The Senate Goes National?
Pundits are noting that Senate candidates are reaching across State borders, probably more than usual, but still pursuing the typical pillar of candidate-hood – critical support. In Palm Beach, FL, Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton (R) is running campaign ads…
A super PAC backing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) for Senate is airing television ads in Palm Beach, Fla., where President Trump is spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago resort, as his endorsement in a competitive primary runoff hangs in the balance. [The Hill]
The candidate not receiving Trump’s endorsement should drop out, says Trump. Who will that be? No name, yet. Given Trump’s desperation to appear right – about anything at all these days – it’ll be whoever’s ahead in the polls on Texas’ Primary day. He’s apparently missed one deadline., which means the runoff cannot be disregarded and both Cornyn and Paxton’s names will be on the ballot. While Paxton doesn’t seem the type to discourage easily, Trump’s failure to pick anyone by an important deadline has to be a blow.
Back on point, Graham Platner (D-ME), according to Steve Benen …
… while Graham Platner is a Democratic Senate candidate in Maine, he wrote an op-ed for The Houston Chronicle [paywall] last week, taking aim at Republican Sen. Ted Cruz over his position on the war in Iran.
It’s a reflection of the centralization of power in D.C., especially in the super PACs and in a President who has attracted the attention of a usually politically apathetic group, now known as MAGA, who did not understand politics and was attracted to the comforting rhetoric of Donald Trump. Being politically naive and not aware of much more than his claims to wealth and his contributions to The Apprentice, while loathing Congress’ deliberate pace, the rumors of corruption, and its combative nature, they were easily influenced by deep pockets, which are now being tapped by certain Senate candidates.
The calculus that said rich politicians would be immune to bribery has proven, once again, to be false; billionaires are often the essence of avarice. That’s how they became billionaires in most cases. The American electorate needs to wise-up. Fast.
Polls, polls, everywhere!
The polls, for what they’re worth, are starting their annual migration to Mexico to pop out from behind every squeaky door in the joint. As I mentioned earlier, most of my polling information is sourced from 270 To Win, but I don’t plan to lean on polls heavily, and that’ll be reflected in my brevity and omissions in this regard: Good pollsters are referenced via 270 To Win, unless I run across the poll in some other way; questionable, unknown, and bad pollsters will be ignored. Most pollsters I’m seeing so far are unfamiliar.
Anew, Renew, Ptu! .. Ptui, I mean
Getting on with this tale for no pay….
- Mississippi held its primary last Tuesday and incumbent Senator Hyde-Smith (R) won her primary with an intriguing, if crushing, 80.6% of the vote. I have to wonder if there is some dissatisfaction with the Senator if 19+ points went in search of someone else. On the Democratic side, Scott Colom (D) won his primary with 73.3% of the primary vote. He is currently a district attorney for the State of Mississippi, and so knows something about government.
Interestingly enough, the total votes in the Democratic primary exceeded that of the Senator, but not that of the Republican primary; however, Republicans are currently more fractious than Democrats, although progressives, authentic or faux, do seem to be working to falsify that observation.
That said, I don’t think the seat of the Senator is up for grabs, but I do think this race could be a lot closer than Republican strategists want to believe. Colom’s big problem? Ty Pinkins (I), already qualified for the general election for this Senate seat because he’s not claiming Party membership (and therefore resources), may attract votes that would otherwise go to Colom. - Illinois is holding its primaries today. WaPo reports the cryptocurrency industry is backing Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi in the Democratic primary, while Gov Pritzker (D) is backing his Lt Gov, Juliana Stratton (D). Both the crypto industry and Gov Pritzker, a billionaire, represent a lot of money, so Rep Robin Kelly is trying to use that concern as a pivot for her campaign. For the record, retiring Senator Durbin (D-IL) is a cryptocurrency opponent.
- For any of several reasons, Texas Senator Cornyn (R) is flipping on an important position:
Cornyn, who previously opposed Democratic efforts to end the filibuster, flipped on the issue on Wednesday, writing in an op-ed in the New York Post, “My fellow conservatives and I have proudly used the 60-vote threshold to protect the country from all sorts of bad ideas and dangerous policies. But when the reality on the ground changes, leaders must take stock and adapt.”
“For many years, I believed that if the US Senate scrapped the filibuster, Texas and our nation would stand to lose more than we would gain,” Cornyn wrote. “After careful consideration, I support whatever changes to Senate rules that may prove necessary for us to get the SAVE America Act and homeland security funding past the Democrats’ obstruction, through the Senate, and on the president’s desk for his signature.” [Roll Call]
For the record, Democrats have been a speed bump by demanding reformation of ICE, with specifics, and to the SAVE America Act as they claim it would disenfranchise citizens, employing the filibuster to bust Republican chops. While the firing of Secretary Noem may be interpreted as a gesture to the Democrats, it was hardly adequate. I’m a Minnesotan in a suburb of the Twin Cities, and it is very clear from ICE behavior and investigative reporting that ICE was blundering about, breaking laws, arrogantly ignoring court orders, and, if it’s to serve Americans rather than paranoid xenophobes, discussion, debate, and reformation is a necessity.
Off rant, it appears the Senator is feeling the pressure of AG Paxton, he of a thousand scandals and a mention earlier in this post, and Cornyn, desirous of retaining power and position, will reverse positions in search of reelection. As it happens, Public Policy Polling gives Paxton the lead over Cornyn, 45-42; Texas Public Opinion Research makes the lead 49-41. - Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico (D) of Texas has his own set of problems, according to independent thinker Andrew Sullivan (paywall):
Like many fundamentalists, Talarico also bungles the science.
In Talarico’s case, it’s the science, what little there is, related to the transgender issue. Apparently, Talarico is a few steps behind. My thoughts on transgender are here.
- As Senator Mullin (R) of Oklahoma will be required to leave his current gig to accept, if confirmed by the Senate, the position Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Rep Kevin Hern (R-OK) is suddenly entering the Oklahoma Senate race, and with President Trump’s endorsement. The primary is June 16th, so Rep Hern has time to campaign and almost certainly win the primary. I can’t help but wonder if Republicans are considering abolishing DHS once Mullin is out of the Senate? Piecemealing DHS was noised about earlier this year. And will Trump’s endorsement be viewed as a blessing or a curse for Hern come Election Day?
And that’s all for today, time to fold up that 500 foot radio tower and slip it into my back pocket … oooops, that’s a bad rip. My tailor will be unhappy about that, I fear.
