"Although records of his [Mark Udall’s] residence and his voting registration make clear he lives in Boulder, his campaign and congressional offices present him as being from Eldorado Springs."
(CongressDaily on Boulder liberal Mark Udall’s active attempts to disassociate himself with his hometown of Boulder – the place Udall has previously called his “touchstone.” Apparently Mark Udall has realized that the liberal Boulder views he holds don’t resonate with Colorado as a whole, 5/13/08)
Both Parties Are Cautious In Colorado
CongressDaily
5/13/08
Though the open Colorado Senate seat has been cast as one of the top pickup opportunities for Democrats this year, party operatives here and in the state remain strikingly cautious about their chances.
While Democrats hail Rep. Mark Udall as a model candidate, they warn the state is not quite as purple as some think. That is even after Democrat Bill Ritter picked up the governor's chair and Rep. Ed Perlmutter flipped a House seat for the party in 2006.
Indeed, while Democrats are seeing increasing registration advantages elsewhere as the presidential race plays out, Republicans still hold the upper hand in Colorado.
Republicans believe Arizona Sen. John McCain's candidacy will benefit them in the state and they assert he will swing many unaffiliated voters to the Republican side on the Colorado ballot.
Seeking to Shift Topic, Schaffer Wants Debates
Roll Call
5/13/08
Former Rep. Bob Schaffer (R), whose Senate campaign has been racked recently by several news reports of his association with disgraced GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff, has challenged his presumptive general election opponent, Rep. Mark Udall (D), to seven summer debates.
Schaffer is proposing one debate in each of the state’s seven Congressional districts between Memorial Day and Labor Day. He wants the debates to be structured similar to the free-wheeling verbal battles made famous during the 1858 Illinois Senate campaign between Abraham Lincoln (R) and incumbent Sen. Stephen Douglas (D).
“Let’s give voters in every part of the state a chance to hear directly from us on the issues important to them and our state,” Schaffer said in a statement released by his campaign. ( MORE)
Slattery releases list of lobbyist clients
Prime Buzz
5/13/08
U.S. Senate candidate Jim Slattery today released a list of his clients from his years as a Washington lobbyist.
The Democrat, who is challenging two-term incumbent Republican Pat Roberts, has worked as a lobbyist and lawyer since he left Congress in 1995. Slattery formerly was Kansas' 2nd District congressman.
A spokeswoman said Slattery would soon be releasing a digest of what he did for each client. ( MORE)
Lunsford holds lead on Fischer
But both Democrats would lose Senate race to McConnell
Herald Leader
5/13/08
FRANKFORT --Bruce Lunsford holds a comfortable lead over Greg Fischer in the Democratic primary race for U.S. Senate that Kentucky voters will decide May 20, a new poll shows.
But both Democrats would lose to Republican incumbent Mitch McConnell by double digits if the November general election were held today, says the Herald-Leader/WKYT Kentucky Poll. Still, McConnell’s job-approval rating remains below 50 percent, signaling a rare potential weakness for the Republican leader of the U.S. Senate. ( MORE)
Maine fundraiser postponed after King's remarks on military
The Associated Press
5/13/08
PORTLAND, Maine—A Bangor fundraiser featuring three best-selling novelists for Senate candidate Tom Allen has been postponed in the aftermath of a controversy surrounding Stephen King's remarks about literacy and the military.
more stories like thisKing, who was scheduled to appear June 7 with John Grisham and Tess Gerritsen, expressed fear Monday that what was meant to be a literary event could have become all too political.
King took flak for comments he made to students on April 4 at the Library of Congress while stressing the importance for job seekers of being able to read. "If you don't," he said, "then you've got the Army, Iraq, I don't know, something like that." ( MORE)
Franken hit with Iowa group's attack ad
MinnPost.com
5/12/08
If you've been waiting to see how Republican TV ads will hit Al Franken on his tax troubles, an Iowa-based political action committee is happy to give you a web preview of the U.S. Senate campaign's fall attractions.
To the sound of a laugh track and rollicking music — could it be klezmer? — the American Future Fund ad begins "Al Franken thinks he's funny." ( MORE)
Nebraska Vote Sets Up Senate Race
Roll Call
5/13/08
With today’s scheduled Nebraska primaries amounting to nothing more than a coronation for Republican Senate candidate Mike Johanns, uncertainty remains over which Democrat will face him in the general election: Scott Kleeb or Tony Raimondo.
Voters also are going to the polls today in West Virginia, though none of the Congressional primaries appears to be competitive.
Johanns, a former governor and ex-Agriculture secretary, has minimal opposition in the GOP primary and was set to spend Monday and today campaigning in Omaha. Kleeb, the 3rd district nominee in 2006 and a favorite of grass-roots Democrats, remained locked in a close race with Raimondo, a wealthy businessman who was a Republican until earlier this year. ( MORE)
Andrews cites D.C. tax rebate in questioning Lautenberg home
Star Ledger
5/13/08
Rep. Rob Andrews' campaign yesterday questioned whether Sen. Frank Lautenberg still lives in New Jersey, pointing to a tax rebate he received for his Washington, D.C., home and the fact that his wife is registered to vote as a New York resident.
"The citizens of New Jersey have a right to know where Sen. Lautenberg is domiciled," said Michael Murphy, chairman of Andrews' campaign. "From what we have seen, there are some serious questions as to where he's actually domiciled. There's no question in my mind he owns real estate overlooking the Hudson, but does he live there?" ( MORE)
A 'little,' and 'different,' candidate
Politico
5/12/08
Can a Democratic candidate who is 4 feet 9 inches tall, with a hook for a left hand and a propensity to speak his mind, be a successful nominee in a highly targeted Senate race in Oregon?
That’s the question facing Democrats in the state as they determine over the next two weeks who should be the party’s pick to face Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.).
Attorney and political activist Steve Novick was initially viewed as a long shot to win the primary. He had never run for public office before, and his unique biography seemed unlikely, in the view of some Democrats, to appeal to a wide swath of voters. ( MORE)
Reid Outlines Demands to Bush on FEC Impasse
Roll Call
5/13/08
Senate Democrats have made their next move in the ongoing stalemate involving Federal Election Commission nominees, asking President Bush on Monday to either drop former Justice Department lawyer Hans von Spakovsky or begin persuading Senate Republicans to go along with individual votes to fill the five agency vacancies.
“Despite your commitment that you would accept and agree to individual votes on each of the pending nominations, including Mr. von Spakovsky’s, Republican Senate leaders indicated last week that they intend to continue to block such votes,” Reid wrote in a letter Monday to White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten. “This continued obstructionism will prevent the FEC from its important work during this election season, including issuing advisory opinions, rulemakings, enforcement actions and certification of public financing.”
Reid’s letter is a response to a week-old White House plan to put the elections regulator back in business after a more than six-month standoff that shuttered the FEC on Jan. 1. ( MORE)
|
 What's "More Important" To Mark Udall Where's Mary Landrieu On HillaryCare?  Mr. Ogonowski Goes to Washington Things You Won't See In Al Franken's Ads  Something About Bob - Bob Schaffer Department of Peace - Mark Udall
|