Power prancers to the left, power prancers to the right!
- A-rated, by FiveThirtyEight, Fox News has issued one of those generic Congressional polls that finds the faceless Democratic and Republican candidates to now be tied in preference. In May it was a seven point Republican lead, June a three point lead, ditto July. If September sees Democrats ahead, Republicans had better buy new handkerchiefs for blotting their foreheads. Or waving surrender, given their unfortunate alliance with the former President, and Biden’s surging success, which will soon, I suspect, be followed by a surge in his approval numbers.
- The Green Party achieved its goal in North Carolina as a Federal judge ordered their Senate candidate, former Marine Matthew Hoh, had qualified to be on the ballot in November. While Democrats worry that he’ll peel off voters who might otherwise vote for their candidate, Cheri Beasley, in the long run Hoh’s presence on the ballot indicates a certain electoral openness to ideas that, if not yet espoused by Democrats, may in the future. The process of introducing new ideas to voters is an important step in the democratic process – perhaps the most important step.
- Also in North Carolina, the Republicans face a similar problem in Libertarian Senate candidate Shannon Bray, but it may actually be more serious. The Republican candidate, Trump-endorsed Rep Ted Budd, may discover that the Trump endorsement is rapidly becoming a disadvantage. When conservative North Carolina voters, repulsed by his association with the former President, consider Democratic candidate Beasley unacceptable, Bray may attract their vote as an acceptable protest vote against both Budd and Beasley. Like many Democratic candidates nation-wide, Beasley would then benefit from the rapidly declining reputation of the former President.
- Iowa Senate candidate Mike Franken (D), take note:
I say to Franken, Go on stage, play that clip, stare soberly out at your audience, and ask, “Is this the hysterical Senator you want representing you in Washington?” Do it at a debate if you can.
- In Georgia, not all Republicans approve of Herschel Walker’s run for the Senate. Republican Accountability PAC (RAPAC) has announced an ad campaign targeting Walker and other extremists running under the Republican banner. Walker’s endorsement by the former President is already a threatening sign of disaster, so this may just be piling on. Ahem. Sorry. For more analysis, here’s Rebekah Sager on Daily Kos.
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The nominees for the Hawaii’an Senate seat have been determined as of Aug 13th, and the top two are incumbent Senator Brian Schatz (D) and Republican and State Representative Bob McDermott. As can be seen to the right, McDermott appears to be a moderate Republican, but Schatz still appears likely to win the seat again. There are three other nominees making the ballot, representing the Aloha Aina Party, the Greens, and the Libertarians, but they seem unlikely to affect this contest.
- Is Senator Rand Paul (R) of Kentucky kneecapping himself with this Tweet? The espionage act was abused from the beginning to jail dissenters of WWI. It is long past time to repeal this egregious affront to the 1st Amendment. Repeal the Espionage Act – The Future of Freedom Foundation. The Espionage Act has been mentioned in connection with the FBI visit to Mar-a-Lago. While Kentucky is considered a solidly Republican state, this may be a tool that his challenger, Charles Booker (D), can use against him.
- John Bridgeland, Chief of Staff for retiring Senator Rob Portman (R) of Ohio, announces his support for … Rep Tim Ryan (D).
Senator Portman’s On The Issues summation.
The 2022 election for U.S. Senate in Ohio calls the question on what kind of representatives we seek and nation we want to be. I have the privilege of knowing both candidates and am forming “Republicans for Tim Ryan.”
Senator Portman (R) is no moderate, so this is quite a statement by Bridgeland, who presumably shares most or all of his boss’ positions. Just how bad does Ryan’s opponent, J. D. Vance, have to be to elicit this shocking response from a right-winger?
Previous absurd gestures concerning the Senate campaign are here.
