with national Democrats or the DSCC, saying only "I believe Democrats all over Alaska and all over the country are excited about our candidacy."
He also said he has no intention of stepping aside for a more well-known candidate and that he hasn't been asked to do so.
The reality for McAdams, who has raised less than $10,000 for his campaign according to his most recent FEC filing, is that he would likely need significant help from the national party to make the race competitive even facing a political novice like Miller.
A major union this week waded into the grudge match brewing in Michigan's seventh district between Rep. Mark Schauer (D) and his 2008 foe, Tim Walberg.
The freshman Democrat took the seat from Walberg last cycle after the Republican had held it for a single term. Walberg is now running to get it back, but Schauer's labor allies are closing ranks around him.
The American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees spent $750,000 on a TV ad called "Burned Dignity" that went up on Monday in the Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek media markets.
The ad notes that Walberg skipped the vote on the auto industry bailout but "sided with big oil and hedge funds — gave them tax loopholes."
"Haven't we been burned badly enough?," the announcer says in the spot.
In 2008, Schauer beat Walberg by about 7,500 votes.
Don't expect to see Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and former Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R) together on the campaign trail following their brutal GOP primary contest.
McCain and Arizona Republicans are planning several "unity events" for later this week that don't include Hayworth, who didn't call McCain on Tuesday night after he was defeated handily in the primary.
According to a Republican source, McCain is set to appear at events this Thursday and Friday with Gov. Jan Brewer (R) and several GOP congressional hopefuls. Brewer easily won her primary Tuesday night.
McCain is expected to participate in a "victory tour" of sorts with congressional hopefuls Paul Gosar, who's challenging Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (D), Jesse Kelly, who faces Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D) in the fall and David Schweikert, who's running against Rep. Harry Mitchell (D).
Ben Quayle, the Republican nominee in the 3rd Congressional District, is also expected to participate. Quayle, the son of former Vice President Dan Quayle, survived his primary Tuesday despite controversy over his involvement in a website called dirtyscottsdale.com.
Quayle is running to fill the seat of retiring Rep. John Shadegg (R).
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee wasted no time Wednesday going after Alaska attorney Joe Miller (R).
Even though the Republican primary between Miller and Sen. Lisa Murkowski has yet to be officially called, the DSCC attacked Miller as an "extremist" and accused him of wanting to "transition-out Social Security" and "phase-out Medicare."
Miller is clinging to a lead of fewer than 2,000 votes over Murkowski with 97 percent of precincts reporting. There are still thousands of absentee ballots that have yet to be counted and it could take until next month to have final results out of the state.
The DSCC release makes no mention of the Democratic nominee for the seat — Sitka Mayor Scott McAdams. While the GOP could end up with a novice candidate in Miller, he would still be a heavy favorite in November.
Given the number of competitive Senate seats this fall, it looks highly unlikely the national party would expend any real money on Alaska.
It's help that McAdams would likely need to make the race truly competitive. He raised less than $10,000 as of his last FEC filing and DNC Spokesman Brad Woodhouse was unable to even nameMcAdams when asked Wednesday on ABC's "Top Line."
Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, once the front-runner to win the GOP gubernatorial primary race, refused to endorse primary winner Rick Scott on Wednesday.
Scott, a former healthcare executive, surprisingly took47 percent of the vote to McCollum's 43 percent. A third candidate, Mike McAllister, won 10 percent.
The campaign between Scott and McCollum often included harsh attacks from both candidates. Scott bashed McCollum as a "career politician" while painting himself as a "conservative outsider." McCollum took shots at Scott's past career, accusing him of being linked to Medicare and Medicaid fraud.
The Palm Beach Post reported thatMcCollum’s campaign spokesman said he would endorse other GOP candidates around the state, but failed to include Scott’s name when asked.
"The attorney general is looking forward to being on the campaign trail for campaigns for our Republican slate, including Marco Rubio, Jeff Atwater, Adam Putnam and our new attorney general nominee and Dean Cannon and Mike Haridopolos and our entire legislative slate,” McCollum campaign spokeswoman Kristy Campbell said Wednesday.
When asked if McCollum would endorse Scott, Campbell said: "They have not yet spoken."
When asked again, Campbell repeated her earlier remarks: “I think (Attorney) General McCollum will make comments this week, where he believes the Republican Party needs to focus on in November. I think you could take from that that he’ll make comments today or Thursday he will focus on electing Republican candidates including Marco Rubio and Mike Haridopolos and Jeff Atwater and the entire Republican legislative slate.”
The move is a sign that the animosity between McCollum and Scott has yet to subside.
The Republican Governors Association put out a tepid statement of
support for Scott Tuesday night.
"Intraparty struggles are often
difficult to watch, and the contest in Florida has been a good example
of that. That said, the primary is over, Rick Scott is the nominee, the
general election has begun, and our party now looks forward," spokesman
Tim Murtaugh said.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) will stump for former Philadelphia Eagle Jon Runyan (R) at an Ocean County barbecue in September.
It's the kind of move Republicans had been hoping for from the popular governor. Christie beat former Gov. Jon Corzine (D) 56 to 39 percent in 2009 in Rep. John Adler's (D) district. Runyan is vying to unseat the freshman Democrat in November.
A recent poll showed Christie with a 51 percent approval rating — higher than President Obama in Democrat-leaning New Jersey. Christie gets a 75 to 13 percent thumbs up from Republicans and a 61 to 29 percent approval/disapproval from independents, according to the recent Quinnipiac University poll.
But his approval rating could drop before the Sept. 5 event with Runyan. Christie acknowledged Wednesday that a clerical error blew the state's chance at winning $400 million in federal money for schools.
Most Viewed RSS Feed »
