With his trial on federal corruption charges looming and questions swirling about his effectiveness in Congress, U.S. Rep. William Jefferson cruised to an easy victory Tuesday in the Democratic Party runoff for the 2nd Congressional District. ...and that sez it all.
The decisive win over Helena Moreno, a former TV news anchor and political newcomer, ensures Jefferson a spot in the Dec. 6 general election. With two-thirds of the district's voters registered as Democrats, Jefferson seems the hands-down favorite to win a 10th term against four poorly financed opponents with scant name recognition.
#1
One of you in the RNC know, have a grasp on why they can't get more $$$ behind some of our candidates and knock off these low hanging fruit scumbags?
#2
Because Republicans are scarce in his district and are among the ones with the moniker, 'scant name recognition'.
Posted by: Steve White ||
11/05/2008 16:19 Comments ||
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#3
$100 billion Katrina tax dollars well spent.
Posted by: ed ||
11/05/2008 16:21 Comments ||
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#4
Maybe cause the RNC still thinks and operates like this is 1956? And those who want change are vastly outnumbered by those at the polls who are more than happy to have the pols lavish them with bread and games. Why do working girls stay with their pimps? Answer that and you'll know why the 'nice guy' finishes last.
If Stevens is re-elected and the Donks do not let him sit in the Senate, would Sarah appoint herself to replace him? Remember only Donks like Hastings and Studds can keep their seats after being convicted of a crime.
Given that he'll spend at least a little time in prison, he won't be seated. I think most states have a law requiring a current officeholder to resign if convicted of a felony. And the good Governor Palin would do herself no favor whatsoever appointing herself to the Senate. She's much better off as a governor.
Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens maintained his lead over challenger Mark Begich this morning with 99 percent of the precincts counted, just a week after being found guilty of seven felonies and pre-election polls showing him in deep trouble.
With all but three of Alaska's 438 precincts reporting, the Republican Stevens held a 1.5 percent vote advantage over Democrat Begich -- 48 percent to 46.5 percent. About 4,000 votes separate the candidates. The thin margin means the Senate race might not be decided for two weeks.
Still to be counted are roughly 40,000 absentee ballots, with more expected to arrive in the mail, as well as 9,000 uncounted early votes and thousands of questioned ballots. The state Elections Division has up to 15 days after the election to tally all the remaining ballots before finalizing the count.
If the lead holds, Stevens will shock the nation and be the first person ever re-elected to the U.S. Senate after being found guilty on criminal charges. Polls had shown the Republican down by at least 8 percentage points on the day before the election.
But Stevens was defying the pollsters with Tuesday's returns.
He held an election-night party at the Snow Goose Restaurant and Brewery in downtown Anchorage. The mood was subdued before the early returns came in, with Barack Obama's victory in the presidential race and the dire polling numbers for Stevens dampening spirits. But the room of about 200 people exploded in cheers at news of the election returns. A new energy filled the air and people lined up to give hugs to Stevens.
People chanted "Six more years, six more years." Stevens was smiling but cautious. "It's too early to tell," he said.
Stevens left the party just after 11 p.m., holding up both his arms to the crowd. "Good night, good night, thank you all," he said before driving away with his daughter Lily.
The Begich campaign party at the Anchor Pub was also packed and didn't slow down with the returns showing the Democrat trailing. Begich seemed in good spirits. He pointed out that, despite what the pollsters predicted, he'd always insisted it was going to be a close race. "Truly an Alaskan race. It will go right down to the wire," he said.
Stevens was drawing on an enormous reservoir of loyalty and good will he's built up in 40 years as a senator. Many Stevens supporters have an unshakable faith in the 84-year-old, saying if he says he's not guilty then he's not. Stevens also tapped into Alaskan distrust of Outsiders, hammering on the fact it was Washington, D.C., jurors who convicted him, and saying Alaskans would never have done so.
Stevens was honored as "Alaskan of the Century" in the late 1990s and the state Legislature named the Anchorage airport after him. He steered billions of dollars to the state from his perch on the Appropriations Committee, and he has had a hand in laws that shaped Alaska since statehood.
That was before his legal problems, but clearly, for many voters, the verdict last week and the possibility he won't actually be allowed to serve did not trump their loyalty.
Jean Weatter, who voted at the Wasilla post office, said she went with Stevens but it wasn't easy. "It was very hard because I still want to back Stevens and Young but yet all of these things were going on. I prayed about it - I just thought of all the things they've done for Alaska," Weatter said.
Don Jelich, walking out of a Spenard polling station in Anchorage, voted for Stevens as well. "Because I know the ol' boy, he's been around for a while and done a lot for Alaska yada yada," he said.
One question is whether his fellow senators would allow Stevens back in their midst. It takes a two-thirds vote to expel a senator. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, said there's no doubt the Senate would kick out Stevens. Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Senate Republican minority leader, has said Stevens should resign and that "if he is re-elected and the felony charge stands through the appeals process, there is zero chance that a senator with a felony conviction would not be expelled from the Senate."
Stevens claimed there was prosecutorial misconduct, that he'll be vindicated on appeal and able to keep his seat in the Senate.
The state Republican Party urged voters to support Stevens despite his cloudy future, saying that, even if he resigns or is expelled, at least there'd be a chance for a different Republican to run for the seat in the special election that would result.
Some Alaskans who voted for the Republican presidential ticket couldn't bring themselves to stick with Stevens. "I have been staunchly Republican all my life, (but) honor is huge," said Catherine Whaley of Wasilla, who voted for Begich. "You might be able to get more done for the state of Alaska, but it's about how you do it."
Stevens rankled some voters in the past week by saying he hasn't been convicted, a statement technically true until his sentencing but one that appeared to defy common sense. "That, you know, 'I'm not convicted.' What's that? What's that? He's a crook,' " said Begich voter Jim Wallman of Dillingham. "He's a 40-year crook. He has done a lot for this state, (but) time to go. Time for a change."
Stevens had little time to campaign, returning to Alaska after his trial with less than a week before the election. Begich, meanwhile, was holding town hall meetings across the state, telling voters he was a pragmatic centrist who wouldn't be beholden to the national Democratic leaders who recruited him to run.
Begich, the 46-year-old mayor of Anchorage, campaigned on generational change and argued that Stevens can no longer be effective for the state. He said Tuesday night he's used to close races. Begich won his first mayoral race in 2003 by just 18 votes. That race took two weeks to decide, just as this one might.
#2
If the lead holds, Stevens will shock the nation and be the first person ever re-elected to the U.S. Senate after being found guilty on criminal charges.
I don't think the nation would be shocked by much of anything anymore--especially if it has to do with Congresscritters.
Wouldn't Gov. Palin appoint the next Senator if Stevens cannot sit?
Resign already you pretentious bastard. You put yourself before your state and your party. This is why the uninformed paint all GOPrs as crooks. What an asshole.
Other possible candidates for Obama Administration jobs:
William Ayers - Director of Homeland Security
Weasely Clark - Secretary of Defense
Tony Rezko - HUD
Rev. Wright - UN Ambassador
Rashid Kahlidi - Ambassador to Israel
Colin Powell - Ambassador to Somalia
Bernadine Dohrn - Secretary of Education
Louis Farrakhan - Ambassador to the Holy See (Vatican)
Hillary Clinton and Alcee Hastings - Supreme Court
Posted by: Rex Mundi ||
11/05/2008 18:58 Comments ||
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#7
Good, get him out of Illinois. Slightly off topic, but I expect the Obama administration to be a revolving door for the White House staff and cabinet. When Barry screws the pooch he likes to throw people under the bus so he doesn't have to take the blame. I anticipate a lot of sore puppies in the coming years.
Posted by: Scott R ||
11/05/2008 19:02 Comments ||
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#8
Axelrod handled both Obamas and Emanuels election campaigns. Other clients of his included J.Edwards, Hillary, C.Dodd, Tom Vilsack, Eliot Spitzer, David Patrick, and about (6) prominent Black mayors. Quite a list.
Posted by: Tom- Pa ||
11/05/2008 19:19 Comments ||
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#11
Sorry Raj, but Secretary of the Treasury is a affirmative action spot set aside for U.S. Rep. William "Ice Box" Jefferson of Louisiana. He knows how to cool the dollar if it gets to hot.
Rezko and Obama have worked together on Housing and Urban Development issues before so they can hit the Hood running.
#12
"CIA will play a central part in the Intelligence Community's outreach to the President-elect."
My guess is Rocky threw his hat in the ring for Mayor of Spookville when as Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, he gave his boys the major reach-around.
#13
There is Franklin Delano "Fred" Raines (Fannie Mae fame) for Secretary of Treasury. James Johnson and Jamie Gorelick are other possibilities for cabinet positions. How about Barney Frank for Secretary of Interior?
Several Democrats said Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, who won a new six-year term on Tuesday, was angling for secretary of state. They spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they were not authorized to discuss any private conversations.
Kerry's spokeswoman, Brigid O'Rourke, disputed the reports. "It's not true. It's ridiculous," she said in an interview.
#3
I'm sure the Congresscritters can sneak in something to repeal the 22nd Amendment. Tell 'em it's an earmark and they'll pretty much all vote for it.
The government you deserve. And these people truly do deserve this guy...
In spite of calling his constituents "rednecks" and saying that his district was in a racist part of the state, seventeen-term Pennsylvania Congressman John Murtha was re-elected with over 58 percent of the vote to beat out retired Republican Army lieutenant colonel William Russell.
"I first want to say how proud I am to represent this hard-working patriotic area, how much I appreciate the support I got. We turned this thing around in ten days, and the folks worked so hard. I appreciate President Clinton coming in, I appreciate Hillary Clinton's Robo-calls, and of course Joyce's long-term work with the Girl Scouts and so forth. All of it paid off," Murtha said on Tuesday night.
Trouble began for Murtha when the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that he said: "There is no question that western Pennsylvania is a racist area." While he apologized, he also told Pittsburgh's WTAE-TV that "this whole area, years ago, was really redneck."
Murtha was criticized for his remarks and former President Bill Clinton was dispatched to lend his support for the beleaguered congressman in the final days of the race.
But a victorious Murtha said Tuesday night that he looked forward to a Democratic president. "First thing the President has to do is restore the credibility of the United States of America, and I think Obama's a guy that can do it," Murtha said. "I really look forward to serving with him."
#6
Does anyone know how Allen West did in Florida?
How about Leyland in New York? These candidates were sponsored by vets for freedom.
O.K. here is my Kansas report.
Republican Roberts wins Senate seat with 62%.
Republican Moran wins House seat with 70%
Same with Republican Tiahart.
Republican Jensen in a big upset beats incumbent Bouda for house seat.
#13
I didn't figure Murtha would get re-elected. He never seemed to respect his constituency or the rest of the country. Go figure. This falls into the category of "There are some things I'll just never understand."
As said above, I could never figure out why Kennedy and Frank keep getting re-elected. People vote for all kinds of reasons--some votes well thought out and reasoned and other votes emotional and whimsical.
#14
Well, henceforth the people of that part of that State will be known as "racist rednecks". No matter what else they ever do or accomplish, they are now labeled.
#15
I expected Murtha's all re-election all along. Come on, people. His congressional district had a track record to maintain. Even ignorant racist rednecks have standards they live by. The standards are just different from ours.
#17
Murtha's 72 and fat. Odds are against him, 40% chance he doesn't see another election - hopefully. I've never felt this way about anyone who once was a Marine. To me, he's an Ex-Marine. I'd kick his old fat ass and not feel bad.
#21
The silver lining is that the suits by the Marines continue. They will get a lot more publicity with him in office than they would have with him out. Should be a PR disaster for the donks as well as a humiliation for him. I hope.
Republican Norm Coleman has won a second term in the U.S. Senate, surviving a stiff challenge from former comedian Al Franken.
Coleman squeaked past Franken by the narrowest of margins: a few hundred votes with nearly 2.9 million cast. The margin appeared certain to trigger an automatic recount.
If the margin holds up, Coleman would be among the fortunate Republicans who survived big gains by Democrats nationwide.
Posted by: Mike ||
11/05/2008 08:08 ||
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#1
Let's hope the margin holds.
Posted by: Kathy K ||
11/05/2008 9:06 Comments ||
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#2
I can't remember where I saw it (Jeff Goldstein's place?) but if Franken had one, it could have induced California to trump with Senator Carrot Top. It was one of the few things that actually made me laugh last night.
Posted by: Grenter, Protector of the Geats ||
11/05/2008 9:21 Comments ||
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#3
So far it is Coleman by just over 700 votes. Automatic recall.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
