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• Congress members threatened with biological attack

  Wed Feb 22 23:42:22 2012 | Source: Reuters

  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Several members of the Congress received mail threatening a biological attack and containing a suspicious powder later found to be harmless as law enforcement officials warned on Wednesday that more letters could be on their way.

  

  

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• Democrat with famous name bids to oust Wisconsin

  Wed Feb 22 23:25:57 2012 | Source: Reuters

  MADISON, Wis (Reuters) - Wisconsin Democrats on Wednesday got a candidate with a famous name to challenge controversial Republican Governor Scott Walker in a recall election when Doug La Follette, a relative of well-known Wisconsin progressive "Fighting Bob" La Follette, said he would run for governor.

  

  

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• Pelosi: GOP Trying To 'Censor' Female Witness On Birth Control

  Wed Feb 22 19:08:24 2012 | Source: Talking Points

  House Republicans have refused to televise a Democratic-led hearing on birth control that features the testimony of a female witness the GOP spurned in a recent hearing, says House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). And Pelosi wants you to know it.
  
  The hearing Thursday is set to have as its sole witness Sandra Fluke, a Georgetown law student whom House Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) forbade from testifying at his contraception hearing last week despite requests from Democrats. Issa's hearing instead included an all-male panel of religious authorities, partly in an effort to convey his claim that the issue was solely about religious freedom, and not really about women's rights.
  
  "In an apparent effort to again silence women on the topic of women's health," Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammil said in a statement Tuesday, "the Committee on House Administration, chaired by Dan Lungren, has apparently reversed existing policy and denied a request from the Democratic leadership for the House Recording Studio to cover this event and provide video publicly so all Americans can finally hear Ms. Fluke."
  
  On Wednesday Pelosi fired off a email to supporters titled "They're censoring us," decrying the GOP decision as "disgraceful," "unacceptable," and an act of "shameful censorship." It linked to a petition calling on Republicans to reverse the decision.
  
  Lungren spokesperson Salley Wood told TPM, "We certainly weren't aware of this request until the past couple of days -- and I'm certain that the Chairman was not aware of this request."
  
  A GOP aide said it has not been the committee's policy to accept all such requests, noting that it has at times denied both Democratic and Republican efforts to televise hearings. The aide said granting it to some members necessitates granting it to all members, and there aren't enough resources for that.
  
  
  
  

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• Listen up voters, Congress is messaging you

  Wed Feb 22 22:24:01 2012 | Source: Reuters

  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - When is legislation put up for a vote but never expected to become law?

  

  

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• Palin book author pays fine for using confidential emails

  Wed Feb 22 22:18:24 2012 | Source: Reuters

  ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - A former aide to Sarah Palin who wrote an unflattering memoir of his time in her inner circle has paid a $11,900 fine for using confidential state emails without permission, according to the Alaska Department of Law.

  

  

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• Obama urges corporate tax cut, closing loopholes

  Wed Feb 22 22:16:19 2012 | Source: Reuters

  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama made an opening offer in what could be a long negotiation with corporate America on Wednesday, putting forward his first clear plan to cut the corporate tax rate.

  

  

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• If Economy Is Rising, Why Is Dependency Growing?

  Wed Feb 22 20:04:51 2012 | Source: Real Clear Politics

  Eric Singer, Investors
  The government is at full throttle to present the economy as improving especially in light of the upcoming election. At the same time, there has been a stunning rise in dependency as most recently presented by the Heritage Foundation.Heritage defines dependency as significantly depending on the government for help in two of the following basic expense items: housing, food, shelter, income security or higher education.

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• Egypt's Step Backward

  Wed Feb 22 20:04:32 2012 | Source: Real Clear Politics

  Thomas Friedman, New York Times
  Sadly, the transitional government in Egypt today appears determined to shoot itself in both feet.On Sunday, it will put on trial 43 people, including at least 16 U.S. citizens, for allegedly bringing unregistered funds into Egypt to promote democracy without a license. Egypt has every right to control international organizations operating within its borders. But the truth is that when these democracy groups filed their registration papers years ago under the autocracy of Hosni Mubarak, they were informed that the papers were in order and that approval was pending.

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• What's Behind Obama's New Push For Corporate Tax Reform

  Wed Feb 22 13:45:39 2012 | Source: Talking Points

  A new Obama administration framework for reforming the business income tax code is touching off a brand new election-year policy debate in Washington. But this time around there's a great deal of consensus between the parties over the ideal nature of reform. And that means there will be two main obstacles to success. The first issue will be political concerns -- should Republicans hand President Obama a substantive victory with control of the White House on the line? The second will be the parochial concerns of powerful interest who stand to lose tremendous subsidies as a result of the reforms.
  
  In a briefing with reporters Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner laid out the five principles underlying the proposed reforms. Any corporate tax reform should eliminate scores of loopholes and subsidies and use the savings to lower rates -- specifically from a current top rate of 35 percent down to 25 percent.
  
  The new system should likewise prioritize U.S. manufacturing, according to the administration, by creating permanent incentives that allow American manufacturers to pay an effective rate of no more than 25 percent.
  
  The White House is also proposing a new minimum tax on foreign earnings, to encourage domestic investment, and limit the extent to which companies can defer taxation by delaying repatriation of foreign income.
  
  Officials say the reformed code should make filing simpler for small business owners; and that the overall reforms should be deficit neutral or better.
  
  The framework is designed to be implemented separately from broader reform of the individual tax code.
  
  But with the looming expiry of the Bush tax cuts, and deep automatic spending cuts scheduled to kick in on January 1, 2013, the new push could become tied to a broader fight over the country's safety net, and whether wealthy earners should contribute more than they do to sustain key federal programs.
  
  "This process is going to take some time," Geithner said. "It's going to be politically contentious."
  
  The political implications of the push will be complicated. Obama is effectively proposing to lower the tax burden on most businesses but to pay for it by ending entrenched benefits for particularly powerful interests. That's an approach Republicans have claimed to support (though they'd like to lower rates further, and diminish the amount of revenue the government takes from businesses). But they'll be hard pressed to support an Obama initiative in an election year. And if the fight plays out a certain way, Republicans may have to choose between their reputations as tax cutters and their overarching desire to end Obama's presidency.
  
  Administration officials are hopeful that Obama's growing popularity and a steady economic recovery will force Republicans to work with him on this and other historically bipartisan issues. But if Republicans balk, the whole issue will likely be pushed off until after the November election.
  
  On the flip side, Obama risks undercutting his own populist tactics by championing reforms that will be widely characterized as a corporate tax cut. Between Republican political concerns, and Obama's demand that the reforms not amount to a net tax cut for businesses, getting something passed in the current legislative environment will be a heavy lift.
  
  
  
  

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• Obama says African-American museum 'has been a long time coming'

  Wed Feb 22 13:14:00 2012 | Source: The Hill

  The museum, to open in 2015, will be the first devoted exclusively to the documentation of African-American life.

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Content by DDC Advocacy.   Election Insider Archives

• A Surprising New Presidential Candidate

  Fri Jul 8 10:01:00 2011 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  The Republicans have a new presidential candidate, but not the late entry most are expecting. Though Texas Gov. Rick Perry certainly looks like he will join the field within several weeks, it is Michigan Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI-11) who is taking the plunge right now. McCotter, in his fifth term representing parts of Oakland and Wayne Counties, is a former state Senator and Wayne County ...

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• Huma for Congress?

  Tue Jun 21 10:00:00 2011 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Now that Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY-9) has officially resigned his position, the subject of who replaces him takes center stage. New York election laws and redistricting, however, makes finding a new 9th district Congressman unusually difficult for the Democrats. As we detailed last week, the Empire State allows the political parties to self-determine their special election nominees without a vote of the...

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• IL: Ex-Rep. Foster Coming Back

  Tue May 31 10:00:00 2011 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  The "send" button had been barely pushed releasing the new Illinois congressional district map and former Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL-14), defeated in 2010 for re-election by Rep. Randy Hultgren (R) 45-51%, says he will run again next year in the newly-created 11th district. No present incumbent currently resides in the proposed IL-11 and the inclusion of the city of Aurora gives Foster a base in the new...

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• Finally, A Presidential Candidate

  Thu May 5 10:00:00 2011 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Yesterday, a presidential candidate officially launched his campaign but it's not whom you might expect. Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States on 4/4 via a special announcement video in which he does not appear, has begun Campaign 2012. The two minute, ten second, short-take features people from the key states representing demographic and economic voter groups that...

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• Pawlenty Announces Exploratory Committee

  Tue Mar 22 10:00:00 2011 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  As expected, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) announced the establishment of a presidential exploratory committee yesterday, via Facebook video. Mr. Pawlenty, unsurprisingly for a candidate trying to positively position himself in the national Republican nomination process, struck a conservative, limited government theme throughout his 1:55 minute address. He pledged to "grow...

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• Rory for Congress?

  Wed Jan 5 09:00:00 2011 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  The official 2010 apportionment is only two weeks old and, in at least one state, jockeying for position to win a new district is already beginning. This, despite the fact that the new seat's boundaries won't be determined for months. Defeated gubernatorial candidate Rory Reid, a Clark County Commissioner and son of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, says he's interested in running for Nevada's new 4th...

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• Pew: Public Strongly Favors Tax Bill

  Wed Dec 15 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Though President Obama is fending off strong political attacks from his own base in the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, a new Pew Research Center for the People & Press poll suggests that rank-and-file Democrats strongly support the measure. In fact, their support for the bill is not unlike those who identify themselves as Republicans or Independents. According to their national survey...

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• Next Campaign: RNC Chairman

  Wed Dec 1 10:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Late this coming January, the members of the Republican National Committee will again choose an individual to lead them into the next election cycle. There is no question that the reign of current chairman Michael Steele has been controversial. The Committee has not reached the fundraising plateaus found in previous election cycles, Steele has been at the center of many ill-advised...

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• Murkowski Wins

  Thu Nov 18 10:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) has been officially declared the winner of the marathon Alaska Senate contest. With only 700+ ballots remaining to count, she is beyond the margin of error, even when including all of opponent Joe Miller's (R) challenged ballots. The Senator's lead has grown to over 10,000 votes, exceeding the number of outstanding absentee ballots plus the 8,153 votes Miller is challenging...

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• Republicans Win Hidden Election, Too

  Thu Nov 11 10:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Now that the numbers in all gubernatorial races and most of the legislative contests are known, it appears that the Republicans are in their best-ever shape for congressional redistricting. Looking at the configuration of multi-district states, the GOP will draw the 2011 maps--meaning they have total control of the process--in 17 states, representing 195 US House seats. Democrats now maintain...

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• Election Morning

  Tue Nov 2 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  On Election morning, the Senate now appears to be the body with the most question marks. With the House trending toward a Republican majority, the Senate GOP races are now apparently closing in upon majority status, too. Throughout electoral history there has never been an election where the House flipped to a different party without the Senate. Thus, if the Republicans do gain control of...

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• The Trend Setters

  Thu Oct 28 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  As the votes begin streaming in on Election Night, which are the most important races to watch in order to detect a formulating national trend? The first states to report their votes are Indiana and Kentucky. Both are must-wins for Republicans at the Senate level. In the House, the GOP commences upon a majority track with wins in two of the four most hotly contested House campaigns in the Hoosier and...

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• Tancredo for Real

  Tue Oct 26 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  A new Public Policy Polling survey (10/21-23; 818 likely CO voters) reveals that former Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO-6), running for Governor on the Constitution Party ballot line, is making a major charge to overtake Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper (D) and is in serious contention to win the race. Republican businessman Dan Maes, who won the GOP gubernatorial nomination after former Rep....

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• Sanchez in a Sleeper?

  Thu Oct 21 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  In an election cycle where arguably 150 House races are at least moderately competitive and 90 campaigns are legitimately in play, sleeper contests are few and far between. One such situation may be in Anaheim, California, however, where seven-term Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA-47) has apparently fallen into a dead heat with her GOP opponent according to a new Public Opinion...

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• Quayle in Trouble

  Tue Oct 19 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  With national pollsters providing consistently good news for Republicans, at least one seat normally viewed as a relatively safe for the party is now in play for the Democrats. Arizona's 3rd Congressional district, a place where Rep. John Shadegg (R) has racked up strong victories over the last 16 years, is now highly competitive according to a new Public Policy Polling survey. The study, conducted...

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• Georgia is No San Francisco

  Thu Oct 14 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  With several Democrats publicly saying they would prefer to vote for individuals other than House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to lead the next House of Representatives, Representative Jim Marshall (D-GA-8) just launched the strongest of anti-Pelosi ads in his own difficult run for re-election. Attacking not only Speaker Pelosi, but also her home town of San Francisco and portraying the old California hippie...

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• Government Image Dragging Down Dems

  Tue Oct 12 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  The Democrats are clearly headed for a rough mid-term election, and one of the fundamental reasons for their downturn was uncovered by a late September Gallup study released just yesterday. According to their survey of 981 adults from Sept. 20-21, 72% of the respondents answered with a negative term when asked to describe their impression of the federal government. Only 10% reported having a...

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• The West Virginia Shocker

  Thu Oct 7 12:32:40 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  While polls are now beginning to show some distance between Senate candidates in several states, perhaps the biggest bombshell is the continued strong performance by West Virginia Republican John Raese. Running against one of the most popular Governors in the nation to replace the late Sen. Robert Byrd (D), Raese (pronounced Ray-cee), who has failed in previous statewide...

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• Crazy Illinois Polls

  Tue Oct 5 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Three pollsters just simultaneously surveyed the Illinois statewide political landscape and came up with decidedly different results. Suffolk University, Market Shares Corp. for the Chicago Tribune, and Public Policy Polling were all in the field during the period from September 23 - October 3. In the Governor's race, both Suffolk and Market Shares actually found embattled Gov. Pat Quinn (D) to be...

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• Meek Hits Crist

  Thu Sep 30 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  The Florida Senate race continues to unfold as one of the most interesting three-way political campaigns of all time. Right now, polling suggests that Republican Marco Rubio has a significant lead over Republican-turned-Independent Gov. Charlie Crist and the Democratic nominee, Miami Congressman Kendrick Meek. Crist led for the two months preceding the Democratic primary, and...

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• Rep. Taylor in Dogfight; Says He Wants Skelton for Speaker

  Tue Sep 28 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Mississippi Rep. Gene Taylor, who has represented one of the most Republican districts of any Democrat in the nation, suddenly finds himself in the first serious re-election challenge of his 20+ year Congressional career. A new Tarrance Group survey (9/21-22) for the Steven Palazzo campaign shows the GOP challenger within four points of Rep. Taylor, 41-45%. The Congressman is now...

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• All Polls Show Toomey Leading

  Thu Sep 23 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  It's now time to move the swing Pennsylvania Senate election out of the toss-up column and into the Lean Republican category. Four different pollsters, all talking to randomly selected members of the Pennsylvania electorate from 9/14-21 each gives Republican former Rep. Pat Toomey (R-PA-15) a discernible lead over Democratic Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA-7). The two are vying to...

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• Democrats Counter

  Tue Sep 21 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Tired of seeing public polls showing their incumbents and candidates trailing, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee countered with several ballot test results of their own. The idea behind their action is to put some of their nominees back in the game as the campaigns begin turning into the home stretch. The surveys, all from nationally known Democratic pollsters, show two...

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• McMahon Making Moves

  Thu Sep 16 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  The victory of New Hampshire former Attorney General Kelly Ayotte in the Republican Senatorial primary is not the only New England political happening making news this week. A new Quinnipiac University poll (9/8-12; 875 likely CT voters) gives Connecticut Democratic Attorney General Richard Blumenthal only a 51-45% lead over former professional wrestling executive Linda McMahon (R)...

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• More Primary Trouble?

  Tue Sep 14 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Today's primaries are featuring two more nervous Republicans. Late polling is suggesting that the leads of both Rep. Mike Castle (R-DE-AL) and former New Hampshire Attorney General Kelly Ayotte have narrowed down the stretch. Public Policy Polling actually shows Castle dropping behind consultant and 2008 Senatorial nominee Christine O'Donnell by three points 44-47% (9/11-12), though...

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• Two Pollsters, Two Different Results

  Thu Sep 9 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  The new CNN/Time Magazine (9/2-7; 869 registered voters) and Rasmussen Reports (9/7; 500 likely voters) surveys of the Kentucky Senate race were both released yesterday, but the two polls come to very different conclusions. Where Rasmussen is giving Republican Rand Paul his largest lead of the campaign, 51-38% over Attorney General Jack Conway - 54-39% when respondents who...

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• The Democrats' Strategy

  Tue Sep 7 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Currently, news organizations are reporting that the Democrats' House campaign strategy is leading them to abandon their weak seats while circling the wagons around those that still appear salvageable. Thus, their substantial political and monetary resources will be directed toward a concentrated number of campaigns, but a large enough subset that--if the candidates are successful--will hold their majority...

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• Alaska Now in Play for Dems?

  Thu Sep 2 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Once Sen. Lisa Murkowski realized she had gained only 38 votes on challenger Joe Miller after 15,000 absentee ballots had been counted, she quickly conceded the hard-fought race. It does not appear she will attempt to gain general election ballot access, thus Miller will face Sitka Mayor Scott McAdams head-to-head in November. Immediately, the Democrats are proclaiming that this race is in play...

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• Libertarians Reject Murkowski

  Tue Aug 31 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  The continuing saga of Sen. Lisa Murkowski continues with recent good and bad news for her. First, on the bad news front, the Alaska Libertarian Party has announced they will not ask official nominee David Haase to resign from the ticket in order to allow the Senator to assume their ballot line should she officially lose the Republican primary, citing too many differences with her voting record. Thus, the...

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• Murkowski Still has a Chance

  Thu Aug 26 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  It's going to be awhile before the outcome of the Alaska Republican Senatorial primary becomes final. All Election Day ballots have now been tabulated and GOP challenger Joe Miller leads Sen. Lisa Murkowski by 1,668 votes (47,027 to 45,359), but the counting process is not over. More than 16,000 absentee ballots were requested and approximately 7,600 have been returned but not...

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• Alaska, Arizona & Florida Primaries Today

  Tue Aug 24 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  The long-awaited primary between Sen. John McCain and former Rep. J.D. Hayworth will be decided today with all of the momentum going the Senator's way, thanks to $21 million in campaign spending. The three AZ Congressional primaries in the 1st (Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick), 5th (Rep. Harry Mitchell), and 8th (Rep. Gabrielle Giffords) districts all feature contested Republican primaries. It's conceivable that...

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• Washington Becomes Competitive

  Thu Aug 19 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  After seeing relatively few competitive campaigns for most of the past decade, the Evergreen State of Washington appears headed for some tight races this year. With large numbers of votes still being counted - Washington allows voters to postmark their ballots on the day of the election, which is why their counts always take so long - it appears clear that Sen. Patty Murray (D) may be in for her...

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• More Florida Confusion

  Tue Aug 17 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  The Florida primary races are scheduled for August 24th and a pair of polls is producing crazy numbers in both the Republican gubernatorial and Democratic senatorial primaries, but one of the sources is more credible than the other. In two just-released surveys, we see completely opposite results. Last week, we reported that Mason-Dixon Polling & Research released the findings of their August 7-9...

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• Victors, Not Recounts

  Thu Aug 12 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Though several of Tuesday night's gubernatorial primary contests appeared headed to recounts just to determine which candidates would move onto their respective general elections, no such procedure will materialize. In Georgia, former Secretary of State Karen Handel,who was well within the 1% margin of defeat that triggers an automatic recount, conceded the GOP nomination to ex-Rep. Nathan...

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• Close Ones Expected Today

  Tue Aug 10 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Last minute polling in Georgia, Colorado, and Connecticut is showing a mixed bag of outcomes for the August 10th primaries. In the Peach State GOP gubernatorial run-off, three different polls are each forecasting a unique conclusion. Mason-Dixon Polling & Research (8/2-4) has ex-Secretary of State Karen Handel leading former Rep. Nathan Deal 47-42%. On August 5th, Georgia-based...

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• New Colorado Polling Suggests Chaos

  Tue Aug 3 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Survey USA, in a poll for the Denver Post (7/27-29; 536 Democratic Primary voters; 588 Republican primary voters), shows a possible upset in next Tuesday's Senatorial primary election. Despite having a better than 3:1 edge in fundraising, appointed Sen. Michael Bennet has dropped behind his Democratic primary challenger, former state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff by a three-point 45-48% margin...

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• Polling Mistakes

  Thu Jul 29 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Those who observe and analyze political elections pay a great deal of attention to survey research. Sometimes, a reality jolt is necessary to remain cognizant that not all polls are equally accurate. This week's Oklahoma Democratic gubernatorial primary illustrates some glaring polling inaccuracies. Two separate studies, the Cole Hargrove Snodgrass consulting firm's statewide Sooner Poll, which the...

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• Chaos and Stability

  Tue Jul 27 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  While one western state spirals into political chaos, another is stabilizing. In Colorado, where plagiarism accusations are badly damaging ex-Rep. Scott McInnis' chances of becoming Governor, another former GOP Congressman has officially entered the race. Ex-Rep. and presidential candidate Tom Tancredo will run as the nominee of the American Constitution Party, he announced yesterday...

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• Democrats Bounce Back in Florida

  Thu Jul 22 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  A new Public Policy Polling survey now places Florida CFO Alex Sink ahead of both GOP Attorney General Bill McCollum and healthcare executive Rick Scott in their battle to succeed Charlie Crist as Governor. The poll, taken over the July 16-18 period of 900 registered FL voters, gives Sink a 37-23% lead over McCollum, her largest lead to date. In previous polls, the Republican has almost universally...

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• Poll: Another Incumbent May Fall

  Tue Jul 20 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  The Michigan primary is fast approaching on August 3rd, and two new polls suggest that yet another incumbent could soon lose another re-nomination campaign. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-MI-13), mother of disgraced former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, could be headed for a Democratic primary defeat if two media polls are correct. The latest survey, from the Glengariff Group for the Detroit News...

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• New Hampshire Senate Race

  Thu Jul 15 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  In the early stages of this election cycle, it appeared that of the five competitive GOP open Senate seats (Florida, Kentucky, Missouri, New Hampshire, and Ohio) New Hampshire appeared to be the most endangered of switching to the Democrats. Now, the Granite State appears to be in the strongest position of those aforementioned places. According to a new Rasmussen Reports poll...

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• WV: The Election is On

  Tue Jul 13 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  It is now a virtual certainty that the people of West Virginia will be allowed to choose the late Sen. Robert Byrd's replacement in the next Congress. With the state legislature coming back to Charleston for a special session later this week, the Governor has asked lawmakers to craft a new administrative law to allow for a 2010 Senate election. Earlier, the Secretary of State ruled that there were no provisions in West...

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• New Gallup Presidential Poll

  Thu Jul 8 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  The Gallup organization released its monthly presidential approval poll (6/28-7/3; 3,055 adults; 1,045 self-described independents) and found that President Obama's national approval rating among independents has dropped below 40% for the first time. Only 38% of Independents expressed a positive opinion of the President's job performance versus 81% of Democrats, while Republicans registered just 12%...

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• Ohio Numbers Change Again

  Tue Jul 6 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Last week, two national pollsters showed the Ohio Senate race, which has been rated as a toss-up since Sen. George Voinovich announced he would not seek a third term early last year, to again be within an eyelash. Public Policy Polling and Quinnipiac University both released surveys giving Democratic Lt. Governor Lee Fisher identical 42-40% leads over former Bush Budget Director Rob Portman (R)...

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• Huge KS-Sen Polling Discrepancy

  Thu Jul 1 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Yesterday we reported on a new Survey USA poll (6/24-27; 721 registered KS GOP voters) that gave Rep. Jerry Moran (R-KS-1) a huge 53-33% lead over Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-KS-4) in their battle for the Sunflower State's Republican Senatorial nomination. Later in the day, the Tiahrt camp countered with their own McLaughlin Associates poll (6/28-29; 400 likely KS GOP primary voters) that portrayed the...

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• WV SoS: No Byrd Election This Year

  Tue Jun 29 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Late yesterday, Democratic Secretary of State Natalie Tennant issued a statement interpreting the West Virginia Election Code to mean that no special election for the late Sen. Robert Byrd's (D) seat will be held in 2010. Instead, the special election will run concurrently with the 2012 general election. An appointed Senator will serve until that time. Though the Election Code is clear that the vacancy occurred in such a time...

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• McCain-Feingold: Competitive Races

  Thu Jun 24 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  The bi-partisan Senate duo of John McCain (R-AZ) and Russ Feingold (D-WI) who together changed the federal campaign finance world with legislation best known by their combined names, now find themselves in competitive re-election battles. McCain faces a significant primary challenge in a state experiencing political upheaval over government spending and immigration. Former Rep. J.D. Hayworth is attempting...

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• Legacy Seat Decided Today

  Tue Jun 22 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  The race to replace retiring Rep. Henry Brown (R-SC-1) was supposed to be between the sons of two of the Palmetto State's all-time deceased Republican political giants, the legendary Sen. Strom Thurmond and Governor Carroll Campbell. Apparently, however, African American state Rep. Tim Scott's political viability was overlooked. Two weeks ago, Scott easily placed first in the GOP congressional primary with...

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• New Governors Numbers

  Thu Jun 17 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Rasmussen Reports released a bevy of new gubernatorial polls, all from this week. The latest one, completed on June 14th, gives former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad a huge 57-31% lead over incumbent Gov. John Culver. Should Branstad win, he will serve an unprecedented fifth term as the state's chief executive. In South Carolina, where Republican candidates are moving toward their June 22nd run-off election, both GOP candidates place well ahead of Democratic ..

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• New Utah Senate Poll

  Tue Jun 15 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Wilson Research Strategies released the results of a poll they recently completed for Republican US Senate candidate Mike Lee. The survey (6/8; 300 likely UT GOP voters) gives Lee, a Salt Lake City attorney and former gubernatorial chief of staff, a 39-30% advantage over business consultant and former congressional candidate Tim Bridgewater...

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• Winners and Losers in Arkansas

  Thu Jun 10 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  The political media and Internet blogs are filled with differing analysis as to whether Big Labor won or lost by spending over $10 million in attack ads to defeat Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln. They put the big money behind Lt. Gov. Bill Halter not only to defeat the moderate Democratic Senator, but to show others what will happen if they dare to cross the party's most powerful special interest ally...

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• Special Election in GA

  Tue Jun 8 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Among the primaries and run-offs in ten states today, Republicans in Georgia's 9th congressional district go to the polls to choose a successor to ex-Rep. Nathan Deal. Tonight's winner fills his unexpired term. Deal resigned his seat to run for Governor. The two candidates, both Republicans, are former state legislators - Tom Graves from the House and Lee Hawkins in the Senate...

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• South Carolina Governor's Race

  Thu Jun 3 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  A Republican lobbyist and a blogger both claim they had extra-marital affairs with the woman who certain polls project to be leading the GOP South Carolina gubernatorial race, three-term state Rep. Nikki Haley. Though she vehemently denies all accusations, the suggestions could prove harmful because she has consistently campaigned on a fiscal conservative/traditional values platform...

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• More Primaries Today

  Tue Jun 1 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Three states in the southeast and southwest will hold their nominating elections today. In Alabama, another party switching incumbent will attempt to win a nomination in his new party. Freshman Rep. Parker Griffith, elected as a Democrat in 2008, became a Republican late last year. He faces Madison County Commissioner Mo Brooks and former state Republican Party staff member Les Phillip.

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• A New Competitive Senate

  Thu May 27 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Dino Rossi, originally elected Governor of Washington in 2004, only to lose in a recount several weeks later by the incredible margin of 129 votes from more than 2.74 million cast -- announced yesterday that he will challenge incumbent Patty Murray this year for the United States Senate. Rossi came back for a 2008 re-match with Gov. Christine Gregoire only to lose decisively, 53-47%...

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• More Convention Wildness

  Tue May 25 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  The Colorado and Connecticut party conventions don't have the power to nominate a candidate like their counterparts in Utah but they do change the political picture, nonetheless. In the Colorado Republican convention this past weekend, an upset occurred in the Governor's race when Tea Party-supported businessman Dan Maes placed ahead of former Rep. Scott McInnis by a close 49.3 - 48.9% margin.

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• CO-Sen: Bennet Rebounds

  Thu May 20 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Fresh from yesterday's primary election where their last poll missed the mark on the PA-12 special election, Public Policy Polling released the results of a new Colorado poll (5/14-16; 1,060 CO registered voters) that provides encouraging news for appointed Senator Michael Bennet (D). Throughout the year, Bennet has been trailing his Republican opponents but this new data shows him reversing course...

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• Final Polls for Specter-Sestak; Primary Today

  Tue May 18 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  The final two public polls for today's Pennsylvania Democratic Senate primary were released last evening, and both show a virtual dead heat between Sen. Arlen Specter and Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA-7). Quinnipiac University (5/12-16; 951 likely Democratic primary voters) gives Sestak a slight 42-41% lead over the party-switching incumbent. According to the Q-Poll, 16% of the sample still claimed to be undecided...

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• The Next Tests

  Thu May 13 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Fresh from incumbent defeats in the Utah Republican nominating convention and the West Virginia Democratic primary, we now turn our attention to four new crucial primaries next Tuesday. Voters in Arkansas, Kentucky, Oregon, and Pennsylvania will go to the polls for their statewide primary elections where more surprising results could be on tap. We have fresh polls coming from Kentucky and Pennsylvania...

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• HI-1: Democrats Pull Out

  Tue May 11 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  With voting in the HI-1 special election already in progress, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced that they will spend no more money on the race. The seat is open because Democratic Rep. Neil Abercrombie resigned earlier this year to concentrate on his campaign for Governor. Hawaii special elections are filled in one winner-take-all election...

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• Kentucky Senate Race Already Wild

  Thu May 6 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  According to a series of new Public Policy Polling surveys, both Kentucky Democrats and Republicans stunningly appear poised to nominate their weaker candidate for the general election. On the Republican side, the latest PPP data (5/1-2) shows Rand Paul, physician and son of Texas Congressman and presidential candidate Ron Paul, pulling away from Secretary of State Trey Grayson...

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• Bennett Faltering as Convention Nears

  Tue May 4 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Indiana, North Carolina, and Ohio citizens are not the only voters going to the polls this week. On Saturday, May 8th, the Utah Republican convention meets to nominate its candidates for federal and state offices. With polls revealing three-term Sen. Bob Bennett trailing badly as delegate voting approaches (for example, the latest Mason-Dixon Polling & Research data shows him in third place...

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• Crist's Independent Ramifications

  Thu Apr 29 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Later today, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, in an admission that he cannot overcome former House Speaker Marco Rubio in the state's GOP Senatorial primary, will announce that he will run as an Independent. Crist's actions do more than simply create a three-way race. When Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter switched from Republican to Democrat in 2009, the conservative Club for Growth won ..

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• AZ: Immigration Politics

  Tue Apr 27 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  With the passage of the state's new law aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration, Arizona is becoming the focal point of what could be the nation's most controversial issue. But Arizonans will again have a chance to express themselves long before they cast their November votes. Two August 24th statewide primary races are already commanding the political center stage. Gov. Jan Brewer (R) who ..

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• NH Senate: Answer to a Big Question

  Thu Apr 22 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  It was commonly believed that the Republican establishment scored a political coup when they recruited former Attorney General Kelly Ayotte to run for Sen. Judd Gregg's open seat. An appointed position in New Hampshire, Ayotte served in the state's top law enforcement position at the behest of both a Republican and a Democratic Governor, thus giving her strong bi-partisan credentials for the general ..

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• Election Snap Shot - Pre-Primary Season

  Wed Apr 21 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  The initial post healthcare law polls are becoming public now, and, if the new Pennsylvania survey is any indication, the Democratic “bump” from passing the bill has receded. According to Rasmussen Reports (4/12; 1,000 likely PA voters), Republican former Congressman Pat Toomey has a taken a 50 percent to 40 percent lead over party-switching Senator Arlen Specter. The telling factor of this poll..

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• PA Senate: New General Election Poll

  Thu Apr 15 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Rasmussen Reports just released the results of their latest poll reflecting the closely watched Pennsylvania Senate race (4/12; 1,000 likely PA voters). A day after sharing their Democratic primary findings that showed challenger Joe Sestak (US Representative; PA-7) pulling to within two points of party-switching Sen. Arlen Specter (44-42%), GOP challenger Pat Toomey has opened up ..

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• New Hampshire: Swinging Back?

  Tue Apr 13 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  New Hampshire is one of the places that led the Democratic charge during the latter half of this decade, beginning in 2004 when the Granite State was the only province that voted for John Kerry after supporting President George W. Bush four years earlier. The subsequent Democratic sweeps at the congressional and state level were anchored by Gov. John Lynch, who unseated a Republican..

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• Big Change in IL Senate

  Thu Apr 8 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Public Policy Polling is reporting the results of their new Illinois poll (4/1-5; 591 IL registered voters) that depicts a drastic change in the US Senate race. GOP Rep. Mark Kirk has overtaken Democratic state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias to claim a 37-33% lead after trailing in the January PPP poll 34-42%. The turnabout is mostly due to many Democratic voters leaving their nominee for the "undecided" ..

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• "Speech Now", Free and Clear

  Thu Apr 1 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  If the Supreme Court didn't make it clear enough in its January ruling in Federal Election Commission v. Citizens United that certain speech regulations enacted by the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law are unconstitutional, the federal Circuit Court of the District of Columbia just underlined the majority opinion and added an exclamation point. The Citizens United case restored to all entities the same ..

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• Budget Chair Will Run Again

  Tue Mar 30 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  A great deal of speculation surrounding House Budget Committee Chair John Spratt (D-SC) was quelled yesterday. With out of control spending and record national deficits, many believed that the Budget chair, a veteran of 28 years in Congress and an inviting Republican target especially in conservative South Carolina, would call it quits. In the face of all the retirement talk, Mr. Spratt officially announced on ..

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• March National Polling Results

  Thu Mar 25 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  National pollsters were very active in March, conducting a series of surveys about President Obama's job performance, the congressional ballot test, and whether the country is headed in the right direction. Between March 10-21, nine pollsters surveyed the electorate about the President's job performance and found mixed results. Five pollsters found positive ratings, while four determined that Mr. Obama's ..

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• Rep Out After Vote: Special Election Scheduled

  Tue Mar 23 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Georgia Republican Rep. Nathan Deal (R-GA-9) immediately followed through on his promise to resign from Congress after the healthcare vote to fully concentrate on running for Governor. Term-limited Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue (R) then scheduled April 27th as the date for the replacement special election. All candidates will be placed on one ballot and if no one receives 50% + one vote, then a run-off ..

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• Female Wrestling Exec Leads Simmons

  Thu Mar 18 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Former World Wrestling Entertainment executive director Linda McMahon, wife of the organization's founder Vince McMahon, has taken a substantial lead over former US Rep. Rob Simmons in her quest for the Connecticut Republican Senatorial nomination. According to a just released Quinnipiac University study (3/9-15; 1,541 CT registered voters), McMahon now leads Simmons 44-34% ..

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• Bennet in Primary Trouble

  Tue Mar 16 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  A newly-released portion of the latest Colorado Public Policy Polling survey (3/5-8; 451 likely CO Democratic primary voters) reveals concrete warning signs for appointed Sen. Michael Bennet (D). According to the data, former state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff is already running close to Bennet among Democratic primary voters. Earlier it was noted that he is stronger than the interim ..

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• PA 12th: Critz Wins Democratic Nomination

  Tue Mar 9 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Over the weekend, local 12th district Democratic officials endorsed Mark Critz, the former long-time aide to Rep. John Murtha, as the candidate to finish the balance of the late Congressman's final term. With the blessing of Murtha's widow, Joyce, the Johnstown area Ds backed Critz and the Pennsylvania state Democratic Executive Committee followed suit last night, thus making the selection ..

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• Coats Not So Strong

  Thu Mar 4 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  The effects of having been away from politics and Indiana itself for a dozen years appears to be equalizing what should be former Sen. Dan Coats' early advantage in the open Senate race, according to the first public survey of the campaign. Research 2000, polling for the liberal Daily Kos national blog, has Democratic Rep. Brad Ellsworth trailing Coats by just one point, 36-37% in their survey of 600 Indiana ..

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• Texas Primary Today

  Tue Mar 2 09:00:00 2010 | Source: DDC Advocacy

  Texas voters comprise the second electorate to cast their primary ballots and will do so later today. The first-in-the-nation Illinois primary was exactly one month ago on February 2nd. The feature race is at the top of the ticket, as Texas Republican Gov. Rick Perry, the state's longest-serving Governor, seeks nomination for a third full term against US Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Wharton County Republican ..

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