Archive for category In the states

Worst campaign announcement ever?

Apr 15

Posted by Parched in In the states | No Comments

What do you think?  Is this the way to kick off a campaign for one of the most influential regulatory offices in the nation?  Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice wants to be New York’s attorney general – that is of course if the current occupant of that office – Andrew Cuomo – opts to run for Governor – and this is apparently part of her announcement strategy.  It’s…really…bad.  She should probably spend a few bucks and pay somebody to advise her not to launch her campaign using a camera phone and a quiet corner during a cocktail party.

Now we understand that Ms. Rice probably doesn’t want to do anything that would make A.G. Cuomo feel pressured to get out of the race, but when compared to another likely candidate for this office – Democrat Sean Coffey (oh, and he’s Irish) – her love seat announcement looks just sad.

Now if that ain’t a contrast.  In all fairness, these aren’t the only two candidates in this race, but the only two with online campaign videos.  Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, and former insurance regulator Eric Dinallo have web pages themselves that may’ve been created sitting on a love seat – but it’s not as obvious as Ms. Rice’s video announcement.

Tags: , , , , , , ,

How to message in a Republican primary

Apr 14

Posted by Parched in In the states, Rising Stars | No Comments

If you’re in a Republican primary in the Bible Belt – this is how you introduce yourself.

Learn more at Scott Pruitt dot com.

Tags: , , ,

First it was a radio spot

Apr 14

Posted by Parched in In the states | No Comments

And now the American Future Fund has weighed in again on the the South Carolina GOP primary for attorney general with a new 30 second t.v. spot.  Guess there is a lot at stake in this primary slug fest.

Tags: , , , , , ,

It’s not often…

Apr 9

Posted by Parched in In the states | 1 Comment

…you get a 3rd party group weighing in on a down ballot Republican primary, but that’s what is happening in South Carolina in the Republican primary for attorney general.  It’s a three way affair between Leighton Lord, Alan Wilson, and Robert Bolchoz (don’t worry they’re all attorneys).  With an early 3rd party effort already afoot in South Carolina, this will be a bruising primary all the way to the end.

The spot has gotten the attention of one of South Carolina’s leading bloggers, as well various news outlets here, and here.

Tags: , , , , , ,

An Awkward Ask

Mar 18

Posted by Parched in In the states | No Comments

California Democrat Attorney General and 2010 presumptive Democrat nominee for Governor has been giving speeches (probably around the world) for literally decades.  You’d think he’d be smooth, unflappable, and as easy in public speaking as just about anybody.  Apparently all practice isn’t worth a hill of beans.  And what’s up with the talk about poppy fields in California?

Oh, then there’s the whole thing about being a lawyer active in California politics, for heaven only knows how long, that he should no better than to, at least what appears, ask an outside group to actively engage in attacking his likely Republican opponent for November’s General Election.  The Los Angeles Times writes about the election law side of this story here.

You can see the smooth operator in question below.

Poppy fields of California?  If this is the Jerry Brown Republicans face in November, things are looking up for the GOP in California.

Tags: , , ,

If You’re a Candidate Don’t Do this!

Mar 10

Posted by Parched in In the states, That's Odd | No Comments

This is simple.  If you’re running for office it’s generally a good idea not to associate your campaign, or your vision for leading, with former elected officials who have been kicked out of office by voters.  When we say kicked out we don’t mean lose an election – no we mean kicked out ala California’s Gray Davis.  Remember him?  You know, he was recalled by the voters in 2003 – only the 2nd governor in the history of the U.S. to be recalled – for mismanagement of a few major things in California.

Well, it looks like Nevada Democrat Lieutenant Governor candidate Bob Goodman didn’t get the memo, because former Governor Davis figures prominently on the Nevada Democrat’s campaign website.

Bob and Gray

Promise, we’re not doctoring pictures or making this up.  Read from Goodman’s own website:

During one of California’s most beautiful seasons, in the midst of spectacular scenery, SATDA’s Chairman, Mr. Robert Goodman, again met with Former Governor Gray Davis to follow-up on projects initiated during their meeting last month as well as review several additional ones.

Robert Goodman and SATDA were proud to host the Former Governor and his wife in China and escort them to the APEC meeting in Qingdao. During this trip where the Vice-Governor of the Shangdong province, Mr. Sun Shoupu, received the Former Governor and SATDA’s Chairman, solid ties were developed between SATDA and Mr. Davis that we continue to develop and strengthen.

During their July meeting in California, the two leaders discussed several new initiatives and trends that SATDA has been responsible for developing. Mr. Davis praised the work we continue to do to promote Sino-US trade, and the repeated successes we are reaping in expanding trade and investment between China and the USA for our members. He continued, “SME’s in both China and America need to increase their understanding of each other so they can develop the trust and cooperation needed to produce win-win situations.” Mr. Davis also worked with SATDA’s Chairman, Mr. Goodman, on several obstacles that continue to be issues in expanding trade and investment and discussed the feasibility of implementing certain suggested solutions.

We wouldn’t post if it weren’t true.  Does heralding the great respect for former Governor Davis speak to prospective Lt. Governor Goodman’s management style in government.  Does Nevada need to be another California?  That’s probably a question Goodman’s fellow candidates Paul Murad, Robert Randazzo, and Jessica Sferrazza ought to be asking, no?

And on the Republican side there’s only one candidate – the favorite to win out right in November – Lt. Governor Brian Krolicki.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

We Don’t Need No Facts!

Mar 10

Posted by Parched in In the states | No Comments

When running for office it’s ones tendency to engage in a bit of hyperbole – or fact stretching.  It’s never good to engage in such fact stretching when the stretched facts are easily found on this web thingy.  South Carolina Democratic Lt. Governor candidate Ashley Cooper appears to have stretched a bit when he claimed in a campaign video that South Carolina leads the nation in unemployment.  A quick check of that shocking revelation, because we always thought Michigan had the honor of leading the nation in unemployment, revealed that the truth might be screaming a bit as it is stretched.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the state that leads the nation in unemployment is….Michigan at 14.3%, Nevada at 13%, Rhode Island at 12.7%, and then South Carolina at 12.6%.

One wouldn’t normally equate 4th place with leading, but maybe the definition of leading has changed.  You can see the video for yourself – he makes his bold redefinition of leading just 12 seconds into the video, so you don’t have to watch it all.

By the way, Mr. Cooper appears to be the only Democrat candidate running in this race, but Republicans Ken Ard and Bill Connor are competing for the GOP nomination.

Tags: , , ,

Who Says You Can’t Run for 2 Offices At Once?

Mar 10

Posted by Parched in In the states, That's Odd | No Comments

Seemingly nobody that Pennsylvania Republican Lieutenant Governor candidate Steve Urban talks to.  You see Urban is one of 9 Republicans who are competing to be the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor.  Steve Urban is currently a County Commissioner in lovely Luzerne County, PA – which is about 120 miles north of Philadelphia.  It’s great that he wants to serve his fellow citizens of the great commonwealth of Pennsylvania this way, but what’s really interesting is that he’s developed a fall back plan should the whole 9-way GOP primary not work out for him.

Doubling His Fun?

What’s the fall back plan you ask?  Why it’s easy really.  While Mr. Urban was dropping off his petitions to run for Lt.  Governor, he also dropped off his petitions to run for State Senate in the 14th district.  The 14th is an open Democrat seat that has no other Republican candidates and 3 Democrat candidates all seeking to fill Raphael Musto’s seat serving the great people of the greater Wyoming Valley.

Urban said he will simultaneously campaign for both seats.

“The lieutenant governor works very closely with the Senate, and the issues are very similar,” Urban said.

He does not believe any Republicans are running for the 14th Senatorial District, so he would be running unopposed in the May 18 primary. Urban said he doesn’t believe any of the other Republican lieutenant governor candidates have “statewide name recognition.”

“I think it will be a more regionalized race,” Urban said. “The governor and lieutenant governor run independently, and I believe the people of the commonwealth ought to have a choice,” he said.

Urban said he has not decided what he will do if he wins Republican nominations to both seats.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” said Urban.

So there you have it – you can run for two offices at once. Wonder if this trend will spread to other parts of this great democratic experiment?

Think we’re making this up – read the full story right here.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Redistricting: It’s in the states

Mar 4

Posted by Parched in In the states | No Comments

From Karl Rove/Wall Street Journal:

The political world is fixated on whether this year’s elections will deliver an epic rebuke of President Barack Obama and his party. If that happens, it could end up costing Democrats congressional seats for a decade to come.

Some of the most important contests this fall will be way down the ballot in communities like Portsmouth, Ohio and West Lafayette, Ind., and neighborhoods like Brushy Creek in Round Rock, Texas, and Murrysville Township in Westmoreland County, Pa. These are state legislative races that will determine who redraws congressional district lines after this year’s census, a process that could determine which party controls upwards of 20 seats and whether many other seats will be competitive.

Read the rest…

Tags: , , , ,

One Young Candidate

Mar 4

Posted by Parched in In the states, Rising Stars | 1 Comment

In Washington State’s 18th legislative district Republican incumbent state representative Jaime Herrera is leaving his seat to run for Congress.  That leaves an open seat for Republicans to defend as the GOP seeks to win a majority in the Washington House of Representative in November – where the GOP needs 14 seats to take control of the chamber.  In the 18th, Republican are well positioned to hold the seat with 5 candidates running to fill Mr. Herrera’s seat.  You’ve got a Mayor Pro-Tem, a county planning commissioner, and educator, a businesswoman, and a 17 year-old high school student.

That’s right – 17 year-old Skyview High School senior Anthony Bittner is one of 5 Republican candidates seeking the GOP nomination in the August 17th primary.  Apparently Anthony is a planner.  He’ll turn the statutorily required 18 years old in April – plenty of time before the June 11 filing deadline to be legally eligible to run and hold office.  From the Columbian:

Bittner describes himself as a Republican with independent ideas and conservative values.

“As the son of a small-business owner, I have experienced firsthand the oppressiveness and unfair burden the government forces upon hard-working families,” he said in a statement.

He said he already feels burdened by the state’s budget deficit and would work to reduce government’s intrusion into private lives and the business world.

Other candidates in the race are talking about job creation, Bittner said in an interview, but he disagrees with that approach. “They want to give money to these companies,” he said. “I think we should be taking away the tax burden. I don’t think it should be the government’s job to create jobs. It’s the job of businesses to create jobs.”

He brings a different skill set to the table than any of his opponents – but the question is will anyone take him seriously.  Bittner has his Twitter page up already, though with only 12 followers and him not following anybody kind of makes it hard to get the word out.  Can’t find his campaign website or a Facebook fan page yet…this guy should be nailing those mediums ahead of his older opponents right?

The 18th is a big district for Republicans to hold onto if they want to make real gains in November – will the Republican nominee have to choose between campaigning and freshman orientation?

The Rock?

Chanelling "The Rock"?

Is the Republican candidate one of the GOP’s rising stars?  Will we be reading about Anthony running for Governor of Washington in 10 years?  Is that too soon?  Of course not – heck at 17 he’s already at least 3 years behind Jonathan Krohn.

Tags: , , , , , ,