Posted on 09/14/2004 1:32:48 PM PDT by MplsSteve
Election Day Bump!
It'll be interesting to see the polls on the Senate race in Wisconsin after the primary is over. If it's close, it's another Democrat seat in play, and considering Wisconsin is a pivotal battleground state, Senator Feingold could be in big trouble.
Walrath will get at least ONE vote, I guarantee.
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There are some very interesting primary elections today, especially in Wisconsin. The GOP Wisconsin Senate race among businessman Tim Michels, car dealer Russ Darrow and state senate President Pro Tempore Bob Welch should be close, and all three top candidates are conservatives. I'm rooting for Michels, since I think he has the best chance of defeating ultraliberal Russ Feingold.
Among the Democrats, of particular interest is the Democrat primary in Wisconsin's 4th CD (Milwaukee and a few close-in suburbs), in which controversial black state senator Gwen Moore appears to have a slight edge against ultraliberal gay state senator Tim Carpenter and ex-Democrat Party chairman Matt Flynn. While the 4th CD gave Bush only 30.3% of the vote in 2000, and its population is 33% black and 11% Hispanic, the GOP has an excellent candidate in black businessman and former Bush Administration HHS regional director Corey Hoze (assuming that he disposes of his nuisance primary opponent). Corey Hoze is a solid conservative who may have an opening if the Democrats nominate either Gwen Moore (who appears to be a Maxine Watters-type liberal who may scare off non-black voters) or Carpenter (who as a white homosexual may not draw as many black votes as the average Democrat in the district), but against Flynn it would be even more uphill for Hoze.
This is what Politics1.com wrote about the primary races:
TUESDAY IS THE "SUPER TUESDAY" OF STATE PRIMARIES. Primary voters go to the polls in nine states and DC tomorrow to select nominees in several hotly contested races. Here are some of the key races to watch. NEW YORK: In CD-11, Congressman Major Owens (D) must fend off a feisty primary challenge from two New York City Councilwomen -- but, with the opposition split, Owens looks well-positioned to hold on for what he has promised will be his final run. In CD-24, moderate Congressman Sherry Boehlert (R) is facing an aggressive rematch from conservative Cayuga County Legislator David Walrath. The pro-life Walrath nearly defeated the pro-choice Boehlert two years ago. In CD-27, Democrats will select a nominee for this competitive open swing seat. West Seneca Supervisor Paul Clark and State Assemblyman Brian Higgins are the frontrunners. The winner will face Erie County Comptroller Nancy Naples (R) in November in one of the Dem's best chances in the nation for a seat pickup. In CD-29, Republican voters will decide if either State Senator Randy Kuhl or Monroe County Legislator Mark Assini will become the heavy favorite to hold this open GOP seat. Non-profit executive Samara Barand is the likely Dem nominee. NEW HAMPSHIRE: Dems are selecting a nominee to oppose Governor Craig Benson (R). Former UNH Trustee John Lynch -- who has been the victim of a dirty tricks campaign in the closing days -- appears to be the favorite over State Rep. Paul McEachern, who previously lost three runs for Governor in the 1980s. NH also has three federal primaries. WASHINGTON: Attorney General Christine Gregoire (D) and State Senator Dino Rossi (R) are certain to win their respective and crowded gubernatorial primaries by wide margins, setting the state for a hot November race. US Senator Patty Murray (D) and challenger Congressman George Nethercutt (R) are likewise guaranteed landslide primary wins in their race. In CD-5, Republicans will select a nominee for Nethercutt's open seat. There is no clear favorite among the three hopefuls with each of them having a real chance of winning. The picture is much clearer in the open CD-8 race, where the next Congressman will certainly be named Dave. Polls show King County Sheriff Dave Reichert (R) and radio talk show host Dave Ross (D) holding commanding leads in their respective primaries. WISCONSIN: GOP voters will pick a nominee to face liberal US Senator Russ Feingold (D) -- but Feingold still looks very safe. In the heavily Democratic CD-4 race, three Dems are facing off. State Senator Gwen Moore seems to have the momentum in the final days, but anyone could win this competitive primary. CONNECTICUT, MINNESOTA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, DC: Sure, these states are holding some primary races on Tuesday ... but none are worth watching.
GO SHERRIF REICHERT!!!!
I'm telling you guys, this guy has the stuff to be a superstar.
I do hope we see some of his primary opponents again though. Especially Luke Esser. He's a good guy, just not his time yet.
WHICH CANDIDATES ARE WE ROOTING FOR?
Wisconsin US Senate, I like Michels, Darrow, and Welch, in that order, although I think Darrow will win. Also hoping state senator Mary Panzer loses to her state rep primary challenger. Corey Hoze for Congress, and I like Ron Greer too, nothing against David Magnum though, who's a credible candidate.
Washington Rossi, Nethercutt, Reichert, and I like Cathy McMorris for Nethercutt's old district; always love a pro-life woman non-lawyer!
New York We want Walrath over Sherry, and Assini over Kuhl for Amo's seat.
Any other key races?
I voted a straight Republican ticket in Washington. hehehe
I don'tknow...he walked out of the debate the other day. My thoughts...can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen. Besides that one instance, I think he would be a good Congressman, but I think he needs to get a stomach for politics if he is going to run. Ross is not going to be gentle.
I like Diane Tebelius. Solid crendentials and lots of charisma with a good voice. I wish we could have gotten her to run against Murray. I think it would have been a better race than Nethercutt.
Me too since we don't have much of a choice, but I wrote in a name of the Treasurer.
He walked out of the debate to make a point. I'm not sure thats the best tactics, but anybody who thinks Dave Reichert can't take the heat doesn't know him and hasn't payed attention to his record.
I don't like Diane. She's always come off as arrogant and snippy in my encounters. She's ok on the issues and stuff, but we have better options.
If I wasn't for Reichert, I'd be for state Sen. Luke Esser. He's a good guy, and he's young (42). He'll have other chances.
Well, just before logging on, I voted (it helps that the Library where I FReep is also my polling place)!
It seems that people really DON'T like the "single-party declaration" in this year's primaries. Also, some people don't pay close enough attention to the directions, and by failing to mark which party they're voting for, all their PARTISAN votes don't get counted, but their non-partisan votes do. This might open up a can o'worms tomorrow.
Charlie Sykes stated on his radio show Monday morning, that there will be a huge democrat crossover vote for Darrow because the Dems feel that Darrow has the least chance of beating Feingold. After hearing his interview yesterday on Mark Belling's radio show, I agree. I voted for Welch, he has the most experience. Either Michel's or Welch would be good.
I'm in Panzer's senate district, and Glenn Grothman is my state rep. Panzer is going to get creamed.
I agree with your choices. Other interesting Republican primaries are for NH governor (where I don't think Governor Benson will have any trouble, but one never knows in a low-turnout primary), in Vermont's Senate primary (where Jack McMullen is the only candidate not to be a peacenik liberal to be running as a Republican for the right to lose to Pat Leahy) and in Minnesota's 4th CD (where pro-life conservative woman Patrice Bataglia should win the right to take on Congresswoman Betty McCollum in what could be the sleeper longshot of the cycle).
In addition to WI-04, interesting Dem primaries include NY-11 (where I'd love that buffoon Major Owens to finally get voted out), NY-27 (where Brian Higgins is probably the strongest candidate, so I'm rooting for anyone else) and the WA-08 in which a radio talk show host Dave Ross is the frontrunner because of his high name ID (but he'll surely lose in the general to the good sheriff).
I'm not crazy about the GOP senate field. Welch is an albino, Darrow a car salesman (I know, reputable, but still), at least Michels has the business/military/youth going for him.
I voted about noon. There was a person behind the A-M and another behind the N-Z, a guy handing out the ballots, a woman to tell me how to shove it into the box, another "floater" and me. The page I signed in on had fifteen names, mine was the only signature. This is what you call low turn-out, I guess.
(Vote Betty out!)
Feingold only won his seat last time by about 37,000 votes. I have a good feeling about this.
I think it's Esser's time NOW, and Reichart should wait - Let Reichart actually gain some experience at the state level in the state legislature or senate first. Esser paid his dues... AND he has a 100% rating (96% lifetime) from the Washington Conservative Union...
"I'm not crazy about the GOP senate field. Welch is an albino, Darrow a car salesman (I know, reputable, but still), at least Michels has the business/military/youth going for him."
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