Senate '12

Poll: As Michigan's GOP Gov. Loses Support, Dem Senator Rises

Jon Terbush | March 23, 2011, 4:38PM

Governor Rick Snyder (R-MI) and Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)

In December, Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D) looked shaky heading into her 2012 reelection bid. One poll found her barely leading a slate of potential Republican challengers. But now, Stabenow's poll numbers have rebounded: a new PPP poll shows her leading her potential rivals by double-digits.

That turnaround comes at the same time that Michigan's new Republican Governor, Rick Snyder, has seen his approval rating slide, after his push for a controversial proposal that would give him the authority to appoint emergency managers in struggling cities, a proposal one supporter likened to "financial martial law."

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Pete Hoekstra

Ode To Hoekstra: TPM Bids Farewell To A National Security Freak

Eric Lach | August 5, 2010, 9:31AM

Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI)

Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) lost the Michigan Republican gubernatorial primary Tuesday, and since he'd given up on his own congressional re-election bid to seek the governor's office, it now looks like one of the Obama administration's most vocal critics on national security won't hold public office next year.

In his years in Congress, Hoekstra has made national security a specialty of sorts, at least in the sense of pegging his name to some very out-there stances.

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MI-GOV

5 Things To Know About Today's Michigan Gubernatorial Primary

Eric Lach | August 3, 2010, 1:08PM

Rick Snyder (R) and Virg Bernero (D), candidates for Michigan governor

Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm is being term-limited out, and the men hoping to replace her are facing off in a primary today. Five Republicans and two Democrats are vying for a spot in the general election this fall, the first Michigan gubernatorial election since 1982 that won't feature an incumbent or lieutenant governor. Here's what you need to know:

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MI-GOV

Poll: Tuesday's Michigan GOP Gov Primary Still A Toss-Up

Thomas Rhiel | July 30, 2010, 12:50PM

Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox (R), Rick Snyder (R), and Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R), candidates in Michigan's Republican gubernatorial primary

Michigan's Republican gubernatorial primary is this Tuesday, and a new poll shows the top three GOP contenders in a tight race that will come down to the wire. Today's EPIC-MRA poll shows businessman Rick Snyder, Rep. Pete Hoekstra, and state Attorney General Mike Cox in a statistical tie: Snyder has 26%, Cox has 24%, and Hoekstra has 23% -- all in a poll with a 4.9% margin of error. Trailing the pack are Mike Bouchard with 10% and state Sen. Tom George with 1%.

EPIC-MRA's past poll of the race from mid-June had Cox out in front with 26%, followed by Hoekstra with 24% and Snyder with 20%. Since June, surveys from other pollsters have shown each of the three top candidates in first place.

The TPM Poll Average gives Cox 22.6%, Hoekstra 22.3%, Snyder 19.9%, Bouchard 11.2%, and George 1.5%.

Stimulus

Dems To Celebrate Stimulus Anniversary By Slamming GOP Hypocrisy On Bragging About The Cash They Opposed

Christina Bellantoni | February 10, 2010, 12:39PM

President Obama signed the $787 billion stimulus plan into law Feb. 17, 2009

Next week when President Obama marks the one-year anniversary of signing the stimulus bill into law, Democrats will showcase the Republicans who were against the Recovery Act funds, before they were for them being funneled to their home states.

TPMDC has learned the party will mount an orchestrated effort from the Democratic National Committee, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee to go after Republicans who voted against the$787 billion economic stimulus plan but take credit for its spending back home.

Obama signed the measure Feb. 17, 2009 with votes from just three Republicans (one of those GOPers, Sen. Arlen Specter, became a Democrat) but members of the opposing party have campaigned on stimulus projects.

A Democratic source told me the party will force both incumbents up for reelection in the fall and Republican challengers to say on the record if they support the stimulus plan, which the White House in tandem will showcase as having created jobs.

"Look for us to be all over this story," the source said.

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Flight 253

Ka-Ching! GOP Goes For Big Flight 253 Payday

Eric Kleefeld | December 31, 2009, 1:15PM

In a move that would have been hard to imagine in previous years, the GOP has launched multiple fundraising efforts in the wake of the failed attack on Flight 253, seeking to turn the Christmas Day event into not just a political attack on the Obama administration, but also a boost for their year-end fundraising.

• The first fundraising play was done by Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI), who is running for governor, and sent out this e-mail for his gubernatorial campaign: "My promise to you, as your governor, my first duty and most solemn responsibility is to keep Michigan safe! ... If you agree that we need a Governor who will stand up the Obama/Pelosi efforts to weaken our security please make a most generous contribution of $25, $50, $100 or even $250 to my campaign."

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Pete Hoekstra

DNC Says Hoekstra Fundraising Email 'Tells You All You Need To Know' About GOP

Christina Bellantoni | December 29, 2009, 2:59PM

Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI)

Democrats say Rep. Pete Hoekstra went too far using the failed terror attempt on flight 253 to raise money for his campaign for governor.

As we reported earlier, Hoekstra (R-MI) fundraised off the Christmas Day incident and joined other Republicans who are calling the Obama White House weak.

DNC Spokesman Hari Sevugan sharply criticized Hoekstra:

"It was shameful that Republicans like Mr. Hoekstra would attempt to play politics with our national security at all, but raising money off it is beyond the pale," Sevugan said.

"Republicans are playing politics with issues of national security and terrorism, and that they would use this incident as an opportunity to fan partisan flames and raise money for political campaigns tells you all you need to know about how far the Republican party has fallen and how out of step with the American people they have become," he added.

"The American people simply will not tolerate the likes of Mr. Hoekstra and the Republican Party playing politics with the serious issues of national security and terrorism - especially after the mess they left this country in both domestically and on national security after eight years of failed leadership."

Pete Hoekstra

Hoekstra Uses Airline Attack To Raise Money For Gubernatorial Campaign

Eric Kleefeld | December 29, 2009, 9:44AM

Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI)

Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) is now jumping upon the the Northwest Airlines attack -- and using it to raise money for his gubernatorial campaign, the Grand Rapids Press reports.

In the letter, Hoekstra denounces the Obama administration on a whole range of national security issues -- ranging from Flight 253 itself to Guantanamo Bay, investigation of the interrogation techniques used during the Bush administration, and what Hoekstra calls Obama policies that "impress the 'Blame America First' crowd at home and his thousands of fans overseas."

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Barack Obama

Fear Factor: The Four Ways Republicans Say Obama Will Kill You Now

Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 20, 2009, 11:45AM

Nidal Hasan, Pres. Obama, Khalid Sheik Mohammed

It's been a week since Attorney General Eric Holder announced that five terror suspects will be transferred from Guantanamo Bay to New York City to face trial. There are still a lot of questions to be answered about logistics, and it will likely be months before the first suspect sets foot in a federal courtroom.

Republicans have already told us what's going to happen, though: If you let President Obama have his way, you will die.

The GOP has returned to a familiar line on Obama and national security in the days since Holder's announcement. It's time to be afraid again, they say, hearkening back to the days of duct tape and Orange alerts even some Republicans thought they left behind on Election Day 2008.

So grab an assault rifle and keep the phone number for Operation TIPS close -- here are the four ways Republicans say Obama is putting your life at risk.

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Guantanamo Bay

Hoekstra Calls Terror Suspects A Dem 'Pot Of Gold' For Economically Devestated Communities

Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 18, 2009, 2:46PM

Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI)

Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) said today that the Obama administration is "bribing" economically suffering towns across the country as it attempts to relieve itself of the political problem of closing Guantanamo Bay.

"They're going into communities that are hard-pressed economically and holding out a pot of gold," he told reporters. Hoekstra was referring to the White House plan to bring terror suspects to prisons across the country. He said that the administration was taking advantage of hard-hit towns across the country by promoting the jobs that would be created by adding Guantanamo Bay detainees to their prison populations.

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Sunday Shows

The Sunday Show Line-Ups

Eric Kleefeld | November 13, 2009, 1:50PM

Hillary Clinton, Sec. of State

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

• ABC, This Week: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

• CBS, Face The Nation: Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI), Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT).

• CNN, State Of The Union: White House Senior Adviser David Axelrod; Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND), Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH); Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D-MT).

• Fox News Sunday: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY); Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

• NBC, Meet The Press: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA), Rev. Al Sharpton.

Barack Obama

White House Playing Its Cards on Afghan Policy Review Very Close to the Vest

Christina Bellantoni | October 6, 2009, 1:17PM

Gen. Stanley McChrystal, President Barack Obama

Even close Obama aides say they don't know when the President will be making the decision about whether to accept the McChrystal troop surge recommendation, and are pushing back on reports suggesting it would be late October or early November.

Today's White House meeting with 30 members of Congress is designed to open the floor for questions, a White House aide said. Congressional leaders from both parties will be at the table in the State Dining Room, along with lawmakers who control the Pentagon's purse strings and defense, intelligence and foreign policy on the hill. They range on the ideological spectrum from progressive Reps. David Obey (D-WI) and Nita Lowey (D-NY) to Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI).

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