2010 elections

Seven House Races Still Undecided

Marc Kilstein | November 16, 2010, 8:46AM

Reps. Melissa Bean (D-IL), Tim Bishop (D-NY), Solomon P. Ortiz (D-TX) and Dan Maffei (D-NY)

Election season isn't finished quite yet. As of today, there remain seven House races that are still in dispute, one impending gubernatorial recount, and one messy Senate write-in fight.

So far, the partisan makeup of the new House is 238 Republicans versus 190 Democrats, with seven seats still up for grabs. All seven of the House seats that remain in question are held by Democrats; five of the contests are currently led by Republican challengers. The uncalled districts are:

Read more »

NC-02

Dispute Over Video That Undid Dem Rep Pits Tea Party Against GOP Establishment

Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 9, 2010, 9:05AM

Renee Ellmers; Rep. Bob Etheridge (inset)

Last week, while one tea party winner in North Carolina should have been celebrating the final vote tally, she instead found herself at the center of one more battle between insurgent conservatives and elements of the Republican establishment. The National Republican Congressional Committee -- which reportedly had a hand in a devastating video this summer of a Democratic congressman physically confronting college-age men -- is now at apparent odds with the Republican candidate who benefited from the video's fallout. And the NRCC has drawn the ire of tea partiers and big-name conservatives like Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh.

Renee Ellmers, a registered nurse and first-time candidate, squeaked past Rep. Bob Etheridge (D) last Tuesday night, a result that is not yet set in political stone. Both sides are gearing up for a recount, a costly and potentially long process that has publicly pitted Ellmers against the National Republican Congressional Committee and eventually led Palin and Limbaugh -- who spent much of the year taking on establishment groups -- to attack the NRCC yet again. Now, the Republicans swear everyone has made up, but not before a nasty couple of days that played out like a mini 2010.

Read more »

NC-02

Anderson Cooper Takes On Anti-Mosque GOP Candidate (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | September 27, 2010, 1:06PM

Anderson Cooper and Congressional candidate Renee Ellmers (R-NC)

On Friday night, Anderson Cooper took on Renee Ellmers, a Republican House candidate in North Carolina who has now based her campaign on opposing the so-called "Ground Zero Mosque," the Muslim community center project all the way up north in New York City. And the interview sure was a sight to behold.

Ellmers is running against incumbent Democrat Bob Etheridge. Her ad declared: "After the Muslims conquered Jerusalem, and Cordoba, and Constantinople, they built victory mosques. And now, they want to build a mosque by Ground Zero. Where does Bob Etheridge stand? He won't say, won't speak out, won't take a stand." Ellmers herself then cut in: "The terrorists haven't won. And we should tell them in plain English, no, there will never be a mosque at Ground Zero."

For one thing, Cooper asked Ellmers about how her ad uses the terms "Muslim" and "terrorists" interchangeably. Ellmers actually tried to wiggle out of that: "Well, to be honest, I think that you could make that assumption, but, you know, that's -- that's not giving me the benefit of the doubt."

Cooper replied: "I mean, that's -- your words are very carefully selected."

"The words are carefully selected, but that is certainly not what I'm intending to say. I am not intending to say that all Muslims are terrorists," Ellmers replied. "Basically, what I am saying, sir, is that there were terrorists who attacked us. They were Islamic jihadists. And, as a result of that, we have seen the devastation on 9/11."

Read more »

Bob Etheridge

Dem Rep Apologizes For Video Of Him Roughing Up College Student (VIDEO)

Ben Frumin | June 14, 2010, 12:59PM

Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-NC)

Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-NC) has released a statement apologizing for his actions in a video that shows him roughing up a young man on the street.

"I deeply and profoundly regret my reaction and I apologize to all involved," Etheridge said.

Read more »

Bob Etheridge

VIDEO: Democratic Congressman Caught On Camera Roughing Up College Student

Brian Beutler | June 14, 2010, 10:06AM

Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-NC)

You don't see this every day: A video, produced by the Stage Right Show, which is affiliated with Andrew Breitbart's Big Government project, of a Congressman--Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-NC)--getting uncomfortably rough with a young man. Watch:

It appears from the video that's been posted that the kid on camera (who claims to be in college) approached the congressman on a city street, with a videographer in tow, and attempted to ask him questions about his level of support for President Obama. I've placed a call and an email to Etheridge's spokesman for a comment on just what happened here from his perspective. We'll let you know what his response is as soon as we get it.

Read more »