A House Divided

[Brewer]

Go Mark!

[Flake]

I know Klobuchar can win!

[Miles]

Ugh, I'm split between Christie and Murkowski. Super Tuesday hurt them both though.

[Heptahedron]

Udall suspends campaign, endorses O’Malley
Chris Bradford, ANN Contributor
7 March 2016, updated 8:52 PM EST



Senator Mark Udall announced today that he is suspending his presidential campaign, and he has decided to endorse O’Malley for the Democratic nomination. In his speech in Denver, Colorado, he stated that he ran a “strong campaign, but simply did not have the momentum to make it.” He wants the Democratic party to rally around O’Malley in order for the party to look stronger looking towards the general election. Udall was able to pull a victory in Oklahoma on Super Tuesday, but he remained very far behind O’Malley and Klobuchar.

At this point in the Democratic contest, O’Malley appears to be pulling a greater lead over even Klobuchar. It is still a decent distance away from the finish line, but this race is not too close. O’Malley has continued campaigning, and he has spoke of uniting the party and has largely moved past attacks on other Democrats. He has been attempting to create an advantage for the Democrats over the Republicans, as the GOP is still embroiled in a three way war.
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Murkowski pulls out enormous lead, Christie falls out of contest
Chris Bradford, ANN Contributor
1 April 2016, updated 2:07 PM EST



Over the course of March, we have seen yet another enormous shift in the Republican contest. Super Tuesday might have been overwhelmingly for Cruz, but the rest of March has had a very strong showing for Murkowski. The Republican Party decided to host a post-Super Tuesday debate in order to make a more decisive primary fight, and this debate overwhelmingly favored Murkowski. The Alaskan senator tore Cruz down on his “weak” stances on social ideas as well as tearing Christie down on his record as Governor, stating that he has the personality, but nothing to back it up. Also, there were allegations that came out questioning Christie’s credibility over an FBI investigation of his lieutenant governor Kim Guadagno, which hurt his polling and allowed Murkowski to take much of his Northeastern Republican base under her wing. Her dominance in the debates has certainly helped her performance this month, as she was able to flip big winner take all states such as Pennsylvania and New York.

Murkowski has brought herself just short of the number of delegates needed for victory, and although Cruz remains competitive, it becomes decently likely that Murkowski can clinch the nomination. Christie is effectively out at this point, but he has stated that he refuses to drop out at this point, and likely wants to take the nomination to convention in an attempt to win it. Murkowski and Cruz have attempted to shore up voters and repair the broken view of the Republican Party by taking cross country campaigns and rallies. Below is the current map and delegate counts as of now. An important note is that North Dakota and Tennessee were incorrectly projected for Cruz on Super Tuesday, but after full counts they actually went for Murkowski.


Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska: 1146 delegates
Senator Ted Cruz of Texas: 856 delegates
Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey: 276 delegates
Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky: 35 delegates (pledged to Murkowski)
Fmr. Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania: 4 delegates (pledged to Cruz)
Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana: 0 delegates
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O’Malley pulls ahead in March contests
Chris Bradford, ANN Contributor
2 April 2016, updated 6:10 AM EST



Governor O’Malley has continued to reinforce his lead in the Democratic contests through the March contests. O’Malley has won the vast majority of the big contests in the South and Northeast, while the only big contest Klobuchar was able to take was Illinois. Even though the Democratic field is more united behind O’Malley, he is far from having as commanding of a delegate lead as Murkowski because of the fact that the Democratic Party does not allow winner take all primaries. There is little doubt that he will pass that threshold however, with big contests that he is polling favorably in, such as California and Washington coming up shortly that should make things more definitive. Here is the primary map and current delegate counts as of today below:


Governor Martin O’Malley of Maryland: 868 delegates
Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota: 398 delegates
Senator Mark Udall of Colorado: 162 delegates (pledged to O’Malley)
Governor Deval Patrick: 14 delegates (pledged to O’Malley)
Fmr. Governor Howard Dean of Vermont: 0 delegates

[badgate]

I know Klobuchar can win!

[Heptahedron]

Justice Kennedy announces retirement, cites health issues
Chris Bradford, ANN Contributor
7 April 2016, updated 9:51 AM EST



Longtime Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announced that he will be retiring after 28 years of serivce on the Court. He stated that he has been honored to hold his position for so long, but that he feels that he must reitre now because his wavering health is preventing him from carrying out his position to the best of his ability. Justice Kennedy was appointed by Reagan in 1988, and although he has been generally identified as conservative, he is a frequent swing voter in court cases, making the critical decisions in cases like striking down Proposition 8 and DOMA.

The decisions now turn to President Obama to make an appointment to fill the spot, and his appointment will very likely give the Supreme Court a liberal majority of 5, something that the court has not had in decades. This will also be President Obama's fourth nomination to the Supreme Court, which is far more than most presidents tend to be able to make. Republicans in the Senate are likely to block a number of possible choices that the president might make, and some of the leadership has already stated that they will block a replacement that is "less moderate and more stiff and uncompromisingly liberal." President Obama has not yet given an indication as to what direction he is going to take beyond thanking Justice Kennedy for his service on the court.
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BREAKING: Murkowski becomes projected Republican presidential nominee
Chris Bradford, ANN Contributor
15 April 2016, updated 10:13 AM EST



The Republican contest was hard fought, but as of today, we can officially project that Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska has clinched the Republican nomination for president. The 29 delegates from the primary in Oregon put her comfortably over the top of the required number of 1144 delegates, effectively rendering the primary season over for the Republican Party. Campaign headquarters in Anchorage popped open a bottle of champagne and confetti when she was projected winner in Oregon, and Murkowkski made what can be considered her first general election campaign speech to supporters in Portland. She thanked all of her supporters for making her able to go "from the bottom of the pack to the nominee in a few short months." She emphasized that she will bring the true Republican Party to the table in the election, and the American voters have been disillusioned with the Republican Party because of "insensible extremists that have been running the show" as opposed to more moderate and common sense ideals.

Christie nor Cruz have conceded the race or provided an endorsement of Murkowski, but the endorsements for Murkowski from most major figures in the Republican Party have started to file in, notably President Bush and 2012 presidential nominee Mitt Romney. Cruz has responded by stating that he thinks the Republican Party chose the wrong candidate, and that "by picking the weak candidate, they show that they do not want to win another election."
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O'Malley wins Democratic nomination with united party support
Chris Bradford, ANN Contributor
18 April 2016, updated 11:52 AM EST



A big win in Washington and Oregon, followed by an endorsement from Senator Klobuchar, has effectively made Governor Martin O'Malley of Maryland the Democratic nominee for president. Klobuchar stated that "it was obvious I was not going to win the nomination, and the sooner we are a united front the better." O'Malley spoke to a crowd in Tampa Bay today, speaking that "America needs a renewed push for the betterment of American society, getting people out of poverty and creating a stronger middle class." He also pushed for a strong pursuit of civil liberties, such as nationwide legalization of gay marriage and a significant stripping of the Patriot Act and its capabilities to maneuver around specific rights. The Democratic Party is absolutely united around their nominee headed into convention, which could spell a tremendous advantage for them.
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- 19 April 2016 -

ANN is prepared to give America a first look in what will very likely be our general election matchup: O'Malley and Murkowski. In preliminary polling, O'Malley holds a lead in the popular vote by 1% and a 10 point lead in the electoral vote. Murkowski is clearly more competitive in the Midwest and Northeast than Romney was, as Maine's 2nd as well as at-large, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Minnesota all states that are legitimately in play for her that were not for Romney. However, O'Malley appears to be polling well in states along the eastern seaboard, such as critical swing states Virginia and North Carolina. What might critically affect the race are the VP choices that each candidate makes.

O’MALLEY’S OPTIONS:
Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) - She is probably one of the more obvious choices, seeing that she was his main competitor in the primaries and she gracefully bowed out to allow him to clinch the nomination earlier than expected. She also has a lot of appeals O’Malley does not have, being slightly more moderate, connecting to rural voters and also to women, plus the fact that she could likely make the state of Minnesota more in the Democratic column.

Senator Mark Udall (D-CO) - This is another widely thought of choice, since he was also an early endorsing primary competitor. He has little political baggage, and has a wide variety of appeals across the west. He could also very likely put Colorado, a critical swing state, in O’Malley’s collum.

Governor Deval Patrick (D-MA) - He is a very strong and popular governor in the state of Massachusetts, and he would reinforce what O’Malley stands for rather well, but he does not necessarily provide any balance or any extra appeal O’Malley does not already have, aside from support of the African-American vote, which is already high.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) - Many were disappointed when she decided not to run for the presidency this year, but there is no signs that she has any slowing ambition. She is a very outspoken proponent of progressive ideas, and especially things that affect women, shown through her enormous role behind reducing the number of sexual assault cases in the military. She would likely give him a commanding percent of the female vote, but there are concerns that she could be a Ferraro 2.0, and completely overshadow O’Malley on the campaign trail.

Senator Allison Grimes (D-KY) - She is young, and a rising star in the Senate that shows much ambition. In 2014, she handily defeated the Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in the solid red state of Kentucky, and proceeded to become very popular in her home state. She would reinforce O’Malley’s ideas well, but many people are concerned that she does not have enough experience to handle tough issues if push comes to shove.

MURKOWSKI'S OPTIONS:
Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) - He is one of the biggest options for VP in the field because of his national presence and his ability to flip the critical swing state of Florida. Murkowski could also mend some broken links with the more conservative elements of her party, but his senate seat is up for election this year, and it would vacate a senate seat that could easily fall to the Democrats, which is something that the Republicans want to avoid.

Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) - The junior senator from Arizona is relatively unknown, but he carries little political baggage and could make a very solid choice. Murkowski worked with him on a number of occasions in the Senate, and he has a very moderate voting record. He is also one of the best at Hispanic outreach in the Republican Party, which could be a tremendous asset for Murkowski.

Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) - Another moderate Senator, this time located in the critical swing state of Ohio. He was notable for being one of the first Republicans in Congress to come out in support for gay marriage, and he enjoys a lot of support in his home state. He could flip Ohio, but his presence could cause social conservatives to stay home, or worse, try to prop up an independent Tea Party ticket.

Fmr. Governor Jon Huntsman (R-UT) - The former Utah governor has declined to run again this year, but he is far from being out of politics. He was an early endorser of Murkowski and he has appeared on the trail with her. His compassionate conservative image could help shore up the more conservative elements of her party without isolating moderates, and that could be critical to the election.

Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-UT) - She is yet another senator from another swing state, but she has become more of an outspoken voice in the Senate over the past few years and has become popular in her party. She has a lot of “compassionate conservative” elements as well that do not cater to the Tea Party and do not isolate moderates, which is a bonus. A double female ticket for the GOP could do tremendous things for their election chances.

[Miles]

Murkowski/Huntsman could play well in a lot of the yellow states. They could pull a lot of moderates and centrist Democrats.

[tmthforu94]

Murkowski is one of the most moderate members of the Senate - if she was able to win the nomination in 2016, a lot of Tea Party Republicans would likely be pissed, some even trying for a third-party ticket. None of those possibilities appease the far-right. If I were Murkwoski, I think Cruz might be the best bet in having a unified party. A conservative Governor like Sam Brownback or Scott Walker would also work.

[Enderman]

I'm surprised that Toomey, Walker and Lee wasn't mentioned. But if the RNC wants to unify the party and keep the Tea Party in the boat, then Ben Carson would be a very interesting pick. But Cruz, Nikki Haley or Rand Paul could strike certain cords in the Republican Party... Cruz would strike the hardliner Conservatives' cord, Paul could strike the Libertarian Republicans' cord and Haley could strike the Southern cord... But Murkowski/Toomey could lock up a few independents and undecideds in the Rust Belt. Another Alaska/Arizona (Murkowski/Flake) ticket could spell another disaster (2008) or another VP from Wisconsin (Walker) could make it close, but it wouldn't win. So in short these could be a few winning Veeps:

Kelly Ayotte
Ben Carson
Rand Paul
Nikki Haley
Marco Rubio
Ted Cruz (odd to say this, but he could definitely lock up the other side of the RNC, the Tea Partiers)

[Brewer]

I'm surprised that Toomey, Walker and Lee wasn't mentioned. But if the RNC wants to unify the party and keep the Tea Party in the boat, then Ben Carson would be a very interesting pick. But Cruz, Nikki Haley or Rand Paul could strike certain cords in the Republican Party... Cruz would strike the hardliner Conservatives' cord, Paul could strike the Libertarian Republicans' cord and Haley could strike the Southern cord... But Murkowski/Toomey could lock up a few independents and undecideds in the Rust Belt. Another Alaska/Arizona ticket could spell another disaster (2008) or another VP from Wisconsin (Toomey) could make it close, but it wouldn't win. So in short these could be a few winning Veeps:

Kelly Ayotte
Ben Carson
Rand Paul
Nikki Haley
Marco Rubio
Ted Cruz (odd to say this, but he could definitely lock up the other side of the RNC, the Tea Partiers)

Toomey is the Senator from Pennsylvania, born in Rhode Island...

[Enderman]

I'm surprised that Toomey, Walker and Lee wasn't mentioned. But if the RNC wants to unify the party and keep the Tea Party in the boat, then Ben Carson would be a very interesting pick. But Cruz, Nikki Haley or Rand Paul could strike certain cords in the Republican Party... Cruz would strike the hardliner Conservatives' cord, Paul could strike the Libertarian Republicans' cord and Haley could strike the Southern cord... But Murkowski/Toomey could lock up a few independents and undecideds in the Rust Belt. Another Alaska/Arizona ticket could spell another disaster (2008) or another VP from Wisconsin (Toomey) could make it close, but it wouldn't win. So in short these could be a few winning Veeps:

Kelly Ayotte
Ben Carson
Rand Paul
Nikki Haley
Marco Rubio
Ted Cruz (odd to say this, but he could definitely lock up the other side of the RNC, the Tea Partiers)

Toomey is the Senator from Pennsylvania, born in Rhode Island...

Oops sorry I meant Walker. My mind is going crazy today I don't know why...

[Brewer]

I'm surprised that Toomey, Walker and Lee wasn't mentioned. But if the RNC wants to unify the party and keep the Tea Party in the boat, then Ben Carson would be a very interesting pick. But Cruz, Nikki Haley or Rand Paul could strike certain cords in the Republican Party... Cruz would strike the hardliner Conservatives' cord, Paul could strike the Libertarian Republicans' cord and Haley could strike the Southern cord... But Murkowski/Toomey could lock up a few independents and undecideds in the Rust Belt. Another Alaska/Arizona ticket could spell another disaster (2008) or another VP from Wisconsin (Toomey) could make it close, but it wouldn't win. So in short these could be a few winning Veeps:

Kelly Ayotte
Ben Carson
Rand Paul
Nikki Haley
Marco Rubio
Ted Cruz (odd to say this, but he could definitely lock up the other side of the RNC, the Tea Partiers)

Toomey is the Senator from Pennsylvania, born in Rhode Island...

Oops sorry I meant Walker. My mind is going crazy today I don't know why...

Ah. Still, I think a lot of Rust Belt blue collar workers will be turned off by Walker. The Midwest is just full of unions, obviously, and I think more people would be turned off rather than turned on.

[Enderman]

I'm surprised that Toomey, Walker and Lee wasn't mentioned. But if the RNC wants to unify the party and keep the Tea Party in the boat, then Ben Carson would be a very interesting pick. But Cruz, Nikki Haley or Rand Paul could strike certain cords in the Republican Party... Cruz would strike the hardliner Conservatives' cord, Paul could strike the Libertarian Republicans' cord and Haley could strike the Southern cord... But Murkowski/Toomey could lock up a few independents and undecideds in the Rust Belt. Another Alaska/Arizona ticket could spell another disaster (2008) or another VP from Wisconsin (Toomey) could make it close, but it wouldn't win. So in short these could be a few winning Veeps:

Kelly Ayotte
Ben Carson
Rand Paul
Nikki Haley
Marco Rubio
Ted Cruz (odd to say this, but he could definitely lock up the other side of the RNC, the Tea Partiers)

Toomey is the Senator from Pennsylvania, born in Rhode Island...

Oops sorry I meant Walker. My mind is going crazy today I don't know why...

Ah. Still, I think a lot of Rust Belt blue collar workers will be turned off by Walker. The Midwest is just full of unions, obviously, and I think more people would be turned off rather than turned on.

True. Also any Presidential candidate from the Rust Belt will be turned either direction...

[free my dawg]

a few winning Veeps:

Ben Carson

[badgate]

Ben Carson would become the focus of the campaign, much like Palin, zeroing out anything good about Murkowski and giving O'Malley an insurmountable edge.




So, obviously I support Carson for Murkowski's VP pick.

[Brewer]

Ben Carson would become the focus of the campaign, much like Palin, zeroing out anything good about Murkowski and giving O'Malley an insurmountable edge.




So, obviously I support Carson for Murkowski's VP pick.

[Flake]

a few winning Veeps:
Ben Carson

He's the worst VP pick.

[Heptahedron]

Christie endorses Murkowski, but Cruz still holds back
Chris Bradford, ANN Contributor
21 April 2016, updated 11:01 AM EST



Senator Ted Cruz made his feelings about Murkowski’s nomination well known in an interview today, stating that “she leads the Republican Party in the wrong direction.” After Murkowski clinched a majority of delegates on April 15, Cruz or Christie reserved their endorsements. Christie gave out his endorsement only yesterday, stating that “he will hold no grudges” and that “the party needs to unite behind the kind of ideas that should lead us. It has been speculated that he threw his support merely to prevent a Cruz challenge, as the governor has made it well known that he prefers Murkowski to Cruz. He also stated that he is not willing to accept the vice presidential nomination.

On the other hand, Cruz has still refused to endorse his party’s supposed nominee. He stated that he has many reservations about her electability, and that she represents a very muddled idea of conservatism. He has called on her to “choose somebody who can display true conservative values” as her vice presidential choice if she wants his support and by extension that of the Tea Party caucus. He did not provide a solid answer when questioned about whether or not an independent Tea Party ticket is a possibility, stating that “the ticket does not represent what we stand for right now.” Murkowski has not made any further comments on her VP choice since this interview.
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Obama nominates Paul Watford to be Kennedy’s successor
Chris Bradford, ANN Contributor
29 April 2016, updated 2:17 PM EST



President Obama announced that he will be nominating Ninth Circuit judge Paul Watford to fill the seat of the retiring Justice Kennedy. The president announced this at a press conference earlier today at the White House, where he introduced Watford as his nominee. The president stated that he chose him because of  “vigor, yet experience that will allow him to continue Justice Kennedy’s legacy.”  Minority Leader John Cornyn has already stated that Senate Republicans will be blocking his nomination because he did not fit the bill of moderate that they wanted to fill his seat. The Senate will hold an initial vote on confirming Watford’s nomination in a week.
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O’Malley picks Klobuchar as vice presidential nominee
Chris Bradford, ANN Contributor
3 May 2016, updated 1:46 PM EST



Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Martin O’Malley announced today that he would be nominating former competitor and Senator Amy Klobuchar as his vice presidential nominee. In a rally in Minneapolis, he stated that “there was no better choice than the stronghearted Senator from Minnesota who could connect with Americans better than the rest of us.” She stated that she was “honored to receive the vice presidential nomination, and that she hopes to help take the Democratic Party to victory in November. O’Malley, has received a small boost from this announcement of 1% and Minnesota has flipped from toss up to Democratic lean.

On the other side of the field, Murkowski has been keeping busy trying to repair the image of the Republican Party as a united one, while trying to find a vice presidential nominee that will help to actually unite the party. Some people who have publicly expressed interest in being the VP are Congressman Tim Huelskamp and Governor Bobby Jindal. The only thing that Murkowski has stated is that she will have a short list within two weeks time. The GOP is at a significant disadvantage at the moment due to lack of unity, which the Democratic Party is displaying a significant amount of.

[Heptahedron]

Is Cruz mulling an independent run?
Chris Bradford, ANN Contributor
3 May 2016, updated1:46 PM EST



Many factions in the Republican Party have been left bitter by Murkowksi's nomination for President. It is almost a surprise that the GOP is not headed to a brokered convention, as Christie and Cruz have not stopped throwing the occasional insult at Murkowksi. Even Cruz has not fully dropped out of the race yet, and a number of people in the conservative wing of his party have pushed him to do something. In a press conference, Cruz stated that if "the ticket does not fully represent the party, then he will be the man to represent those who have been disenfranchised." This puts an enormous amount of pressure on her choice of running-mate, but she has stated that she is not overly concerned. Currently, she is polling above what Romney started out yet, and is gaining an enormous amount of traction with moderates, especially because of the fact that she is the first female nominee of a major party.

If Cruz does decide to make a third party run, then current polling would put a dent into Murkowski at 2.5%, but takes votes from the undecideds, mostly social conservatives that are making the decision to abstain rather than voting for Murkowski. At the moment, Murkowski's polling is only staying afloat because of the extreme amount of publicity they are getting compared to the much more low profile Democrats at this point.
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Threat of filibuster falls through, Watford's nomination approved
Chris Bradford, ANN Contributor
3 May 2016, updated1:46 PM EST



Today, the Senate has approved now Justice Paul Watford's nomination to the Supreme Court. The vote was on total party lines, with 52-48 voting to approve him. Senator John Thune was going to attempt a filibuster, and in fact he began to, but he was not able to prevent a quorum of Senators from being present. Only 10 Republican senators were absent with all Democrats still present by the time that a vote needed to be held, so Thune's efforts ended up being in vain. Many Republican senators were angry that Justice Kennedy retired and allowed President Obama to nominate an unprecedented fourth seat to the court, the other three being Justices Sotomayor, Kagan, and Nguyen. Justice Watford stated that he is excited to have this opportunity to serve his nation on the Supreme Court. Even more important is that his presence makes the court shift from a conservative to liberal balance. There is a distinct possibility that the next president may not be able to nominate for even a single seat, since there are rumors that Justice Breyer will retire if Murkowski is elected President this fall.


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BREAKING: Senator Kelly Ayotte chosen as GOP's vice presidential candidate
Chris Bradford, ANN Contributor
3 May 2016, updated 1:46 PM EST



Presumptive GOP Presidential nominee Lisa Murkowski has finally made her long awaited decision for who will fill the vice presidential slot with Senator Kelly Ayotte from New Hampshire. At a rally in Portland, Maine, Murkowski answered a few questions and a have a speech before introducing Ayotte as her VP choice. There were a select few gasps in the crowd, but, there were mostly excited cheers. In Ayotte's speech, she stated that "a Murkowski administration will still be conservative, but we will have common sense conservatism as opposed to extreme forms that eliminate compromise as an option." This was the only noticeable jab towards the Tea Party faction in her speech, which was overall very well received. Now this GOP ticket will not only make history with a female at the top of the ticket, but a female on both spots. It is also the first time that both major parties' tickets have at least one female. Recent polling puts Murkowski with around 5% more of the women's vote than Romney.

[Heptahedron]

The Republican Party: one big, dysfunctional family with Murkowski as unlikely matriarch
Stanley Coons, Republican Party strategist and ANN political analyst
1 August 2016, updated 3:22 PM EST



(ANN) - It appears that the Republican Party has really pulled off one of the most unlikely stunts last night, and that is to throw themselves back into the realm of electability. The Republican National Convention, which concluded last night in Cincinnati, Ohio was expected to closely resemble a circus, which was something that they did not want. We are not speaking of a political circus like the one kids see on Schoolhouse Rock: this is a circus with people throwing insults at each other that ends up appearing like pure humour to those on the outside. Instead, stirring speeches from Murkowski and Ayotte, as well as some “interesting” words from Senators Cruz and Paul, who are growing to represent two different factions that are growing within the party.

The first night of the convention had speeches from what you could call the up and coming elected officials in the party. Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA) and Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) were some notable speeches of the day, strongly in favor of party unity, but the big zinger was the speech from state senator Greg Randall (R-MD), who is a African-American and a Republican elected in a reliably Democratic district in the Baltimore suburbs. His speech sent the message that the Republican Party needs to move into this century, and that Murkowski will help them do that. He is notable for his very strong liberal record on social rights and strong disdain for the death penalty, but fiscal conservatism that was able to get him supported in the strongly Democratic Maryland.The second night consisted of the first, and only ballot, the delegates casted. As a delegate from the state of Pennsylvania, I was very proud to submit my ballot for Murkowski/Ayotte. There was little anticipation for tonight’s speeches, as they consisted of standard lists of office holders. One interesting speech was from the former Governor Bobby Jindal (R-LA), who talked about his period of governorship in Louisiana and how he believes that a Murkowski administration could handle today’s issues better than President Obama has or a President O’Malley could.

The third day contained all of the juicy excitement that we had been waiting for. First big speech, and the first one nationally broadcasted was from Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ), who was largely the third wheel in a brutal fight for the nomination. In his speech, he stated that he has moved on, and will support Murkowski’s campaign. In concluding his speech, he stated that “I want the Murkowski administration to foster compromise and not be afraid to make the tough decisions that some of the panzees on both sides of the aisle can not.” In a day, the panzee democrat meme has blown up to the proportion of Rubio’s big gulp in 2013 or Romney’s “binder full of women” in 2012, and I do not hesitate to say that the above is the reason my party did not choose him. Next was the long awaited speech by conservative firebrand Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) who stated “we may not be the best of friends, but fighting will get us nowhere, so we must march together. I just hope that she does not run astray of this party’s roots in moral values and values that make up the core of America.” Cruz expressed a degree of grudging acceptance and unconfidence in the Murkowski/Ayotte ticket to truly represent the party and lead like the Tea Party would want a Republican President to.

The keynote speaker, former Governor Brian Sandoval (R-NV), was able to bring the party back together through his keynote address. Again, the theme was progress, but just by undoing some of President Obama’s work. He made a passionate call for Republicans to unite in pushing for true healthcare reform by repealing Obamacare and replacing it with a more free market based system where government encourages competition to keep prices low. However, Ayotte and Murkowski were both very well received in their acceptance speeches. Murkowski stated that she wanted an America that “stayed true to its roots in liberty while also moving forward into a new era of prosperity.” She tried to make a speech that made conservatives, libertarians, and moderates happy. I think that she achieved that, and coupled with the fact that we have a double women ticket that has galvanized moderates and electrified the party (in positive and negative charges), the Democrats are going to have a hard time competing with this pell-mell and yet united force aimed towards victory.
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O’Malley and Klobuchar renew a push for real progressivism at the DNC
Stacey Jones, Democratic Party strategist and ANN political analyst
15 August 2016, updated 4:17 PM EST



(ANN) - Last night, the Democratic National Convention in Phoenix, Arizona concluded, and it was a truly stirring reminder of what the Democratic Party is all about and that action is needed now if America is going to prosper into the future. Sure, this convention was not quite the buzz affair the RNC was, but America needs some straight talking and solid ideas to continue to push this country on the path of progress.

The first speakers worth mentioning emphasized a populist idea that has long since been lost from the heart of this party. Former Governor Brian Schweitzer (D-MT), and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), although far from identical ideologues, both spoke of the sanctity of the idea of popular sovereignty and the duty to help fellow Americans. Warren spoke of the Republican Party as “that of the rich business interests,” and that only the Democratic Party can truly represent the common man and bring his or her interests to government. Schweitzer stated that “O’Malley has the ideas and leadership and Klobuchar has the straight talking Midwestern attitude that will make sure Congress gets real work done.” He advocated for a simplification of Obamacare and a facilitation of a eventual transition to a full single payer system.

We were also reminded of how important progress has been to America by last night’s keynote speaker, Senator Alison Grimes (D-KY), who defeated former Senator Mitch McConnell in spectacular fashion in 2014.  She spoke about how the South has greatly improved, and were it not for Democrats that pushed for progress in civil rights, such as Kennedy and LBJ, that the South would be a terribly bigoted place. She pushed that progress is important, and that she wants to see a ratification of the ERA and nationwide gay marriage come about within a decade. Many people, including I, see her as a rising star in the party, and she will likely be the one to lead it come some years from now.

And of course, our nominees: O’Malley and Klobuchar made calls to push for action. O’Malley outlined plans to begin a massive transition to renewable energy, to push equality in the eyes of the law, and to deal diplomatically to solve pressing issues with countries who “defy the will of mankind.” Our convention may not have all been glitter and lights, but it had the real substance that will renew a forward push for America that the government has lost.
--------------------

- AUGUST 18, 2016 -

Here is a look at a new round of polling on the presidential race between O’Malley and Murkowski, just as we get into the swing of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Murkowski has pulled out a very slight lead of two electoral votes with North Carolina now polling for Murkowski, while the popular vote has become deadlocked. Murkowski has looked a lot more popular in Maine and Nevada than any Republican has for years, and Murkowski and Sandoval’s senate race are having mutually helpful coattails in the state. However, O’Malley still retains a slight lead, albeit within the margin of error, in both states. Whatever the case, this election is likely to be very close, as both parties have certain things going for them this election cycle and certain things against. Here is a listing of some of the important Senate races going on for this election cycle. The chances for the Republican Party to retake the Senate are looking fairly dismal at this point, but things could change.

Georgia: Jack Kingston (R) | Jason Carter (D) - Republican Lean
---------------
Illinois: Lisa Madigan (D) | Aaron Schock (R) - Toss Up
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Iowa: Chuck Grassley (R) | Kirsten Running-Marquardt (D) - Toss Up
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Nevada: Harry Reid (D) | Brian Sandoval (R) - Toss Up
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New Hampshire: Kelly Ayotte (R) | Carol Shea-Porter (D) - Toss Up
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North Carolina: Richard Burr (R) | Mike McIntyre (D) - Republican Lean
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Ohio: Rob Portman (R) | Tim Ryan (D) - Toss Up
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Pennsylvania: Pat Toomey (R) | Kathleen Kane (D) - Toss Up
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Wisconsin: Ron Kind (D) | Ron Johnson (R) - Democratic Lean
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[NHI]

Great update!!!

[Heptahedron]

Heritage Foundation: the GOP has given up traditional values
Chris Bradford, ANN Contributor
23 August 2016, updated 8:46 AM EST



Today, the Heritage Foundation under the leadership of former Senator Jim DeMint stated that they find it "unacceptable that the Republicans have sacrificed traditional values just for an opportunity to sway voters." In his addressed, he emphasized the idea that although the rest of the Republican Party has moved on under the banner of unity, they refuse to. According to the overall Heritage Foundation statement, a Murkowski administration would "allow the continued murder of the unborn and pave the way for destruction of support for the traditional family in the party which has supported these ideas for so long." Many social conservatives have opted to sit the presidential election out, but others claim that it is important that they support the lesser of two evils. In response to this statement, Murkowski replied that "it is time that we give focus to the issues that really matter, like fixing our economy and the governemnt's role in it, that affect every American." The GOP ticket has certainly shown that its overall polling has not been affected, as the social conservatives who are opting out are being replaced by moderates who are committing to the Republican ticket.
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Syria holds first free elections since conclusion of civil war
Chris Bradford, ANN Contributor
28 August 2016, updated 7:44 AM EST



As the elections in the US are quickly approaching, it is notable to look at an election in the country of Syria, which has had their bloody civil war concluded last February through a decisive Turkish invasion that only lasted a week, but managed to put out the light on Assad’s candle once and for all. Turkey was beginning to have to deal with a new influx of refugees, specifically Kurdish ones, that began agitating local  Kurdish populations, and Turkey felt that they had to act to prevent any more destabilization. NATO provided minimal resources, but no other member got heavily involved in Syria. The country was put under a UN guided transitional government as the painstaking process of returning refugees and rebuilding began.

Today marks the end of the transitional government and the beginning of the Republic of Syria. Any citizen over the age of  21 was allowed to vote between five parties, all of whom promise peace and pushing towards a better future for Syria. President Obama has called this “a miraculous transition, but not without its costs.” Secretary of State John Kerry was an observer at the elections, and stated that “the results were very pleasing, and we can all look forward to a better future for Syria and the Middle East.”
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O’Malley: Murkowski cannot be allowed to undo the progress made by Obama
Chris Bradford, ANN Contributor
2 September 2016, updated 3:48 PM EST



The general election season has really gotten into full swing, with O'Malley and the Demcorats taking their first swings at the Murkowski/Ayotte ticket. In a rally in Pittsburgh today, O'Malley stated that a Murkowski administration will "undo many of the accomplishments of the Obama administration," referencing the Affordable Care Act and the economic recovery that occured under his second term. O'Malley, as a major part of his campaign has stated that he wants to put America on a path towards single payer healthcare, and that Murkowksi will "put us on a regressive track back to where buisiness interests dominate something as critical as healthcare." The Affordable Care Act has been the bane of many in the Republican Party, but a number of Americans are on the system and it has started to become an integral part of the system after it has been refined since the botched rollout in 2013. O'Malley has certainly benefited from the fact that President Obama's approval has improved since hitting a low in early 2014.
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Murkowski makes a big victory in first debate
Chris Bradford, ANN Contributor
5 September 2016, updated 3:48 PM EST



The first presidential debate was held tonight at Arizona State University, and based on post debate viewer polls Murkowski has won by a fairly significant margin. The debate covered topics of domestic policy. The first questions had to do with taxes, and the elephant in the room, the ACA/Obamacare. O'Malley reinforced the Obama administration's policy of raising taxes on the rich, but cared more to emphasize a tax cut on those making less than $100,000 yearly. Murkowski stated that she would lower all tax rates, but that the upper class taxes would not be cut to the level of the Bush tax cuts. Both candidates also made it clear that the ACA was not an end, and that it was not exactly a desirable middle ground. O'Malley maintained it as a step in the right direction, but it complicates as opposed to simplifies, and he wants to simplify the system by transitioning America to a single-payer healthcare system. Murkowski's rebuttal started with the idea that government's place is not in the economy, and that a healthy competition in the free market is the only thing with which to sustain the economy.

Surprisingly, their answers on social issues did not differ significantly. Both candidates declared that they were in support of same-sex marriage, but O'Malley made a much stronger push, calling for it to be legalized by 2020, while Murkowski stated that it should be legal within a decade's time. They also both stated that they were supportive of a woman's right to have an abortion, even though Murkowski thought that more restrictions on when an abortion can be performed was required. Many people thought that Murkowski's responses were very precise and refreshing, as she forgoes the use political rhetoric that usually surrounds social issues.

[Heptahedron]

Second debate on foreign policy largely a draw
Chris Bradford, ANN Contributor
28 September 2016, updated 7:27 AM EST



Tonight, the second presidential debate, which was focused largely on foreign policy, was held at Michigan State University. Post viewer polling has been fluctuating significantly, and upon analysis, we cannot determine a certian winner. There were a wide range of questions that involved Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and East Asia. Since the War on Terror and Syrian Civil War officially ended around two years ago, the main issues relating to the Middle East are the ongoing Israeli/Palestinian conflict, sectarian violence in Iraq and the regime in Iran. O'Malley responded to the questions about Israel by stating that there needs to be a compromise and that the US needs to broker a fair two state solution, while Murkowski stated that she was not entirely sure if a two state solution would be possible, and was concerned about Palestine being a beacon for anti-American interests. O'Malley countered by stating that if America helps the Palestinians, then there will not be issues with animosity. Most viewers found O'Malley's response to the question to be better.

An interesting question that appeared towards the end of the debate surrounded the issues with genetically modified crops and the EU banning their trade. Murkowski stated that she would support pushing the EU to accept these crops, but that we must be careful with how aid is distributed to African countries as to not damage their economies. O'Malley stated that investing in Africa is critical, but that the EU's right to decide for themselves should not be violated. Many thought that Murkowski's response was better, which was very likely because O'Malley had to tiptoe around the anti-GMO crowd that makes up a significant part of the liberal base. This debate has brought up more questions than it has answered unfortunately, and that is emphasized by the deadlocked result.
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Vice Presidential debate points to a Klobuchar victory
Chris Bradford, ANN Contributor
7 October 2016, updated 3:16 PM EST



The only vice presidential debate of this election season was held tonight on the campus of Boston University. By a fairly slim margin, Senator Klobuchar was seen as tonight's victor against Senator Kelly Ayotte. This debate had two questions from each category: foreign policy, domestic policy, and two random. The first question that got both candidates very passionate was one about what policy they would encourage the Senate to follow in regards to gun control. Klobuchar stressed that she understands the Second Amendment, but that in the modern age, stricter background checks and limits are going to have to be a reality. Ayotte countered with what she stated was an inherent right to defend onself. Where this got heated was when Klobuchar asked Ayotte, as a mother, if she could stand her children being in danger due to guns. Ayotte immediately retreated to the defensive and formulated a number of largely subpar comebacks. One interesting question that came later in the debate, regarding what to do with North Korea, elicited a very similar response from both candidates. They both made a statement that favored diplomatic pressure for the regime to open up, and thought provoking was a bad idea, but Klobuchar emphasized that economic sanctions "damage the regime as well as the North Korean people, who are already starving."
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Simmering controversy over NBC's reaction to comments by Bachman
Chris Bradford, ANN Contributor
15 October 2016, updated 8:38 AM EST



The conservative portions of the Republican Party have made themselves heard once again yesterday, with comments from former Congresswoman Michelle Bachman (R-MN) where she stated that "the Republican Party needs to be reawakened, and obviously eight years of damaging liberal policy has not done that yet." Her interview was a part of the programming for Meet the Press, and she was the first guest on the show yesterday. Her interview was mostly focused on the place of the Tea Party in the Murkowski campaign. Bachman stated that she was dissapointed with the party's choice and that she feels that a Murowski administration will do the same sort of things that the Obama administration has, and that her changes will not be nearly enough. When asked if she would still encourage Republicans to vote for Murowski, she hesitated before saying "Well, not exactly..." which was immediately followed by a cutoff to commercial. 10 minutes later, it was uncovered that somebody in the control room who was a self described moderate Republican deliberately cut off her comments.
 
This has resulted in a wave of controversy over NBC choosing to retain the controller's position and a discussion about the role free speech. There has also been a campaign called "Boycott for American Values," which has around 30,000 likes on Facebook and is positioned on other social media. Around one quarter of voters who were polled undecided, 2% of all polled, stated that they were social conservatives who are abstaining, and this number has risen over that past few days. Murkowski has reiterated that she intends to pursue conservative fiscal policy as the top priority, but there is no denying that the qualms of the staunch conservatives in the GOP have caused a lot of stress for the Murkowski campaign. It is yet to be seen if she can fill this hole left and more with moderate independents who choose change in leadership.
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Third town hall styled debate shows a passionate and victorious Murkowksi
Chris Bradford, ANN Contributor
21 October 2016, updated 11:07 AM EST



After an indecisive second presidential debate, Murkowski came back very strong in the third and final presidential debate. This debate was a town hall styled debate where members in the audience could lose questions to the candidates, and a select few questions were chosen from tweets directed towards ANN using hashtag #ANNTownHall2016. Two of the questions were directed towards policy relating to climate change. O'Malley took a very strong environmentalist position and talked about forming policy that would put America on a path to transition to clean energy by 2030, while Murkowski wanted to eliminate foreign oil and focus on a balance of domestic oil, in the form of offshore drilling and the Keystone pipeline, and renewables. She also stated that O'Malley's actions would drive America down into another recession at a time when the economy is booming. A question directed from Twitter addressed what each candidate thinks about affirmative action. Murkowksi stated that she does not like the policy, and thinks that the school needs to focus on merit credentials. She also stated that by making a real jobs program for inner city families, rather than providing welfare, will help them the most. O'Malley stood in firm support of it, stating that he understands inner city minorities are put at a disadvantage from his tenure as Mayor of Baltimore and need help to make higher education fair and avaliable.

Many analysts have stated that she seemed very solid and very no nonsense in her stances and her comebacks were quick and still well thought out. It has been stated by Senator Rob Portman of Ohio that "she will bring a change in attitude that will advocate compromise and push Congress to get things done," which was a kind of attitude that she presented tonight. It is pretty damaging to O'Malley's campaign that Murkowksi can pull such a big victory on the last debate and even through the heckling of the staunch conservatives.
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Tomorrow is Election Night: who will shape America for the rest of the decade?
Chris Bradford, ANN Contributor
7 November 2016, updated 5:00 PM EST



It has been a very long and contentious election season, and it is all over tomorrow night. The election started in earnest last August when the former First Lady, Senator, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced that she would not seek the Democratic nomination. The primary season kicked off with Cruz and Klobuchar victories in Iowa, and then it got more contentious from there. O'Malley made a fairly solid victory after Super Tuesday, where the GOP became an excruciating three way race, with all three trying to represent different wings of the party. Murkowski, much to the chagrin of conservatives, clinched the nomination and the GOP barely missed a brokered convention. The Democrats seemed like the perfect family while the GOP was massively dysfunctional. However, you can't deny how much media coverage the "GOP circus" recieved compared to the Democrats.

Polling points to a distinct possibility that this will be the closest election since 2000, but a repeat of 2000 is the worst case scenario for anybody. There is a distinct possibility that the election could come down to Colorado, Iowa, Ohio, or Florida. Both candidates have noticable areas of unease. O'Malley has to deal with the fact that, although it has improved in the last year, Obama's approval has been fairly low throughout the middle years of his second term, and he also is slightly more liberal than Obama. Murkowski has enormous issues with keeping social conservatives on board with her campaign. Both candidates have tried very hard to woo moderates, but Murkwowksi could have to woo conservatives for her to win. African-Americans are still polling monotonously for O'Malley, but Murkowski is polling higher with Hispanics and women than Romney at his highest point. Below are some final numbers in regards to projected electoral map: Nevada has fallen to poll largely for O'Malley, putting them dead even at 210 each. Please join us tommorow night, starting at 6:00 PM, for coverage of Election Night in America.

[NHI]

Can't wait!

[Brewer]

Awesome timeline, and beautiful photoshopping on the debate image, I must say.