NJ-GOV

Sparks Fly In New Jersey Debate

Eric Kleefeld | October 16, 2009, 9:52PM

Former US Attorney Chris Christie (R) and Gov. Jon Corzine (D-NJ)

The three candidates for Governor of New Jersey -- Democratic incumbent Jon Corzine, Republican Chris Christie, and independent Chris Daggett -- met for a debate tonight, with a lot of substantive discussion on the issues facing the state. In a race marked by bitter personal attacks, this debate for the most part featured arguments about the issues themselves.

An interesting pattern emerged that when candidates fought each other, in almost all cases it was between Christie and another one of the participants. While Corzine and Daggett stated different positions on various issues, for the most part they didn't take each other on directly. The real target of their attacks was Christie.

The most memorable exchange came when Daggett said to Christie: "I gotta buy you a calculator, Mr. Christie, because your numbers don't add up. They never add up. You have no plan, no plan at all." Daggett then said that he himself has a good plan on taxes and the budget, and he challenges anyone to come up with a better one that has real substance.

When it came time for Christie's turn, he shot back: "I'm more than happy to take Mr. Daggett's calculator. I'd like to give you a dictionary, because only you could take a $4 billion tax increase and call it a tax cut."

When Corzine's turn came again, he chimed in. "Let me agree with Mr. Daggett -- Mr. Christie doesn't seem to get the arithmetic right," said Corzine, citing as one example how Christie said people are leaving the state, when in fact the population is growing. "It's just misleading, talking down the state is not a great idea. In fact, we ought to have a positive view."

Some more highlights, after the jump.

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Michele Bachmann

Bachmann In Solid Financial Condition For 2010 Campaign

Eric Kleefeld | October 16, 2009, 5:24PM

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) had a strong third fundraising quarter, taking in about $345,000.

Bachmann also spent $118,000 and has a total of just under $617,000 in cash on hand.

Bachmann's two Democratic opponents, state Sen. Tarryl Clark and former state university regent Maureen Reed, both had a solid fundraising quarter, too -- but they'll first have to spend much of that money against one another.

Bachmann's district voted 53%-45% for John McCain in 2008, though Bachmann herself barely won re-election by a margin of 46%-43%, due to her controversial public statements. Will her continued media presence be enough to mobilize support against her in 2010 -- or will she win again in this conservative district?

Steve Rothman

Congressman Blasts Rumors Of Retirement As 'Creative Writing Assignment'

Eric Kleefeld | October 16, 2009, 3:53PM

Rep. Steve Rothman (D-NJ)

Rep. Steve Rothman (D-NJ) was quick to respond, and to do so in some pretty strong terms, after PolitickerNJ speculated that the Congressman might retire in light of his low fundraising this past quarter:

I wonder who gave out the creative writing assignment to suggest that I was retiring from Congress? After all, I love helping my constituents, bringing an unprecedented amount of federal dollars back to many regions in New Jersey (as our only Democratic Appropriations Committee member); and working with my House colleagues and the Obama White House in matters of our national security and foreign affairs. And I'm running for reelection in 2010, and for many years more.

Rothman also said that his political standing in New Jersey "is as good as anyone's, maybe better," and that he has more total campaign funds on hand than all but one other member of the state's congressional delegation, and he is 10th highest overall among the House Democrats.

Sunday Shows

The Sunday Show Line-Ups

Eric Kleefeld | October 16, 2009, 3:23PM

Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel

Here are the line-ups for the Sunday talk shows this weekend:

• ABC, This Week: White House Senior Adviser David Axelrod.

• CBS, Face The Nation: White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH).

• CNN, State Of The Union: White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Sen. John Kerry (D-MA).

• Fox News Sunday: Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND), Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA), Sen. John Thune (R-SD), former Bush White House adviser Karl Rove, former DNC chairman Terry McAuliffe.

• NBC, Meet The Press: White House Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT), Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-AZ), California First Lady Maria Shriver, Center for American Progress president John Podesta.

Tim Pawlenty

Pawlenty Speaking To Right-Wing Activist Conference

Eric Kleefeld | October 16, 2009, 3:09PM

Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN)

Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN), a potential candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, is set to boost his ultra-conservative credentials this weekend, putting in an appearance at the Western CPAC conference -- where he'll be in some pretty interesting company.

Tonight, for example, Pawlenty will be featured at a private VIP reception, which also include none other than Floyd Brown. For those of you who have not heard of him, Brown was the originator of the Willie Horton ad against Mike Dukakis in 1988, and currently runs the Web sites Expose Obama and the Impeach Obama Campaign, which warns: "how long should we sit back and permit Barack Hussein Obama to rip apart the fabric of this country before we take action?"

Read more »

NY-23

National GOP Giving More Aid To Scozzafava -- And Making Right-Wingers Madder

Eric Kleefeld | October 16, 2009, 2:19PM

NY-23 Candidates Dede Scozzafava (R) and Doug Hoffman (Conservative)

The national Republican Party is stepping up its efforts to support moderate GOPer Dede Scozzafava in the upcoming NY-23 special election, sending in money and big endorsements -- which might just make the current split with the right wing on this race even worse.

Scozzafava is being opposed by not just Democratic candidate Bill Owens, but also by Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman, who has the support of right-wing groups such as the Club For Growth, the Family Research Council, and conservative bloggers who are incensed at Scozzafava's liberalism on issues like gay rights and abortion.

The Republican National Committee, after having not put in resources, will now give $85,000 to the coordinated campaign, and transfer an undisclosed six-figure sum to the state GOP to help Scozzafava. In addition, the Scozzafava campaign has rolled out the endorsement of the big conservative icon of the 1990's, Newt Gingrich himself -- which is only making the right-wingers even madder.

Read more »

NJ-GOV

Christie: I'll Let You In On A Secret -- I'm Overweight

Eric Kleefeld | October 16, 2009, 1:30PM

Fmr. US Attorney Chris Christie

Chris Christie is now firing back against the Corzine campaign on the issue of his own weight, saying Corzine is trying to use Christie's weight problem as a distraction from the real issues of the campaign.

This all started with a Corzine campaign ad that said Christie "threw his weight around" as U.S. Attorney to get out of trouble from traffic violations and car accidents. Later on, when Corzine was asked if he thinks Christie is fat, he answered, "Am I bald?" The most recent, and most blatant instance, came from state Democratic chairman Joe Cryan, who declared to a Democratic crowd: "What would it feel like if the next governor weighs 350 pounds?"

So now Christie has fired back, as the Press of Atlantic City reports:

"I'm gonna let you in on a little secret," Christie told the crowd. "I know most of you didn't know this - but the governor's been whispering this to the press for months and months and months, and now he's trying to be a little cute about talking about it too through his TV ads. I want to make sure you're all seated and you're OK before I let you in on a secret: I'm overweight. And I've struggled with my weight for the better part of 30 years, up and down.

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Democracy Corps

Democracy Corps: GOP Voters Think Obama Is Destroying America, Thus GOP Leaders Can't Compromise

Eric Kleefeld | October 16, 2009, 1:04PM

On a conference call with reporters just now, Democracy Corps' James Carville, Stan Greenberg and Karl Agne went over their focus group study of Republican base voters and their worldview that President Obama is out to destroy the country -- and the pressure this puts on Republican voters to make no compromises with the Obama administration.

"I don't know if we'll say we were startled," said Carville, "but if you take the position that these Republican voters take, it's easy to see why it leads to this, but they really believe that Obama has a secret agenda here. And our view is this is a dominant view in the Republican Party."

Karl Agne also noted that GOP voters see the the party's leadership as too timid and not strong enough on the issues: "Their negative view of the Republican party is really startling."

Carville explained: "What they want is, if people in Washington look at the Republican Party, they say, gee, they really oppose everything the President does. What these folks say is what they're doing is not enough, they want more opposition. If you're a Republican and you watch this, and you don't want to get primaries, there's nothing here that tells you to go compromise on anything -- quite the contrary."

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Democracy Corps

Democracy Corps: Republican Base Voters Living In Another World

Eric Kleefeld | October 16, 2009, 12:02PM

A new focus-group of Republican base voters by the Democracy Corps (D), the consulting and polling outfit headed up by James Carville and Stan Greenberg, presents a picture of the GOP base as being motivated by a fundamentally different worldview than folks in the middle or on the Dem side -- and they see the country as being under a dire threat.

"They believe Obama is ruthlessly advancing a 'secret agenda' to bankrupt the United States and dramatically expand government control to an extent nothing short of socialism," the analysis said." While these voters are disdainful of a Republican Party they view to have failed in its mission, they overwhelmingly view a successful Obama presidency as the destruction of this country's founding principles and are committed to seeing the president fail."

The analysis argues that Obama's unpopularity among conservative Republicans is both quantitatively and qualitatively different from liberal Democratic ire against George W. Bush -- that the GOP is more heavily conservative than the Democrats are heavily liberal, and that the hatred of Obama is more intense than Dem hatred of Bush was. All of this adds up to a powerful set of emotions that the Republican Party as a whole cannot ignore.

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Joe Wilson

Joe Wilson Out-Raises Rob Miller By $1 Million

Eric Kleefeld | October 16, 2009, 9:43AM

SC-02 Candidate Rob Miller (D) and Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC)

And the winner of the money race in the wake of Rep. Joe Wilson's (R-SC) infamous "You lie!" outburst during President Obama's speech to Congress is...Joe Wilson.

Wilson raised $2.7 million in the third quarter, while his Democratic opponent Rob Miller -- who had initially enjoyed a big fundraising surge in the immediate aftermath of "You lie!" -- got $1.7 million. While Miller's total is certainly very impressive by all normal standards of House races, and especially for a race that had not been on anybody's radar before this controversy, Wilson's supporters clearly out-hustled the Dems on this one.

Miller, an Iraq war veteran, previously ran against Wilson in 2008. Wilson won that race by 54%-46%, after having previously won overwhelming landslide victories in his previous campaigns. Heading into 2010, voters will probably be seeing and hearing a lot from these two.

NJ-GOV

Polls: Corzine Up In One, Christie Ahead In Another

Eric Kleefeld | October 16, 2009, 9:15AM

Former US Attorney Chris Christie (R) and Gov. Jon Corzine (D-NJ)

A new pair of polls in New Jersey show how much of a toss-up this gubernatorial race has become, with Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine narrowly leading in one and Republican candidate Chris Christie just barely leading in the other.

From the New York Times: Corzine 40%, Christie 37%, and independent Chris Daggett with 14%, with a margin of error of between 4% and 5% for likely voters.

From SurveyUSA: Christie 40%, Corzine 39%, Daggett 18%, with a ±4% margin of error. A week ago, SurveyUSA had Christie up by 43%-40%-14%.

The New York Times poll demonstrates how voters have come to view this race as a choice of the lesser of two evils: "But a majority of voters say they cannot relate personally to either Mr. Christie or Mr. Corzine, and neither man is considered likable: 46 percent of voters view Mr. Corzine unfavorably, 30 percent favorably, and 23 percent have no opinion. For Mr. Christie, 41 percent do not have an opinion, 37 percent view him unfavorably and 19 percent have a favorable opinion of him. Mr. Daggett, who lacks the money to advertise heavily, is unknown to most voters: nearly 8 in 10 have no opinion of him."

NV-GOV

Harry Reid's Son Running For Governor of Nevada

Eric Kleefeld | October 15, 2009, 6:20PM

Clark County, Nevada, Commissioner Rory Reid (D)

Senate Majority Leader Harry's Reid's son, Clark County (Las Vegas) Commissioner Rory Reid, has officially declared that he is running for Governor of Nevada in 2010 -- the same year that his father is facing a tough re-election fight to the Senate.

Reid the Younger put himself forward as a policy wonk, laying out a policy roadmap for the state's future: "I'm going to challenge anyone else who wants this office to either agree with me or propose something different."

NY-23

NY-23 Special Election Splitting The Right

Eric Kleefeld | October 15, 2009, 5:58PM

NY-23 Candidates Dede Scozzafava (R) and Doug Hoffman (Conservative)

The upcoming special election in NY-23, a swing seat that had been held securely by Republican Congressman John McHugh until his appointment as President Obama's Secretary of the Army, is seriously threatening to divide the right -- and Democrats stand to benefit.

The new Siena poll finds Democrat Bill Owens taking a narrow 33%-29% lead over Republican state Rep. Dede Scozzafava -- with Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman not far behind, with 23%. Hoffman has been endorsed by the Club For Growth, Family Research Council Action PAC, Fred Thompson and other conservatives, who refuse to back Scozzafava over her various socially liberal stances.

In addition, The Hill reports that only 17 House Republicans have donated to Scozzafava.

TPM asked the NRCC whether they would commit to continue supporting Scozzafava, even if Hoffman were to overtake her as the chief opponent to Owens. They declined to comment on their strategy.

Read more »

DE-SEN

Poll: Mike Castle, Beau Biden In Dead Heat For Senate Race

Eric Kleefeld | October 15, 2009, 4:53PM

Rep. Mike Castle (R-DE) and state Atty. Gen. Beau Biden (D-DE)

The new Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll finds a dead heat in the 2010 Delaware Senate race -- a special election for Vice President Joe Biden's Senate -- between the likely Republican nominee, Rep. Mike Castle, and Joe Biden's son, the likely Dem nominee Beau Biden.

The numbers: Castle 46%, Biden the Younger 45%, within the ±4% margin of error. Castle has officially declared his candidacy, while Biden has said he is strongly considering it.

Other Democrats were also tested against Castle, and they did not do as well: Appointed Sen. Ted Kaufman trails by 51%-37%, former Lt. Gov. John Carney (who is running for Castle's House seat) is behind by 49%-41%, and New Castle County Executive Chris Coons trails by 51%-39%.

The poll also showed Carney leading two Republicans for the House race, though with less than 50% support: He's ahead of former state Sen. Charlie Copeland by 44%-21%, and leads state Rep. Greg Lavelle by 45%-18%.

Joseph Cao

Cao Raises Big Money -- And Spends Almost All Of It

Eric Kleefeld | October 15, 2009, 4:42PM

Rep. Joseph Cao (R-LA)

Rep. Joseph Cao (R-LA), a freshman from the heavily Democratic New Orleans-based district, had a solid fundraising quarter of $384,113.67 -- and spent nearly all of it.

Cao spent $376,536.64 in the quarter, about 98% of his receipts, leaving him with $351,134.43 cash on hand -- practically the same as he had at the start of the quarter.

Cao's itemized disbursements show that much of the money was spent on direct mail and fundraising fees.

Cao was elected in a huge upset over the then-indicted (later convicted) Democratic Rep. Bill Jefferson, and is certain to the Democrats' top target in 2010.

NJ-GOV

Corzine: Bill Clinton Campaigning With Me On Tuesday

Eric Kleefeld | October 15, 2009, 3:56PM

Former President Bill Clinton (D) and Gov. Jon Corzine (D-NJ)

On a conference call just now with donors to the Democratic Governors Association, Gov. Jon Corzine (D-NJ) announced that former President Bill Clinton will be campaigning with him this Tuesday.

Corzine talked about how the leading lights of the Democratic Party are coming into the state to support him: President Obama this Wednesday, Clinton the day before that, and Joe Biden the day before Clinton.

"And we are hoping we'll have other voices," said Corzine, such as Caroline Kennedy.

NJ-GOV

Biden To Campaign With Corzine On Monday

Eric Kleefeld | October 15, 2009, 3:24PM

Vice President Joe Biden and Gov. Jon Corzine (D-NJ)

Gov. Jon Corzine (D-NJ) is getting more help from the White House in his re-election campaign, with the Corzine team announcing that Vice President Biden will campaign alongside Corzine this Monday.

The event will be held at Middlesex County Community College Physical Education Center in Edison, New Jersey, with the doors opening at 11 a.m. ET. This is in addition to President Obama's upcoming rally with Corzine, which will be held this Wednesday.

Corzine is narrowly trailing Republican former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie, who used to lead by much healthier margins until recently. Corzine is clearly hoping that the White House's popularity in Democratic-leaning New Jersey could be enough to get him across the finish line.

Michele Bachmann

Michele Bachmann Fundraising Sends A Message To The Left --Sort Of

Eric Kleefeld | October 15, 2009, 1:58PM

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

As we reported yesterday, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) yesterday launched a fundraising drive, with the intention of sending a message to the left about how Americans are fed up with the "gangster government" and "Big Sister Pelosi & Big Brother Reid," by donating a lot of money to her in one day. So how did it go?

When I checked last night at about 11 p.m. ET, Bachmann was at $83,751.38 Although it's been more than one day, the fundraising drive's Web page is still up, and as of right now shows $105,648.74.

Overall, it's not bad at all for a second-term back bencher who didn't have an immediate occasion for raising money -- as opposed to the rush of donations that accompanied Joe Wilson's "You lie!" moment or Alan Grayson's "Die quickly."

But in terms of sending a message to the left, it's probably not something that Big Sister Pelosi will be losing much sleep over.

Carly Fiorina

Carly Fiorina's Daughter Passes Away, Age 35

Eric Kleefeld | October 15, 2009, 12:24PM

Former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina (R-CA)

Carly Fiorina, the former Hewlett-Packard CEO and current Republican exploratory candidate for Senate in California, has suffered the loss of her daughter, 35-year old Lori Ann Fiorina, who died this past Monday.

The following statement was issued today by Fiorina's chief of staff, Deborah Bowker, on behalf of the family: "Carly and Frank Fiorina are deeply saddened by the loss of their youngest daughter, Lori. This is a difficult time for the family and they appreciate all good thoughts, prayers, as well as, respect for their privacy during this time of grief and healing."

NJ-GOV

Poll: Daggett Voters Becoming The Key To New Jersey Election

Eric Kleefeld | October 15, 2009, 12:08PM

Chris Daggett, independent candidate for governor in New Jersey

A new Rasmussen poll of the New Jersey gubernatorial race finds that independent Chris Daggett could be continuing to surge -- but that if his support falls back down, as third-party candidates often do, Republican Chris Christie could hold on to a narrow lead over Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine.

Respondents were asked for initial support of candidates, and it came out as a tie between the top two: Christie 38%, Corzine 38%, Daggett 16%.

However, Daggett supporters were given a follow-up question about whether they might change their minds, and who they might vote for if they do -- similar to the process that Rasmussen normally uses to push people from the undecided column into leaning towards a candidate. The poll then found that 57% of Daggett supporters could change their minds, and this could result in a new number: Christie 45%, Corzine 41%, Daggett 9%.

"The race is a tossup, and the key question will be if Daggett loses support, how much support will he lose, and where will it go," Scott Rasmussen told TPM, also adding: "There is no perfect way to measure this. But this is where the play is."

PA-SEN

Poll: Specter Barely Leads Sestak In Dem Primary

Eric Kleefeld | October 15, 2009, 9:57AM

Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) and Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA)

The new Rasmussen poll of Pennsylvania finds Sen. Arlen Specter just barely ahead of his Democratic primary challenger, Rep. Joe Sestak.

The numbers: Specter 46%, Sestak 42%, with a ±3% margin of error. In early August, Specter had been ahead by 47%-34%. Sestak has been challenging Specter -- who switched form the Republicans to the Democrats in order to avoid certain defeat in the GOP primary -- on the grounds that he's not a real Democrat, and both of them have been moving noticeably to the left (though Specter has logically taken a greater journey, given his starting point as a moderate Republican).

In the general election match-ups, Republican former Rep. Pat Toomey leads Specter by 45%-40%, while Sestak edges out Toomey 38%-37%, with a ±3% margin of error.

NY-23

Poll: Democrat Bill Owens Takes Narrow Lead In NY-23

Eric Kleefeld | October 15, 2009, 9:35AM

NY-23 candidates Dede Scozzafava (R) and Bill Owens (D)

The new Siena poll of the NY-23 special election, which is being held on November 3 to fill a GOP-held swing seat, shows Democrat Bill Owens taking a narrow lead in a three-way race.

The numbers: Owens 33%, moderate Republican Dede Scozzafava 29%, and Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman with 23%. Two weeks ago, Scozzafava was ahead with 35%, Owens had 28%, and Hoffman at 16%.

The pollster's analysis finds that the positive nature of Owens' campaign has helped him, compared to negativity from the GOP campaign: "Among those who've seen Owens' commercials, a small plurality says the commercials make them more likely to support Owens. However, by a margin of 28-12 percent, those who've seen Scozzafava's commercials say those commercials make them less likely to support her."

NH-SEN

NH GOP Chairman To National Party: Stay Out Of Our Senate Primary

Eric Kleefeld | October 14, 2009, 6:02PM

Frmr. Gov. John H. Sununu (R-NH)

Former New Hampshire Gov. John H. Sununu, who is currently the state GOP chairman, is strongly opposing the possibility of the national GOP endorsing former state Attorney Kelly Ayotte for Senate, the Nashua Telegraph reports.

"I hope the NRSC understands that New Hampshire doesn't really respond well to having candidates designated from outside the state," Sununu told the paper.

Ayotte faces a primary against two businessmen, Ovide Lamontagne and Sean Mahoney. And Sununu is prepared to play referee in the primary, saying it can help the party hold retiring GOP Sen. Judd Gregg's seat: "I'm just going to make sure it's a positive Republican primary with all the candidates focused on the shortcomings of the Democrats."

Late Update:: NRSC spokeswoman Amber Wilkerson Marchand gives us this comment: "The NRSC has not endorsed in this race, nor has an endorsement been sought."

NJ-GOV

Obama To Campaign With Corzine Next Wednesday

Eric Kleefeld | October 14, 2009, 4:05PM

Gov. Jon Corzine (D-NJ)

President Obama will be campaigning next Wednesday for New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine, the Corzine campaign has just announced.

The event will be held at the Rothman Center on the Metropolitan campus of Fairleigh Dickinson University, with the doors opening at 3 p.m. ET. (When the line forms is probably beyond the campaign's control, though.)

Corzine is in a tough fight against Republican former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie, but has been catching up in the polls after having trailed by wide margins all year. Obama's popularity could potentially make the difference for Corzine in this Democratic-leaning state.

Late Update: The Corzine campaign gives us this comment: "We are thrilled that President Obama is returning to New Jersey to stand with Governor Corzine and Senator Weinberg. Like President Obama, Governor Corzine has been fighting for what matters for New Jersey families- getting health coverage for nearly 100,000 more kids, supporting a woman's right to choose, and passing paid family leave that allows workers to care for their loved ones."

IA-SEN

Christie Vilsack Considering Run For Senate Against Grassley

Eric Kleefeld | October 14, 2009, 3:48PM

Fmr. Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack (D)

Former Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack, wife of former Gov. Tom Vilsack, now says she's considering a run for Senate in 2010 against Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley.

"I think I'm qualified to serve, so time will tell." Vilsack told WHO-TV, the central Iowa NBC station.

"You know, I've spent the last 12 years traveling around the state, developing a relationship with the people of Iowa," she explained, "and I just really appreciate the fact that people have been so supportive in suggesting this. But, as I said, time will tell."

Grassley was first elected in the 1980 Reagan landslide, and has been re-elected by comfortable margins ever since, winning 70% of the vote in 2004.

(Via The Political Carnival.)

RNC

RNC Web Site Pays Tribute To Ronaldus Magnus

Eric Kleefeld | October 14, 2009, 3:26PM

Fmr. Pres. Ronald Reagan

The new Republican National Committee Web site has been derided for its "GOP Heroes" section -- which teaches us that almost all of the great Republicans lived in the 1800's, and about half of them were black -- but there's another illustrious name on the list: Ronaldus Magnus.

The site's page on Ronald Reagan includes this citation of the party's great hero, giving him a stylized name we might see on a Roman emperor:

Our country has to decide, said Ronaldus Magnus, "whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether to abandon the American Revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capital can plan our lives better than we can plan them ourselves."

And to think that the GOP makes fun of the Democrats for allegedly worshiping Obama.

We've called the RNC office for comment on how this got there, giving them the benefit of the doubt that maybe this is a product of those hackers we've been hearing about as a result of the site's security problems. They have not gotten back to us yet.

Late Update: The page has now been edited, removing Reagan's Latin throne name. It now simply says, "Our country has to decide, said Reagan..."

Rob Simmons

GOP Senate Candidate Rob Simmons Adds Tea Bag To His Constitution

Eric Kleefeld | October 14, 2009, 2:19PM

Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT)

Former Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT), the national GOP's favored candidate for Senate against Democratic incumbent Chris Dodd in 2010, has departed from his former reputation as a moderate Republican -- he's now become such a devotee of the Tea Party movement, that he's inserted a tea bag inside his pocket Constitution!

"I've made it a habit over the years to carry my Constitution in my pocket as a reminder of what this country and what this country's government is all about," Simmons told a recent event. "But more recently because of the participation of many of you, I've added something to my Constitution. I've added a tea bag."

Simmons seems a bit half-hearted, though -- the tea bag is still inside the wrapper.

CT-SEN

Linda McMahon Self-Financing Millions On Senate Bid

Eric Kleefeld | October 14, 2009, 2:01PM

Former Worldwide Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon (R-CT)

Former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon, one of the candidates for the Republican nomination against Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT), has been spending a lot of her own money on the race -- $2 million of it in just two weeks, the Hartford Courant reports:

McMahon is already spending at a blistering pace compared with her opponents. She launched a major television advertising blitz with commercials on the season premiere of "Saturday Night Live" and during a prime-time Notre Dame football game.

McMahon spent $2.05 million for the period ending Sept. 30 and has $1.45 million in cash on hand, her campaign said Tuesday night. She loaned $3 million to the campaign and made $496,000 in in-kind contributions for expenses she paid on behalf of the campaign.

It's interesting to note that when McMahon launched her campaign a month ago, she said would be running a different kind of campaign, and that she would be limiting all individual contributions to $100. It appears one individual is excluded from that rule, and is making up the difference.

FL-SEN

Crist Tacks Right: They Called Me 'Chain Gang Charlie'

Eric Kleefeld | October 14, 2009, 1:09PM

Gov. Charlie Crist (R-FL) and former state House Speaker Marco Rubio (R)

Gov. Charlie Crist (R-FL), who is fending off a challenge from the right by former state House Speaker Marco Rubio in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, is busy burnishing his conservative credentials, the Lakeland Ledger reports.

"When I was in the state Senate I was nicknamed 'Chain Gang Charlie,'" said Crist. "It's hard to get right of that."

Crist also boasted that he has been "about as conservative as you can get": "No governor has cut taxes more, no governor has vetoed more pork bills and no governor has spent more time reducing spending."

The single biggest issue that Rubio can use against Crist is the governor's endorsement of President Obama's stimulus bill. Let's see if "Chain Gang Charlie" can fight his way out of it.

Alan Grayson

Will Grayson Get Away Without A Real Opponent In 2010?

Eric Kleefeld | October 14, 2009, 12:53PM

Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL)

Could it be that Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) -- the freshman Congressman who has become a celebrity for calling Republicans "knuckle-dragging neanderthals" who want people who get sick to "die quickly" -- could end up with only a bottom-tier Republican opponent for his swing district in 2010?

As the Orlando Sentinel reports, top potential Republican candidates have been opting out of the race: Former state Sen. Daniel Webster, Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty, state Rep. Steve Precourt, and businessman Jerry Pierce.

"That leaves a pair of Tea Party activists -- Patricia Sullivan from Eustis and Dan Fanelli of Orlando -- and transplanted Miami developer Armando Gutierrez Jr., as likely Grayson foes," the paper says. "Others are considering bids, but it seems unlikely the GOP will get someone with elected experience."

Read more »

PA-SEN

Poll: Specter In Serious Danger On Re-Election

Eric Kleefeld | October 14, 2009, 12:28PM

Former Rep. Pat Toomey (R-PA) and Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA)

A new Susquehanna poll has some awful numbers for Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA), with him stuck in a dead heat for re-election -- and a huge majority of the state's voters saying he doesn't deserve re-election.

Only 31% of voters said Specter should be re-elected, with 59% saying someone else should be given a chance. It's not surprising to learn that Specter has a large base of opposition -- after all, he switched from the Republicans to the Democrats in order to avoid defeat in the GOP primary at the hands of former Rep. Pat Toomey -- but that's quite bad.

Read more »

Michele Bachmann

Bachmann: Send A Message To Left -- Donate To Me Today

Eric Kleefeld | October 14, 2009, 10:52AM

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) is hoping to make today a special message to the left -- especially "Big Sister Pelosi and Big Brother Reid" -- through a mega-fundraising drive for her campaign.

The intention is send a message from the American people: "You're saying that you don't want this Gangster Government supersized!"

"We can show them that we mean business by raising money from patriots like you across the nation in a one-day fundraising blitz," said an e-mail from Bachmann's campaign. "There will be no dismissing our efforts as Astroturf -- this is the power of the People taking back their government!"

So far, she's not exactly in Ron Paul money-bomb territory, with only about $22,000 to show for it so far. But hey, the day is young, so let's see what happens. Check out the full-email after the jump.

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NJ-GOV

Poll: Christie Ahead By Only One Point

Eric Kleefeld | October 14, 2009, 6:35AM

Gov. Jon Corzine (D-NJ) and Former US Attorney Chris Christie (R)

The new Quinnipiac poll in New Jersey further confirms that this race is going down to the wire, with Republican nominee Chris Christie ahead of Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine by just one point.

The numbers: Christie 41%, Corzine 40%, and independent Chris Daggett with 14%, with a ±2.8% margin of error. Two weeks ago, Christie had a lead of 43%-39%-12%.

The pollster's analysis finds that both candidates have become quite unpopular:

"People obviously are listening to the negative ads from both sides. Both Corzine and Christie get a split, at best, on the 'honesty' question," Carroll said.

"Corzine has failed to control the state budget, Christie ads proclaim. Voters agree. Christie is too vague on what he'd do as Governor, Corzine ads proclaim. Again, voters agree.

"The Corzine team obviously likes the mammogram attack on Christie. They keep running it. But New Jerseyans don't like it. 'Unfair,' they say, almost 2 - 1."

NJ-GOV

Federal Records: Christie Spent Big On Government-Funded Business Trips

Eric Kleefeld | October 13, 2009, 6:05PM

Former US Attorney Chris Christie (R) and Gov. Jon Corzine (D-NJ)

The Corzine campaign appears to have found some dirt in their searches through Chris Christie's records during his time as U.S. Attorney -- relating to some apparent lavish spending on the taxpayer's dime:

The Republican candidate for New Jersey governor, who has campaigned on a platform of ethical integrity and cutting government waste, regularly spent beyond federal guidelines on business travel while U.S. attorney, records show.

The newly released travel records show that Chris Christie occasionally billed taxpayers more than $400 a night for stays in luxury hotels and exceeded the government's hotel allowance on 14 of 16 business trips he took in 2008.

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Alan Grayson

Top GOP Prospect Dan Webster Not Running Against Grayson

Eric Kleefeld | October 13, 2009, 5:52PM

Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL)

Republicans just lost their top prospect to run against Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL), with former state Sen. Dan Webster announcing that he won't make the race.

"This has been a very difficult decision for me personally, especially because of the tremendous outpouring of support that has flooded me from all sides," said Webster, a big name among the state's religious conservatives. "However, in spite of this incredible encouragement, I still have a certain check in my spirit, prompting me to follow a principle that has always served me well: 'When in doubt, don't.'"

Grayson, of course, is the Democratic Congressman who has attacked the Republicans as having a health care plan for Americans to "die quickly," called them "knuckle-dragging neanderthals," and even borrowed the late GOP Vice President Spiro Agnew's words and called the GOP "nattering nabobs of negativism." The national GOP does not have a candidate yet, but has set up a special fund to raise money for the eventual opponent.

Florida's 8th District historically voted Republican, but went 52%-47% for Barack Obama in 2008, and elected the now-famous Grayson by 52%-48% over a Republican incumbent.

NJ-GOV

Christie: I Feel Better Now Than When I Was Way Ahead

Eric Kleefeld | October 13, 2009, 5:03PM

Gov. Jon Corzine (D-NJ) and Former US Attorney Chris Christie (R)

Speaking to reporters today, Chris Christie dismissed the poll numbers that have shown his once-mighty lead over Jon Corzine -- and said that in fact, he feels better now than he did before.

"I feel better now than over the summer when I had a bigger lead," said Christie. "I knew the governor was going to spend a lot of money going after me, attacking me. And as much as he has, I should be dead by now, but here I am - still with a lead, and I feel better now than I have felt this entire race."

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VA-GOV

Deeds Camp Raises Money Off Rush Limbaugh's 'Mealy-Mouthed Idiot' Insult

Eric Kleefeld | October 13, 2009, 4:27PM

Creigh Deeds is now raising money from yet another apparent Republican attack -- this time from none other than Rush Limbaugh, who declared yesterday that Deeds is a "mealy-mouthed idiot."

In a new fundraising e-mail, Deeds supporters are urged to "make a contribution and show Rush Limbaugh and our childish opponents that when they launch personal attacks on Creigh, they only embolden our resolve to keep Virginia moving forward."

Last week, of course, McDonnell supporter Sheila Johnson got in hot water for making fun of Deeds for stuttering. It's not clear whether Limbaugh's "mealy-mouthed" line was a reference to Deeds' speech, or whether it was simply a random insult.

Check out the full e-mail, after the jump.

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VA-GOV

Poll: McDonnell Still Ahead In Virginia

Eric Kleefeld | October 13, 2009, 1:40PM

VA-GOV Candidates Creigh Deeds (D) and Bob McDonnell (R)

The new Rasmussen poll of Virginia finds Republican Bob McDonnell continuing to hold a solid lead over Democrat Creigh Deeds in the Virginia gubernatorial race.

The numbers: McDonnell 50%, Deeds 43%, with a ±4% margin of error. This has not significantly changed from two weeks ago, when McDonnell was ahead 51%-42%.

The pollster's analysis finds that McDonnell has recovered from controversies surrounding his hard-right grad school thesis, which denounced working women -- but also that the potential still exists for it to be a problem: "Concern about the thesis has risen again, however. Fifty-five percent (55%) of voters now say it is at least somewhat important in determining how they will vote. That's up five points from the two previous surveys on the race."

Liz Cheney

DNC Slams New Liz Cheney Group And Her Family's 'Sullied Legacy'

Eric Kleefeld | October 13, 2009, 1:12PM

Former State Dept. Official Liz Cheney

The Democratic National Committee is responding to Liz Cheney's new anti-Obama group "Keep America Safe" -- a sign that the Dems might still enjoy having the Cheneys as villains they can kick around:

"Last fall, the American people overwhelmingly rejected a radical foreign policy authored by Dick Cheney that alienated our allies, emboldened our enemies, depleted our resources, distracted our focus and made the nation less secure. The Cheneys lost that debate and their approach was deemed a failure. The Cheneys can continue to focus on securing their sullied legacy if they want to. But, the President will continue to focus on securing the country," said DNC National Press Secretary Hari Sevugan.

Alan Grayson

Grayson Plays It Low-Key At Town Hall

Eric Kleefeld | October 13, 2009, 12:41PM

Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL)

Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) held a town hall meeting on health care in his district last night -- and seemed to be doing his best to avoid controversy.

Grayson stuck to policy specifics -- though at one point he was confronted by a man who tried to turn Grayson's "die quickly" attack on the Republicans right back at him. "I'd like to know if he's aware that it was actually Richard Lamm, Democratic Governor of Colorado, in 1984, who said it's your duty to die if you get sick," the man said. "And I think that that's a hypocritical statement of yours, to tar other people with something that the Democrats said."

"You have mischaracterized what I said, you've mischaracterized what Gov. Lamm said," Grayson replied. "Our time is limited tonight, and I'm not gonna debate politics, I'm gonna debate health care. So we're gonna go on to the next question." He then proceeded to talk about the need for a public option to create health care competition:

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NJ-GOV

Poll: Christie's Lead Shrinks To One Point

Eric Kleefeld | October 13, 2009, 11:02AM

Gov. Jon Corzine (D-NJ) and Former US Attorney Chris Christie (R)

The new survey of New Jersey from Public Policy Polling (D) confirms the trend of this gubernatorial race coming down the wire, with Republican Chris Christie ahead of Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine by just one point.

The numbers: Christie 40%, Corzine 39%, and independent Chris Daggett 13%, with a ±4.1% margin of error. A month ago, Christie had a much bigger lead of 44%-35%-13%.

The pollster also asked respondents about an emerging question in this race: Is Corzine attacking Christie for his weight?

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VA-GOV

McDonnell Stays Cool In Debate

Eric Kleefeld | October 12, 2009, 9:34PM

VA-GOV Candidates Creigh Deeds (D) and Bob McDonnell (R)

Creigh Deeds and Bob McDonnell met in Richmond tonight for their first prime-time televised debate in the Virginia gubernatorial race -- and the big news tonight is that nothing appeared to happen that would upset the current status quo, with McDonnell ahead and Deeds working to catch up.

McDonnell remained unflappable -- none of Deeds' attacks or the questions from moderator Judy Woodruff threw him off from his steady pace. In the first question, he was asked whether the recent Democratic or Republican presidents and Virginia governors have done a better job for Virginia's economy -- a potential curveball, in light of how unpopular George W. Bush still is, as well as the state's most recent Republican governor, Jim Gilmore.

"You might suspect the likely answer from me would be the Republicans have done a better job," McDonnell said. He credited Republican ideas such as low taxes, right-to-work laws and other pro-business policies with helping the state: "I think those are the ideas that have helped. What this election really is about here in Virginia is job creation and economic development."

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Michele Bachmann

The Bachmann Comic, Issue 2: Our Review

Eric Kleefeld | October 12, 2009, 5:29PM

The second issue of the Michele Bachmann comic book series, produced by some of our friends at the Dump Bachmann blog, is now in print, and like the previous issue it presents a chilling portrait of a right-wing lunatic who has risen up to the highest levels of American government.

However, the presentation of the facts in the second issue deviated from the first issue in a key respect -- that this time around, not all speech balloons from Bachmann are necessarily direct quotes from the woman herself. Paraphrases or new punchlines come in -- and unfortunately, this is not a decision for the better.

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MN-06

Two Dems Report Strong Fundraising Against Bachmann

Eric Kleefeld | October 12, 2009, 4:53PM

MN-06 Democratic candidates Tarryl Clark and Maureen Reed

Both Democrats seeking the nomination to run against Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) have reported strong fundraising totals -- though they'll first have to spend it in competition for the Dem nod.

State Sen. Tarryl Clark has raised $308,015, her campaign announced, after having just gotten into the race with nine weeks left in the third quarter. She has just under $270,000 cash on hand. Clark has quickly emerged as the Democratic establishment's candidate, with the support of the state AFL-CIO, SEIU, AFSCME, and various elected officials and other organizations.

Maureen Reed, a former state university regent and the 2006 Independence Party nominee for Lt. Governor, raised over $130,000 in the third quarter, and has over $300,000 cash on hand. "Maureen now sits with over $300,000 cash on hand, all of which was raised without relying on endorsements from prominent individuals or special interests," campaign manager Jason Isaacson said in a press release. "This outpouring of support shows that our message of creating jobs, fixing healthcare, and reducing the national debt is resonating with people."

VA-GOV

Deeds Campaign: McDonnell Should Use Rally With Sheila Johnson To Apologize For Stutter Joke

Eric Kleefeld | October 12, 2009, 3:59PM

VA-GOV Candidates Creigh Deeds (D) and Bob McDonnell (R)

On a conference call with the Deeds campaign and reporters just now, TPM asked Deeds adviser Mo Elleithee for comment on Republican candidate Bob McDonnell's upcoming rally with Sheila Johnson -- the McDonnell supporter who publicly insulted Deeds for stuttering.

"Well, we'll be anxious to see if he finally uses this as an opportunity to apologize," said Elleithee. The McDonnell campaign had originally not apologized, though Johnson herself later issued a statement apologizing, after a day of media criticism.

"I think most people agree that her comments were in poor taste. People are confused about why he would not distance himself from those comments," Elleithee added. "It really was a telling moment in this campaign. It was the only time in this campaign so far when one candidate launched a truly negative personal attack against another."

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NJ-GOV

Star-Ledger Pulls Out Of Debate After Endorsing Daggett

Eric Kleefeld | October 12, 2009, 1:46PM

Chris Daggett, independent candidate for governor in New Jersey

The endorsement of independent gubernatorial candidate Chris Daggett by New Jersey's largest newspaper, the Star-Ledger, has already had one major consequence: The Ledger has pulled out of Friday's upcoming debate, or else violate state law.

The debate is still on through its other partners, including the northern Jersey Record and the Herald News, as well as Fox News. But the Ledger will not be sending their reporter to take part in the panel.

The state election commission's regulations require that officially registered debate sponsors not endorse a candidate, at least until after the debate. "We came to the conclusion that it was probably the best for everyone involved if a replacement were found for us," managing editor Kevin Whitmer told TPM, "that there was something in place that if we endorsed before the debate, that would be in violation."

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NJ-GOV

When Asked Whether Christie Is Fat, Corzine Responds: 'Am I Bald?'

Eric Kleefeld | October 12, 2009, 12:17PM

Gov. Jon Corzine (D-NJ) and Former US Attorney Chris Christie (R)

Gov. Jon Corzine (D-NJ) defended his attack ads against Republican rival Chris Christie, which charge that Christie "threw his weight around" to get out of trouble from traffic violations when he was a U.S. Attorney -- which critics have said is an attack on Christie's physical weight.

In an interview with the editorial board at the Press of Atlantic City:

"People who flash their credentials or use their offices to accomplish something, people say 'people threw their weight around,'" Corzine said.

Asked directly if he thought Christie was fat, Corzine touched his bare head, smiled and said, "Am I bald?"

VA-GOV

Deeds Fundraising E-mail: 'I've Been Counted Out My Whole Life'

Eric Kleefeld | October 12, 2009, 12:01PM

VA-GOV Candidates Creigh Deeds (D) and Bob McDonnell (R)

In a new fundraising e-mail, Democratic candidate Creigh Deeds acknowledges that he's now widely seen as the underdog in the Virginia gubernatorial race:

I've been counted out my whole life. But that's only inspired me to work harder, dream bigger, and prove to all the cynics out there that when we join together, there's nothing we can't accomplish.

Four months ago, we beat the odds and won the primary against better funded opponents. And just three weeks from now, we're going to win again. Because despite all the chatter, you and I know the only poll that matters is the one on Election Day.

Check out the full e-mail, after the jump.

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