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Dean Dozen Debrief - 11/1/12
http://www.democracyforamerica.com/blog_posts/37983-dean-dozen-debrief-11-1-12
Written by: Patrick Maguire on Nov 1, 2012 2:17 PM EDT
Don't forget to sign up for our weekly update on our Dean Dozen Candidates here.
It's time for the weekly roundup of Dean Dozen candidates! Here's the news with 5 days left until Election Day, starting with our candidates for Senate:
Elizabeth Warren (MA-Sen): The final Brown-Warren debate was canceled this week in light of Hurricane Sandy. With five days to go before the election, polls are showing the two candidates to be in a dead heat, with varying sources reporting Brown and Warren each ahead by differing margins. An average of polls conducted by RealClearPolitics indicates that on the whole, Elizabeth may be in the lead by 3.7 points. However, the election result is too close to call with such tight margins this late in the race.
In the week before Election Day, Elizabeth and Scott Brown have taken time out of campaigning in order to tour Bay State communities damaged by the superstorm. The possibility of rescheduling the fourth and final senatorial debate was rejected by Scott Brown, citing that his campaign tour this weekend did not leave any room for a debate. The Warren campaign expressed disappointment that Massachusetts voters would not be given a final opportunity to hear from both sides before Election Day.
Instead of debating, Brown released a brand new attack ad called "Agenda". Meanwhile, Elizabeth is closing her race gracefully with an ad entitled "For All Our Families." With November 6 looming, Elizabeth says to Massachusetts voters, "If you send me to the Senate, I’ll work my heart out for you."
Mazie Hirono (HI-Sen): After weeks of hard campaigning, polls are showing that Mazie Hirono is finally comfortably in the lead over Linda Lingle. The newest poll indicates a double digit lead of 55-39. In addition, Mazie has continued to out-fundraise her opponent in these last days before the election. With all of this positive press surrounding the Hirono campaign, Linda Lingle has had some of her political track record come back to haunt her. Particularly, voters were reminded last week of the 2010 publicity stunt that many are calling cruel: Lingle invited marriage equality supporters to attend what they thought would be a civil union bill-signing ceremony, only to veto the bill at the event. You can watch a video comparison of Lingle and Hirono's views on marriage equality here.
With Election Day only 5 days away, things are looking great for Mazie Hirono in Hawaii. We're looking forward to the results next week. In the meantime, check out this great HuffPost article that features Mazie among others in an overview of the women in politics during the 2012 season.
Tammy Baldwin (WI-Sen): Tammy Baldwin continues to gain momentum heading into Election Day. She leads Republican Tommy Thompson by four points among likely voters, according to the final Marquette Law School poll released early Wednesday morning. This is great news for Tammy and her supporters, as it comes just after President Bill Clinton appeared in a brand new advertisement for Tammy.
Thompson, in contrast, spent part of Wednesday campaigning with Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, who made national news last year by stripping collective bargaining rights from public unions through out the Badger State. With less than a week left before the people of Wisconsin go to the polls, Tammy continues to build momentum and show herself to be a true progressive--dedicated to making decisions based on what is good for the middle class.
Martin Heinrich (NM-Sen): Outside groups have recently poured money into a series of ineffective TV ads attacking Martin Heinrich, hoping to boost opponent Heather Wilson's chances in this final week. However, Heinrich’s lead has been consistent for the past month. With one week left until Election Day, his chances for a win are looking good with lead of 52-43 percent. Last week, Martin enjoyed endorsements from Navajo Nation and Senator John Kerry. With a double digit lead and 5 days until Election Day, we're hoping that his momentum carries him to victory.
Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01): The race for Congress in New Hampshire District 2 is a dead heat in these last five days before the election. The Secretary of State is predicting a 70% turnout for the general election, slightly higher than 69.9% in 2008. Polls are still showing Carol and Rep. Guinta deadlocked. Carol has a track record of strong grassroots support, which may carry her into this election. Last week, her campaign reported that 70% of her $1.3 million in fundraising came from individual donors. Unlike her opponent, Carol does not take any money from coporate PACs. Carol has consistently outpaced Guinta in fundraising during these last weeks of the election, and we are hopeful that her supporters will turn out strong on Tuesday.
Annie Kuster (NH-02): A poll released by the University of New Hampshire last week indicates that Republican Charlie Bass is lagging behind Annie Kuster 39-36 percent. As encouraging as this is, the poll still falls within the margin of error and we know that this race will be extremely close until the last vote is counted. Also last week, the Eagle Tribue reported that Congressman Charles Bass is the only candidate in New Hampshire receiving more money from PACs than from individual donors. Annie's campaign is 83% funded by individuals, and the 16% PAC money comes from organizations like labor unions and women's groups.
Annie, having outraised Bass, is looking good for this election, and we're optimisitic about her chances. At a campaign stop on October 28, President Obama addressed the crowd in Nashua, NH where he happily introduced "your next Congresswomen, Annie Kuster". We hope so too, Mr. President.
Manan Trivedi (PA-06): Election Day is a week away and in District 6 Manan Trivedi is putting his all into this heated race with Gerlach. Recent polling has been mixed, with some results as disappointing as a 10% lead for Gerlach. However, the Democratic National Committee has pegged this race as a "Red to Blue" possibility. Given Manan's exceptional fundraising in the last quarter, this could very well come true next week. Manan has amassed substantial support on the ground, even in a redrawn district. In the final push, he has bought airtime on major networks such as ABC, NBC, and FOX. Be sure to check out the two new quirky TV ads that he recently released: "Bad" and "Terrible". As the race comes to a close, these ads have elicited positive publicity and a smile from many voters.
Kathy Boockvar (PA-08): Kathy Boockvar faced Rep. Fitzpatrick in their third and final debate on Friday morning. She performed well, while Fitzpatrick attempted to make himself out to be a moderate--making it clear that on issues of the economy, environment, and unemployment he will do anything for a vote. Recent polling indicates that Kathy has been closing the gap on Fitzpatrick, and is trailing by 6 percent. For a recap of the debate, check out this short article and video.
In the last week before Election Day, the International Trade Commission has brought Fitzpatrick's campaign under scrutiny in light of research about the benefit of campaign donors in the chemical industry. The report suggests that Fitzpatrick's donors may in fact be benefitting directly from the bills he sponsors in the House.
In a recent interview, Kathy said, “I’ve spent my entire career working for people... and that’s what I’ll do for them in Congress.” If you'd like to help her surge to a win on Election Day, you can join us in making calls for her on DFA Dialer tonight. Sign up here.
Jose Hernandez (CA-10): This race in California district 10 has become one of the most expensive in the country. Jose Hernandez is facing $4 million spent against him. Opponent Jeff Denham, the American Action Network, and the NRCC haven't spared a single cent attack ads and a propoganda campaign that aims to paint Jose as someone who is out of touch with voters. With the AAN and the NRCC on Denham’s side, this race is gettting steered away from the real issues and derailed by secret money and right-wing agendas. The race is a close one, and it will remain down to the wire until the night of the election.
Raul Ruiz (CA-36): It seems Mary Bono Mack has outstayed her welcome in Congress. Coachella Valley is focused on issues affecting the legbt community, seniors, and Latinos. Yet, somehow Bono Mack has managed to alienate herself from her district each of these fronts. Her attempt to harm Ruiz’s campaign by attacking his involvement in the Native American nationalist movement was a bust, and she also alienated the growing Hispanic community in a recent radio interview when she supported her reference to the valley area as a ‘Third World Toilet.’ Finally, gays and lesbians continue to be outraged by Bono Mack’s lack of acknowledgment of marriage equality.
In light of these developments for his opponent, Raul Ruiz recently released an encouraging new poll that shows him with a 6 point lead in this race. This widens his potential lead by 3 points since early October and projects a strong result for Election Day.
Joe Miklosi (CO-06): Two-term conservative incumbent Mike Coffman is attempting to grapple with a new Congressional map as he finds himself in a Democratic-leaning district for this highly competitive race. The DCCC has invested over $2 million in the race, attacking Coffman for supporting limitations placed on contraception, turning Medicare into a voucher program and supporting proposals that restricted exceptions for abortion in rape and incest cases.
On Tuesday, Joe received endorsement from President Bill Clinton, whom he worked for twenty years ago. That night, he and Coffman squared off in their final debate before Election Day, covering issues such as job creation, education, and energy policy. This race is close, with both camps saying they are confident to earn the swing vote next week. Mike Coffman waltzed into re-election 2 years ago, but he certainly will not skip to the finish line this time.
Shelli Yoder (IN-09): Shelli Yoder and Todd Young met for the second and final debate of the campaign for Indiana's 9th Congressional District on Monday night. Yoder criticized Young for supporting a federal redefinition of rape, and called on her opponent to repudiate Indiana Sen. Richard Mourdock's comment that "God intended" pregnancies resulting from rape. Young said only that he was glad Mourdock apologized for his remarks, something which Mourdock has yet to do, saying only that he is sorry if anyone misconstrued his remarks.
Young also defended his support of Indiana's right-to-work law, passed this spring. Yoder promised to oppose a federal right-to-work law and said workers receive better wages and benefits thanks to labor unions.
Written by: Patrick Maguire on Nov 1, 2012 2:17 PM EDT
Don't forget to sign up for our weekly update on our Dean Dozen Candidates here.
It's time for the weekly roundup of Dean Dozen candidates! Here's the news with 5 days left until Election Day, starting with our candidates for Senate:
Elizabeth Warren (MA-Sen): The final Brown-Warren debate was canceled this week in light of Hurricane Sandy. With five days to go before the election, polls are showing the two candidates to be in a dead heat, with varying sources reporting Brown and Warren each ahead by differing margins. An average of polls conducted by RealClearPolitics indicates that on the whole, Elizabeth may be in the lead by 3.7 points. However, the election result is too close to call with such tight margins this late in the race.
In the week before Election Day, Elizabeth and Scott Brown have taken time out of campaigning in order to tour Bay State communities damaged by the superstorm. The possibility of rescheduling the fourth and final senatorial debate was rejected by Scott Brown, citing that his campaign tour this weekend did not leave any room for a debate. The Warren campaign expressed disappointment that Massachusetts voters would not be given a final opportunity to hear from both sides before Election Day.
Instead of debating, Brown released a brand new attack ad called "Agenda". Meanwhile, Elizabeth is closing her race gracefully with an ad entitled "For All Our Families." With November 6 looming, Elizabeth says to Massachusetts voters, "If you send me to the Senate, I’ll work my heart out for you."
Mazie Hirono (HI-Sen): After weeks of hard campaigning, polls are showing that Mazie Hirono is finally comfortably in the lead over Linda Lingle. The newest poll indicates a double digit lead of 55-39. In addition, Mazie has continued to out-fundraise her opponent in these last days before the election. With all of this positive press surrounding the Hirono campaign, Linda Lingle has had some of her political track record come back to haunt her. Particularly, voters were reminded last week of the 2010 publicity stunt that many are calling cruel: Lingle invited marriage equality supporters to attend what they thought would be a civil union bill-signing ceremony, only to veto the bill at the event. You can watch a video comparison of Lingle and Hirono's views on marriage equality here.
With Election Day only 5 days away, things are looking great for Mazie Hirono in Hawaii. We're looking forward to the results next week. In the meantime, check out this great HuffPost article that features Mazie among others in an overview of the women in politics during the 2012 season.
Tammy Baldwin (WI-Sen): Tammy Baldwin continues to gain momentum heading into Election Day. She leads Republican Tommy Thompson by four points among likely voters, according to the final Marquette Law School poll released early Wednesday morning. This is great news for Tammy and her supporters, as it comes just after President Bill Clinton appeared in a brand new advertisement for Tammy.
Thompson, in contrast, spent part of Wednesday campaigning with Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, who made national news last year by stripping collective bargaining rights from public unions through out the Badger State. With less than a week left before the people of Wisconsin go to the polls, Tammy continues to build momentum and show herself to be a true progressive--dedicated to making decisions based on what is good for the middle class.
Martin Heinrich (NM-Sen): Outside groups have recently poured money into a series of ineffective TV ads attacking Martin Heinrich, hoping to boost opponent Heather Wilson's chances in this final week. However, Heinrich’s lead has been consistent for the past month. With one week left until Election Day, his chances for a win are looking good with lead of 52-43 percent. Last week, Martin enjoyed endorsements from Navajo Nation and Senator John Kerry. With a double digit lead and 5 days until Election Day, we're hoping that his momentum carries him to victory.
Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01): The race for Congress in New Hampshire District 2 is a dead heat in these last five days before the election. The Secretary of State is predicting a 70% turnout for the general election, slightly higher than 69.9% in 2008. Polls are still showing Carol and Rep. Guinta deadlocked. Carol has a track record of strong grassroots support, which may carry her into this election. Last week, her campaign reported that 70% of her $1.3 million in fundraising came from individual donors. Unlike her opponent, Carol does not take any money from coporate PACs. Carol has consistently outpaced Guinta in fundraising during these last weeks of the election, and we are hopeful that her supporters will turn out strong on Tuesday.
Annie Kuster (NH-02): A poll released by the University of New Hampshire last week indicates that Republican Charlie Bass is lagging behind Annie Kuster 39-36 percent. As encouraging as this is, the poll still falls within the margin of error and we know that this race will be extremely close until the last vote is counted. Also last week, the Eagle Tribue reported that Congressman Charles Bass is the only candidate in New Hampshire receiving more money from PACs than from individual donors. Annie's campaign is 83% funded by individuals, and the 16% PAC money comes from organizations like labor unions and women's groups.
Annie, having outraised Bass, is looking good for this election, and we're optimisitic about her chances. At a campaign stop on October 28, President Obama addressed the crowd in Nashua, NH where he happily introduced "your next Congresswomen, Annie Kuster". We hope so too, Mr. President.
Manan Trivedi (PA-06): Election Day is a week away and in District 6 Manan Trivedi is putting his all into this heated race with Gerlach. Recent polling has been mixed, with some results as disappointing as a 10% lead for Gerlach. However, the Democratic National Committee has pegged this race as a "Red to Blue" possibility. Given Manan's exceptional fundraising in the last quarter, this could very well come true next week. Manan has amassed substantial support on the ground, even in a redrawn district. In the final push, he has bought airtime on major networks such as ABC, NBC, and FOX. Be sure to check out the two new quirky TV ads that he recently released: "Bad" and "Terrible". As the race comes to a close, these ads have elicited positive publicity and a smile from many voters.
Kathy Boockvar (PA-08): Kathy Boockvar faced Rep. Fitzpatrick in their third and final debate on Friday morning. She performed well, while Fitzpatrick attempted to make himself out to be a moderate--making it clear that on issues of the economy, environment, and unemployment he will do anything for a vote. Recent polling indicates that Kathy has been closing the gap on Fitzpatrick, and is trailing by 6 percent. For a recap of the debate, check out this short article and video.
In the last week before Election Day, the International Trade Commission has brought Fitzpatrick's campaign under scrutiny in light of research about the benefit of campaign donors in the chemical industry. The report suggests that Fitzpatrick's donors may in fact be benefitting directly from the bills he sponsors in the House.
In a recent interview, Kathy said, “I’ve spent my entire career working for people... and that’s what I’ll do for them in Congress.” If you'd like to help her surge to a win on Election Day, you can join us in making calls for her on DFA Dialer tonight. Sign up here.
Jose Hernandez (CA-10): This race in California district 10 has become one of the most expensive in the country. Jose Hernandez is facing $4 million spent against him. Opponent Jeff Denham, the American Action Network, and the NRCC haven't spared a single cent attack ads and a propoganda campaign that aims to paint Jose as someone who is out of touch with voters. With the AAN and the NRCC on Denham’s side, this race is gettting steered away from the real issues and derailed by secret money and right-wing agendas. The race is a close one, and it will remain down to the wire until the night of the election.
Raul Ruiz (CA-36): It seems Mary Bono Mack has outstayed her welcome in Congress. Coachella Valley is focused on issues affecting the legbt community, seniors, and Latinos. Yet, somehow Bono Mack has managed to alienate herself from her district each of these fronts. Her attempt to harm Ruiz’s campaign by attacking his involvement in the Native American nationalist movement was a bust, and she also alienated the growing Hispanic community in a recent radio interview when she supported her reference to the valley area as a ‘Third World Toilet.’ Finally, gays and lesbians continue to be outraged by Bono Mack’s lack of acknowledgment of marriage equality.
In light of these developments for his opponent, Raul Ruiz recently released an encouraging new poll that shows him with a 6 point lead in this race. This widens his potential lead by 3 points since early October and projects a strong result for Election Day.
Joe Miklosi (CO-06): Two-term conservative incumbent Mike Coffman is attempting to grapple with a new Congressional map as he finds himself in a Democratic-leaning district for this highly competitive race. The DCCC has invested over $2 million in the race, attacking Coffman for supporting limitations placed on contraception, turning Medicare into a voucher program and supporting proposals that restricted exceptions for abortion in rape and incest cases.
On Tuesday, Joe received endorsement from President Bill Clinton, whom he worked for twenty years ago. That night, he and Coffman squared off in their final debate before Election Day, covering issues such as job creation, education, and energy policy. This race is close, with both camps saying they are confident to earn the swing vote next week. Mike Coffman waltzed into re-election 2 years ago, but he certainly will not skip to the finish line this time.
Shelli Yoder (IN-09): Shelli Yoder and Todd Young met for the second and final debate of the campaign for Indiana's 9th Congressional District on Monday night. Yoder criticized Young for supporting a federal redefinition of rape, and called on her opponent to repudiate Indiana Sen. Richard Mourdock's comment that "God intended" pregnancies resulting from rape. Young said only that he was glad Mourdock apologized for his remarks, something which Mourdock has yet to do, saying only that he is sorry if anyone misconstrued his remarks.
Young also defended his support of Indiana's right-to-work law, passed this spring. Yoder promised to oppose a federal right-to-work law and said workers receive better wages and benefits thanks to labor unions.
I would be remiss if I did not point out that the President was a member of the first Dean Dozen.
