Former Rep. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) appears to be cementing himself as the GOP candidate in Pennsylvania's Senate race, and now come more signals that the former Club for Growth head is moderating.
Toomey released a statement Monday morning praising four Democratic members of the state's delegation for voting against the House-passed energy bill on Friday.
"Along with 40 other Democrats, these Pennsylvania Democrats had the courage to stand up to one-party rule in Washington," Toomey said. "They understand that protecting the environment is an important goal, but they are not willing to sacrifice American prosperity and hardworking taxpayers in the process."
Of course, Toomey took the requisite shot at potential general election opponent Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.) for voting 'aye,' but that emphasis was on the praise for the Democrats in the delegation.
"It is a shame Rep. Joe Sestak (PA-07) couldn't muster up the same courage," Toomey said. "Instead, he voted to support Nancy Pelosi's extreme agenda. The question is, will Senator Specter choose the same path?"
Toomey began the race as a right-winger looking to upend Sen. Arlen Specter in the GOP primary. With Specter now a Democrat, Toomey has taken care to broaden his appeal.
The Macon paper asks whether Republicans will even try to run a top candidate against Rep. Jim Marshall (D-Ga.).
Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) appears to be moving in the direction of certifying Al Franken, but he also leaves some wiggle room.
North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven (R) gives himself a loose early September deadline for his decision - likely a "no" - on whether to run for Senate.
Rep. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) had a June 30 deadline for deciding on running against Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), but then Sen. John Ensign's (R-Nev.) scandal hit.
More names mentioned for probable Senate candidate Rep. Charlie Melancon's (D-La.) potential open seat.
We hear the f-word might not go over well in Omaha.
Arrests and violence at a fundraiser for Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-Calif.) opponent Francine Busby (D).
There was a somewhat curious name in the latest fundraising appeal from the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC).
Mentioned alongside other top recruits Van Tran in California, Tom Reed in New York and Martha Roby in Alabama was Adam Kinzinger, an early-30s military veteran running against freshman Rep. Debbie Halvorson (D-Ill.).
In fact, Kinzinger actually gets the most ink of the four.
The e-mail states: "Because of your generosity we have been able to recruit excellent candidates across the country including, City Councilwoman - Martha Roby (AL-02), State Representative - Van Tran (CA-47), Mayor of Corning, NY - Tom Reed (NY-29), and Adam Kinzinger (IL-11) who served as an Air Force Pilot in Afghanistan and as a board member in his home town."
Kinzinger has not been hailed as a top recruit in the past and raised a modest $17,000 in the first quarter. That's not exactly big-candidate money -- especially in the Chicago suburbs.
But he has caught the attention of the national party, which would like to avenge an embarrassing double-digit loss last year in a GOP-held district.
"We're high on him," said a national party source. "He's got a great story and has shown a lot of potential."
Did the appointment circus created by a couple fellow governors prevail on Connecticut Gov. Jodi Rell (R)?
Rell surprised everyone in the Nutmeg State on Friday when she reversed course and signed a bill that strips her of the ability to fill a Senate vacancy with an appointment. Instead, vacancies will now be filled by special election.
Rell and the state's Republicans had previously dismissed the effort as a partisan power-grab. Indeed, it appears to be just that. Connecticut has a GOP governor and a heavily Democratic state legislature, and the same thing has happened in other states with similar power splits.
But maybe Rell doesn't even want the ability to appoint. After all, it hasn't gone well for New York Gov. David Paterson (D) -- he of the sub-30 approval rating. And now that Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) is prepared to primary his appointee, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Paterson's reputation could suffer even further.
And that's to say nothing of the brouhaha over former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's (D) foibles with his appointment power.
It should also be noted that recent appointments weren't exactly feathers-in-the-cap for Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter (D) or former Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner (D) either.
Of course, the real reason was probably that Democrats were preparing to override her veto. But still...
Emily's List just endorsed in two big 2010 governor's race, backing Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink (D) and New Mexico Lt. Gov. Diane Denish (D).
Neither is terribly surprising, and the group has supported both candidates for their previous offices. Both are running in key races and are expected to win their Democratic primaries.
Sink's race might be the biggest governor's race in the country, with huge redistricting implications and an open seat available. She is likely to face state Attorney General Bill McCollum (R)
Denish is the early favorite to succeed Gov. Bill Richardson (D), and has polled double-digit leads over both former Reps. Heather Wilson (R) and Steve Pearce (R).
Here's Emily's List head Ellen Malcolm making the announcement:
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) took aim at seven House Republicans for voting against the emergency war supplemental in an ad set to air over the Fourth of July holiday.
The ad takes aim at potentially vulnerable incumbents for voting against the continued funding for troops; the lawmakers voted against the supplemental because of the attached funding for the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Invoking the image of troops on the holiday, the ad says the GOP members "used to understand that" the Fourth of July is "about remembering those who fought for our freedoms."
It accuses the lawmakers of "playing politics" with troop funding now that the party in control of the White House has changed.
The ad targets GOP Reps. Ken Calvert (Calif.), Charlie Dent (Pa.), Jim Gerlach (Pa.), Dan Lungren (Calif.), Mike McCaul (Texas), Lee Terry (Neb.), and Joe Wilson (S.C.).
Listen to a copy of the ad, as running in Terry's district, below:
Former Sen. John Sununu's (R-N.H.) father, the former White House chief of staff of the same name, told the Portsmouth Herald that he expects his son to decide on whether to run for Senate again in the next week.
The younger Sununu has been very quiet about his deliberations, and state Attorney General Kelly Ayotte has recently emerged as a potential alternative for the state GOP.
But the elder Sununu, who took over as state party chairman this year, seemed to suggest his son is a decent shot to run, and that he would expect Ayotte to step aside.
Asked if he will get involved as GOP chairman with who runs, Sununu said, "I will use my warmth and charm to make sure that if there is a primary, it is a constructive primary, or if a primary can be avoided, I will do that."
He indicated that if his son decides to run - a decision the father expects within a week or so - Ayotte will step aside.
"I think, if my son runs, there will not be a primary," he said.
The beat on this has been that the elder Sununu wants the younger Sununu to run, but the younger Sununu isn't terribly interested after losing his seat just less than eight months ago. Because of his relative silence, though, nobody seems to know exactly what the younger Sununu will do.
The FEC rules Norm Coleman (R) can use his campaign funds for a lawsuit involving a campaign donor.
Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.) says she will not run for governor and will seek reelection to her House seat, setting up a matchup with top GOP recruit and Assemblyman Van Tran.
Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land (R) stuns 'em by pulling out of Michigan governor's race.
Rep. Bob Inglis (R-S.C.), who faces a bunch of primary challengers, says the GOP could afford to cut back on the "self-righteousness."
Another House member facing a primary, Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.), releases a Justice Department letter stating that she is not the target of an investigation.
Rep. Steve Cohen's (D-Tenn.) primary challenger, Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton, will resign from his current office next month.
A GOP pollster shows Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) under 40 percent approval, after Burr complained about a Democratic pollster that showed the same thing.
Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) might leave an open seat soon, as he eyes the Cook County board presidency.
Mike Huckabee is a little harsher with Gov. Mark Sanford (R) than he was with Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.).
Potential Arkansas GOP Senate candidate Curtis Coleman won't back down from his comment about needing a "visa and shot" to go to the southeast part of his state.
Just in case there was any question, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) will run for another term. He will win.
Rep. Joe Sestak's (D-Pa.) dad gives him the go-ahead to take on Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) in a primary.
Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Pa.) endorsed former Rep. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) in Pennsylvania's Senate race on Thursday, signifying growing recognition that Toomey is the GOP's candidate in the 2010 race.
Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.) in recent days made it clear that he's not actively looking at running for Senate and is focused on exploring the governor's race instead. That should free up members of the delegation to endorse Toomey, with no other major GOP candidates showing interest.
Pitts joins Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.) in backing Toomey.
"I served with Joe in the House of Representatives during my three terms in Congress, and he has been and continues to be a strong ally in the fight for taxpayers and a strong leader for all Pennsylvanians," Toomey said in a statement.
In other endorsement news, Rep. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) grabbed Sen. John Thune's (R-S.D.) endorsement in Kansas's open Senate race. Unlike Toomey, Moran faces primary opposition, with fellow Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.) running.
Moran also has the backing of Sens. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Mike Johanns (R-Neb.).
"Now, when the stakes are so high for our country, Jerry Moran's principled leadership and conservative voice are needed in the U.S. Senate," Thune said in a statement. "Jerry will bring a much-needed vote of common sense for fiscal responsibility, fighting terrorism and deciding the future of our judiciary."
Tiahrt also announced an endorsement Thursday from the state's largest anti-abortion rights group, the Kansans for Life PAC.
And as previously reported, Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.) on Thursday endorsed Marco Rubio over Gov. Charlie Crist in Florida's GOP Senate primary.
Most Viewed RSS Feed »
