Correction: Kathy Castor is running for the newly-redrawn 14th District. “On March 30, 2012 the National Journal released a list of the top ten most contorted congressional districts, as a result of redistricting. [1] The 14th district was included in the list.[1]” But she won’t be facing an incumbent – the Republican incumbent is Connie Mack, but he is not running for re-election, he is running for the Senate instead.
I’m definitely voting for Elizabeth Warren for Senate. I’d vote for Mike Capuano for Representative, but I’m being redistricted into Steven Lynch’s district (across the street from the line, goddamit). They’ll both win in landslides, assuming they’re even being opposed. But I think I’d rather just leave it blank rather than vote for a pro-life candidate.
I’m voting the same way. (Though I’ve always lived in Lynch’s district, and am pro-life myself)
The superPACs are slamming Missouri’s Senator Claire McCaskill HARD with a barrage of negative TV ads. Three Republicans are vying for the Senate nomination, to be decided in the August primary. McCaskill has a few “down home girl” ads running so far; I’m waiting for something with a bit more edge.
I believe this Senate race will be a lot closer than the presidential vote in Missouri, which has been trending more and more Republican in recent years.
My Congressman is Democrat Lloyd Doggett, but he is being gerrymandered away from us. In fact, as Doggett himself has noted, he has represented most of Texas at one time or another. The legislature keeps trying to get him a district where he won’t be reelected, but they can’t quite get it done. In 2010, Doggett lost every county in his district except Travis. But, his portion of Travis County has more people than all his other counties combined, he won reelection easily. Now, they’ve moved him to the West side of Austin extending down into wealthy suburbs of San Antonio, in hopes of getting him primaried out of office. His Democratic challenger was well-respected, but she lost. Doggett will probably win in his new district and live on to continue to be a thorn in Rick Perry’s side. Good for him. My new Congressman will be some GOP rubberstamp.
In the Senate, our senior Senator, Kay Bailey Hutchison ®, is retiring. The Democrats are putting up Paul Sadler, but he has to get through a run-off election with a San Antonio school teacher who has run repeatedly on the Republican ticket. Sadler will likely get the nom, but he’s not going to win the election. Meanwhile, the GOP has David Dewhurst, our current Lieutenant Governor, in a run-off with Ted Cruz, an attorney and Tea Party favorite. Dewhurst will win, but Cruz is going to make him work for it. Hopefully, Cruz can get him to spend so much of his money that he won’t have enough to run against Sadler in November. Not likely, but I can dream. Dewhurst has TONS of money in his war-chest. TONS! The Lt. Gov is where the real power is in Texas government. Dewhurst is nobody to get excited about, but he isn’t totally evil. He reminds me of Hutchison, actually. He’ll go with the GOP flow, but he won’t be too horrible. Our other Senator, John Cornyn ®, is lots worse.
Montana should be interesting, since the state’s lone Representative, Denny Rehberg ® is challenging incumbent Jon Tester (D) for the Senate. Both are pretty popular, and Rehberg has a lot more experience behind him, but so far Tester seems to have a strong lead in the advertising. Meanwhile, Rehberg hasn’t had a serious challenger for his House seat for as long as I’ve been here (in 2008 his opponent literally didn’t even spend a cent on his campaign), but with him pursuing the Senate, he’s resigning from the House, so that race is pretty open, too.
And the real Joe Walsh has endorsed her over Joe Walsh, the Tea Partier.
I have lived in what is now the 8th District for most of my life and I am fairly sure I am one of the few likely voters under 65 who does not own “Hotel California.” This could be a wrong battle for the fake Joe to fight or even comment on.
I live overseas but vote in SC which was my last US residence.
I laughed mightily when some political pundits initially marked SC as a toss up state in the presidential race. SC is a pretty red state overall even though there are a few blue congressional districts. My died-in-the-wool Democrat mother is giving up and making the drive to NC to help there.
Neither SC Senator is up for re-election. Jim Demint has 4 more years. Lindsey Graham has 2 more.
Governor is not up for election either. Nikki Haley has a couple more years before she faces the ballot box.
That leaves SC-03 where Jeff Duncan-R is facing Brian Doyle-D. Duncan is expected to walk away with it easily.