Free Republic

Over the last few months we've talked about several instances of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) committing vote fraud in elections for in-home helathcare workers to chose a union. We have also reported on the shaky UHW election in Dec. of 2008. (Here, here, and here) Even with those instances extant we have more SEIU vote fraud to report. The SEIU is still perpetrating fraudulent elections, intimidating union voters, and trying to strong-arm members into accepting SEIU dominance despite what they may want. Recently the Wall Street Journal had another story detailing the SEIU's un-democratic actions... Read the rest...

WASHINGTON — Republicans emerged from Tuesday’s elections energized by victories in Virginia and New Jersey, but their leaders immediately began maneuvering to avoid a prolonged battle with conservative activists over what the party stands for and how to regain power. The victories, in races for governor, were cast by the party’s national chairman, Michael Steele, as a sign of a “Republican renaissance.” In New Jersey, Gov. Jon S. Corzine, a Democrat, was toppled by the Republican nominee, Christopher J. Christie. In Virginia, Robert F. McDonnell, the Republican, defeated his Democratic opponent, R. Creigh Deeds. Republicans said the victories showed that...

Former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-Mass.) on Wednesday promoted a round of Republican victories in last night's elections in a letter to supporters. The 2012 presidential hopeful plugged the triumphs of Republican gubernatorial candidates Bob McDonnell (Va.) and Chris Christie (N.J.), emphasizing that his political action committee's endorsement and campaign work for the two candidates. "It's exhilarating to wake up to headlines of conservative victories in the battleground elections in Virginia and New Jersey," Romney wrote. "The American people have sent a very strong message to the liberals in Washington, DC that big government is not the answer, and that conservatism...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Lt. Gov. John Garamendi has won a special election to a Northern California congressional seat, keeping the district in Democratic hands. Garamendi's victory on Tuesday was all but certain after he won the September primary election because Democrats enjoy an 18-point registration edge over Republicans in the 10th Congressional District. He easily defeated Republican David Harmer, a 47-year-old attorney.

0% precints reporting David Harmer (Rep) 0 0.00% Jeremy Cloward (Grn) 0 0.00% Jerome "Jerry" Denham (AI) 0 0.00% John Garamendi (Dem) 0 0.00% Mary C. McIlroy (P&F) 0 0.00%

David Harmer, the Republican candidate for Congress in California's special election in their 10th congressional election, does have a chance of winning this election today. While running in a district which has not elected a Republican in decades, their last Congresswoman easily claimed victory with near 70% of the vote, and it is rated D+11, does not seem possible. Then again, 2009 has not been a normal election year...

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- John Garamendi, California's lieutenant governor and the favorite to win one of the two open U.S. House seats Tuesday, has been well known for decades as one of Sacramento's relentless promoters of liberal issues. California Lt. Gov. John Garamendi campaigns for an open U.S. House seat Saturday outside San Francisco. Now, the man who always wanted to be governor of California vows to be a team player on the national stage if he wins a special election in a heavily Democratic district outside San Francisco. Absent a major upset, Mr. Garamendi will be sworn in to...

East Bay voters on Tuesday will select a new member of Congress, and determine the fate of upscale downtown development in Walnut Creek and a host of school and other measures. Slightly more than half of Contra Costa and Alameda county voters live in cities or other political districts with an election, including those in the vacant 10th congressional district, San Ramon and Walnut Creek. <snip> The highest-profile race is undeniably the runoff to replace Ellen Tauscher in the 10th congressional district. Two-thirds of the heavily Democratic district is in Contra Costa, with smaller segments in Alameda, Solano and Sacramento...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, a fixture in state and national politics for 35 years, is expected to maintain the Democratic Party's hold Tuesday on a congressional seat that stretches from the eastern San Francisco Bay area through the California delta. <snip> Garamendi's Republican opponent, David Harmer, has been campaigning against excessive government spending. It's unclear how widely that theme will resonate in a congressional district that supported Barack Obama with nearly 65 percent of the vote in last year's presidential race.

A source close to Republican congressional candidate David Harmer tells me he will be on Mark Levin's show on Friday, scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Eastern, noting that Levin endorsed Harmer and put a link on his website. There's also word that Mitt Romney wants to make a call for Harmer to his Bay Area supporters this weekend.

LATEST RALLY DRAWS OVER 1,000+ IN LIBERAL SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA (ON THE ROAD IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA) - Crowds continue to build as the Tea Party Express II: Countdown to Judgment Day (www.TeaPartyExpress.org) gains momentum! Yesterday in the very liberal San Francisco Bay Area, more than 1,000 people turned out to show their support for smaller government, less deficit-spending, and opposition to government-run healthcare. The rally held particular importance as a Special Election for Congress takes place on November 3rd in California's 10th Congressional District. Conservative candidate for Congress, David Harmer, spoke at the event. The Tea Party Express II...

A special general election next Tuesday for a vacant U.S. Congress seat in the East Bay pits California's Democratic lieutenant governor against a Republican son of a former lieutenant governor. Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, a Democrat, is facing David Harmer, the son of former state senator and Lt. Gov. John Harmer, in the election for the state's 10th Congressional District

I’ve written about David Harmer before. He is in a very close election out in CA-10, running in a special election to replace former Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher. As Jim Geraghty noted yesterday, Harmer is running full steam ahead into the public option in his district, which leans blue, but in which Harmer is polling very, very well against a state wide elected Democrat — California’s Lieutenant Governor. Harmer could use some last minute help. Things are looking good for him, but money and volunteers remain in short supply. To donate folks can go to the website: http://www.harmerforcongress.com/ To volunteer, people...

There could be a serious upset in a congressional special election this year and it is going under the radar. John Fund took notice of it yesterday. David Harmer is the Republican running in a special election to fill Ellen Tauscher’s seat in Congress. The Democrat, Lt. Governor John Garamendi, is favored to win, but is only polling 41% to Harmer’s 34%. Interestingly, poling in the area shows the favorability of the GOP is skyrocketing in that district. Nonetheless, the GOP would rather support a pro-gay marriage, pro-abortion, pro-union, ACORN supported Dede Scozzafava in New York’s 23rd Congressional District than...

The New Jersey and Virginia governor's races aren't the only contests in which Democrats are feeling pressure from the growing unpopularity of President Obama's policies. A GOP upset may also be in the making in a California House special election on November 3. Democratic Lt. Governor John Garamendi and Republican attorney David Harmer are battling for the Bay Area congressional seat vacated by Democrat Ellen Tauscher, who left to join the Obama state department. Normally a staunch Democratic seat, there is a growing chance it could swing to the GOP given the state's latest budget collapse and the 13% approval...

REPUBLICAN David Harmer knows the odds. His Democratic challenger in the 10th congressional district special election, Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, has more money and name recognition in the heavily Democratic district. <snip> "One of my heroes said, and I am paraphrasing here, that a majority has never been necessary to prevail but what it takes is an irate and tireless minority keen to set fresh fires of freedom in people's minds," Harmer said. "Whether a Republican can carry this seat depends on how badly the voters want to send a message to both parties than an explosion of (government) spending...

<snip> The highest profile race locally has been the runoff to replace former Rep. Ellen Tauscher in the 10th Congressional District. The heavily Democratic district includes much of Fairfield. The U.S. Senate confirmed Tauscher in June as under secretary for arms control and international security in the U.S. State Department. Democrat and Lt. Gov. John Garamendi is the front-runner by virtue of his political party and high name identification. He faces GOP nominee attorney David Harmer. The names of three minor-party candidates also will appear on the ballot. <snip> Harmer, whose father, John, was a state senator and appointed by...

SACRAMENTO (BCN) ― A special general election on Nov. 3 for a vacant U.S. Congress seat in the East Bay pits California's Democratic lieutenant governor against a Republican son of a former lieutenant governor. <snip> Harmer said that his main issue with the President and Congress is what he thinks is a lack of fiscal discipline. "When the President is promoting policies of limited government, a sound dollar, and economic opportunity, he'll have my wholehearted support," Harmer said. "You cannot spend money you don't have," he said. "What Congress is doing now is irresponsible. Whatever our disagreement is on other...

California Job Losses Continue To Climb Job losses for September are higher than expected and more than five times greater than in August, state officials say. L.A. County joblessness soars to 12.7%. By Alana Semuels October 16, 2009 California posted higher-than-expected job losses in September, a sign that the state's employment woes continue even amid signs of a broader economic recovery. Employers cut 39,000 workers from their payrolls last month, according to figures released this morning by the state Employment Development Department. That's more than five times the number of jobs that state officials now say California lost in August,...

SACRAMENTO, CALIF. — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is having trouble selling his latest act to California voters. A Field Poll released Tuesday finds the Republican governor with his lowest approval rating ever. Just 27 percent of voters approve of his performance, while 65 percent disapprove. The governor's esteem has been slipping since December 2007, when he enjoyed an approval rating of 60 percent. His highest ratings came in 2004, his first full year in office. Schwarzenegger's latest mark is the second lowest when matched against the six governors who preceded him. Only Democrat Gray Davis scored lower, registering a 22 percent...