Archive for March, 2009
Scott Murphy (D) Speaking at Election Party
Posted by Jay in 2009 Elections on March 31st, 2009
Scott Murphy’s campaign is upbeat declaring that they won; though they acknowledge that the results are still being counted due to how close the numbers were tonight. The speech developed around two main ideas. The first is Murphy’s focus on creating jobs in upstate NY. The second is supporting Obama’s plans and how this election reflects the support for Obama.
20th district: In play until April 13?
Posted by Jay in 2009 Elections on March 31st, 2009
100% reporting, sort of. The Times Union is reporting a 59 vote difference with Murphy winning. There is , however, a chance that this won’t be clear until the deadline for overseas and military votes are counted April 13th.
If anything right now, it shows this district will be counted as a swing district for some time to come.
NY-20: Murphy wire-thin lead over Tedisco; too close to call?
Posted by Devin in 2009 Elections on March 31st, 2009
With one precinct still out (in Jim Tedisco’s base county of Saratoga), the results:
Scott Murphy (D): 77,208
James Tedisco (R): 77, 127
With the race within a hundred votes and only one precinct left, the absentee ballots will obviously have a lot of weight in the outcome of this race. As mentioned earlier by The Daily Horse Race, as of yesterday, there were 5,907 absentee ballots. It is unclear how many of these will be counted tonight or how many come from where.
NY-20: Polls closed: Tedisco, Murphy results here
Posted by Devin in 2009 Elections on March 31st, 2009
Polls are closed in the New York 20th Congressional District special election. Many people are looking for results. Go to timesunion.com, or the Albany Times Union for the latest results.
Another place to view up-to-date results, as the Albany Times Union site is down.
Murphy (D): 76,573
Tedisco (R): 76,321
Updated 10:17pm EST. Remember those 5,907 absentee ballots we mentioned earlier? Wow. Only 3 precincts out now.
Murphy (D): 73,421
Tedisco (R): 73,523
Updated 10:11pm EST. Two counties still need reporting: Columbia, where Murphy leads, and Saratoga, where Tedisco leads. Eight precincts out in Columbia, while fourteen are out in Saratoga.
Just an observation: as of 10:03pm EST, the counties where Murphy is doing well (Washington, Warren, Essex, Dutchess) are all in. He leads in Columbia, which isn’t. Of the counties Tedisco leads in, Saratoga and Delaware still have more numbers yet to report. Far more votes are coming in from Saratoga than Columbia–and Tedisco already has the lead. This could go to Tedisco very quickly if those trends do not change.
Murphy (D): 62,811
Tedisco (R): 63,923
Updated 9:58pm EST.
Murphy (D): 46,645
Tedisco (R): 46,969
Updated 9:44pm EST. Race is very, very close. It may not be clear who won until very late or tomorrow.
Murphy (D): 16,558
Tedisco (R): 18,390
Updated 9:32pm EST.
Arlen Specter, In Search of Conservative Credibility, Introduces Flat Tax Legislation
Posted by jaren in 2010 Elections on March 31st, 2009
Richard Mellon Scaife. In his defense, he has tried to introduce similar legislation in the past, but the timing seems quite uncanny.
While Arlen Specter should be applauded for his lengthy independent voting record and breaking ranks with his party seemingly on principle, it seems as though now he is ready to play politics to the extent that he wants to remain a Republican. Unfortunately, voting for Obama’s economic agenda is something Toomey won’t let the base forget. He also may have lost his chance to run as an Independent with vowing to go against the Employee Free Choice Act. As the Moulitsas’ piece notes, at this very moment it seems no matter how Specter tries to run in 2010, he seems like he is going to get burned.
VA: Unions Want McAuliffe, Voters Want Moran
Posted by jaren in 2009 Elections on March 31st, 2009
High profile former DNC Chairmen Terry McAuliffe has scored more big union endorsements today including: International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers, and the AFL-CIO. To receive all of these endorsements should make any Democratic contender in the Virginia Gubernatorial primary feel like they are sitting pretty.
However, new poll numbers released today show McAuliffe trailing behind former State Delegate Brian Moran by 4 points. Moran has 22%, McAuliffe has 18% and State Senator Creigh Deeds has 15%. However, with that leaves 45% undecided which seems quite high with a primary just a little over two months away. Combine that with a margin of error at 3.6%, making this race essentially any man’s game. As you know, Daily Horse Race will follow closely…
Labor/Obama Important in 20th District Race
Posted by Jay in 2009 Elections on March 31st, 2009
New York State has one of the strongest and most established labor union forces in the United States. The 20th District’s special election between Tedisco and Murphy has been described as rural but it includes an enclave of labor in the resort town of Saratoga Springs; as well as the affluent–civil service– suburb of Albany: Clifton Park.
Organized labor has made it a goal of helping Scott Murphy by being the vanguard of Murphy’s get-out-the-vote mobilization in the 20th district.
An email by the Capital District Area Labor Federation 2 days ago was even written by Scott Murphy.
I am writing to ask you for one final request — please take a few hours out of your day to volunteer tomorrow, on Election Day. To sign up for a volunteer shift, please email nicki.weiner@gmail.com.
I also wanted to let you know of one final event that the Capital District Area Labor Federation will be hosting. Tomorrow, at 5pm at the Park and Ride, Clifton Park (Exit 8 off the I-87 Northway) we invite you to join former Congressman Mike McNulty, Capital District Area Labor Federation President Joe Fox, PEF President Ken Brynien, and CSEA President Danny Donohue, along with my father and many other local labor leaders for a GOTV Rally to thank everyone for what you have done and what you will continue to do…
Thank you for your continued support:
Scott Murphy
The New York Times (Hat tip to the Times Union Lydia Kulbida’s Blog) City Room reports that organized labor is going so far as passing out a flier that doesn’t even mention Scott Murphy but rather correlates electing Murphy to giving Obama a hand!
The low turn-out reported may be a good thing for Murphy as Labor has really given Murphy a helping hand.
If Murphy wins, New York will sustain a friendly labor Democrat for Upstate New York. Furthermore, Obama’s plans will get a clear mandate and Obama will once again have labor to help credit for his political strengths.
This will increase the Obama Administration’s stake in passing the Employee Free Choice Act.
If Tedisco wins, however, it sends an even louder statement to both labor/Obama and even the Employee Free Choice Act. This is because the mainstream media will most likley reconsider Obama’s mandate and popularity. This race really has that much riding on it.
NY-20: Bad omen for Tedisco?
Posted by Devin in 2009 Elections on March 31st, 2009
As the day wears on, more and more it seems like Tedisco is getting negative press.
Take this, for instance: Tedisco is reported to be text messaging people in Schenectady County, urging them to vote. Here’s a map of the 20th C.D. Unfortunately, Schenectady is not in the 20th.
And many in Schenectady who want to vote for him are being turned away. Unfortunately for Tedisco, the New York Assembly Minority Leader, his district in the New York Assembly and the district he hopes to win today, are not made up by the same geography. In fact, Tedisco can’t even vote for himself: like many of his supporters, he lives in Schenectady. He plans to move to the 20th Congressional District only if he wins today.
National Republicans are also not getting their hopes up, as Republican House leader John Boehner called NY-20 a “Democrat seat” (it had been a solidly Republican seat until Gillibrand won it two years ago).
As for Murphy, he has been riding a wave of positive press in recent days — closing the gap in polls and getting attention from national Democrats.
NY-20: Tedisco, Murphy hoping for an early night
Posted by Devin in 2009 Elections on March 31st, 2009
Provided they’re the victor, of course.
Jim Tedisco and Scott Murphy are vying for last-minute votes as I type in this close special election to replace newly-appointed Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in the U.S. House of Representatives.
According to the Albany Times Union, there were 5,907 absentee ballots last night, meaning an early night would take a margin of victory of around 6,000 in order for a winner to be certain quickly after the polls are closed tonight at 9PM EST.
A recent poll by the DCCC has Murphy, the Democrat, having a slim lead; Tedisco’s camp, however, maintains their polling indicates their guy has a slim lead. Siena, the only independent pollster to release results, has Murphy surging to a lead late last week after Tedisco was expected to win handily. The Democrats got involved after Tedisco’s numbers sank, prompting Vice President Biden and Gillibrand to tape robocalls and Obama’s image to show up on Murphy mailers.
Results will begin appearing after the polls close at 9PM. Check back with The Daily Horse Race tonight to see who won!
Hodes leads Sununu in NH
Posted by Devin in 2010 Elections on March 31st, 2009
A couple of new sets of numbers were released today, beginning with new numbers indicating the New Hampshire race could be very close. It is almost certain that Rep. Paul Hodes, serving his second term in the House, will be the Democratic nominee, after Rep. Carol Shea-Porter declined to run for the seat.
On the Republican side, however, it’s more murky. To date, no serious Republican has said for certain if they will run. Incumbent Sen. Judd Gregg is expected to vacate the seat at the end of his term, as he has indicated he probably won’t run again. Likely Republicans to run are former Sen. John Sununu, who Jeanne Shaheen defeated by 7 points, in the 2008 elections, and former Rep. Charlie Bass, whose seat Rep. Paul Hodes took in the 2006 elections.
American Research Group asked respondents if they would vote for Hodes or Sununu in a hypothetical general election.
Hodes: 42%
Sununu: 36%
Given that Sununu is such a well-known politician throughout the state, these numbers could be a lot more promising for him. It appears the former senator’s best chance at winning, provided he jumps in the race, is for the Obama agenda’s popularity to sink in the mind’s of New Hampshire voters. I’m sure Hodes would like to see his numbers above 50%, but as long as Obama’s policies stay popular, possible opponents Sununu and Bass (in office for 6 and 12 years, much of it during the Bush presidency) have longer, more unpopular voting records to snipe at than Hodes, who has only been in office for a little more than two years.