2004 Presidential Election and Beyond: The Giuliani Years (GAME THREAD)

[PPT Spiral]

Weld gaining momentum, feels optimistic ahead of primary

Bill Weld scored major endorsements in the race for the Republican nomination for Governor of Massachusetts. At a rally, three former governors--Paul Cellucci, Jane Swift, and Ed King--came together to enthusiastically support Weld, calling him the most qualified candidate as well as the person capable of defeating Deval Patrick in the general election. This is a major development for Weld and one that has boosted his campaign. The race for the nomination has looked to be tight, with Healey having a small to moderate lead for most of the race, although recent polls put Weld at a virtual tie or a step ahead of the Governor. A leaked Weld internal shows him up 52-41, perhaps a sign that he is poised to win when the dust settles. For his part, Weld is optimistic that he will win the primary. "We definitely have the momentum now, our supporters are pumped up, and we're getting tremendous support from across the state. The people are ready for leadership that they can trust, and that's what I bring to the table."

Weld's campaign has been hammering the state with advertisements, pointing to his record as Governor in the 1990s. A strong GOTV effort has also been built up over the months. The campaign has been showing signs of already beginning to launch their general election strategy, painting Patrick as having the wrong ideas for the state. Weld has run an active, aggressive campaign so far and has shown no signs of slowing down.

[Maxwell]

Breaking: Senator George Allen to campaign for Santorum in final stretch



"Santorum is a leader in the party on a wide array of issues. He has the national experience and ability to get the job done, and he's a supporter of the agenda of Former President Bush and most of the agenda of President Giuliani, and let's not abandon him while we are still in the midsts of war!"

Scranton, Pennsylvania - Senator Rick Santorum got some much needed help in the final stretch of the campaign cycle when Senator George Allen, considered a Presidential contender in 2012 or 2008 if Giuliani backs out, has pushed for the fellow conservative in Scranton. Allen, not wanting to alienate moderates, made conciliatory remarks, addressing Santorum's ability to get things done, and his support of a strong national defense. The Allen endorsement certainly helps Santorum reign in some of the few undecieds left in the neck and neck primary between Santorum and Former Governor Tom Ridge, who is knocking Santorum's partisanship.

Allen has been much quieter this last session. Instead of going hard against his opponent in the Senate, Allen has stayed above the fray, and his polling numbers show that the tactic is working, giving as little attention to Jim Webb as possible. Prognosticators around the U.S. are moving Allen's race, originally considered contentious due to Allen's very partisan campaign, to Likely R. Allen is a force to be reckoned with, both on a national scale and with local organizations, and so his endorsement of Santorum is likely to move the race. His neutrality towards DeMint and Giuliani position him right in the middle of the GOP electorate, right where most politicians in the party envy to be. Allen disagrees with Giuliani on energy, but otherwise has followed in line with the President, voting for the minimum wage bill he worked on and is planning to vote for the home deduction. Same with Santorum, who has received a shocking rebuke from the President in spite of his support.

Even with his lower scale Senate campaign, Allen's fundraising has been strong, and his funds will likely be able to help his fellow Republicans go through what is likely to be a tough 2006 cycle.

[Maxwell]

Can we get a 2008 Iowa Republican Primary poll?

[NHI]

Can we get a 2008 Iowa Republican Primary poll?

Iowa: Republican Primary 2008 (With DeMint)

Rudy Giuliani: 76%
Jim DeMint: 12%
Other/Undecided: 12%

Iowa: Republican Primary 2008 (With Smith)

Rudy Giuliani: 87%
Bob Smith: 3%
Other/Undecided: 10%

Iowa: Republican Primary Poll 2008 (With DeMint and Smith)

Rudy Giuliani: 80%
Jim DeMint: 10%
Bob Smith: 2%
Other/Undecided: 8%

[NHI]

Report: The Surge Looks to be Working

President Giuliani's decision to support the surge in Iraq was a divisive decision, with it raising issues with both sides of the aisle. But now months into the surge it appears to be working and what many saw as a politically risky decision for Republican is paying off. Military leaders, as well as those in the Pentagon and National Security Advisers to the President cite the success of surge as a result of 'staying focused' and 'finishing the mission'

The Surge

1. Change our strategy to be a population-centric counterinsurgency effort.

The first step in winning the war is changing our strategy. To continue doing the same thing we've done will only cost more Americans their lives and grow our national debt. We must make every moment in Iraq count. Shifting our strategy to focus on protecting the population, winning the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people, and moving away from a seek-and-destroy model of engagement are critical to winning the war. American troops will allow Iraqi troops to lead and will train the Iraqi military to manage their own affairs. Our efforts in improving the security situation will be replaced with a take-and-hold method of warfare. We'll focus on capturing, securing, and holding large portions of the country.

2. Increase the troop deployment to Iraq to accomplish new mission.

The forces we have on the ground now are not sufficient to accomplish our new mission. The United States Armed Forces will increase the troop deployment by 35,000. These additional troops are enough to win the war. These surge troops will be trained to protect the population. Skills such as construction, engineering, etc. will be highly valued in these new recruits.

3. Increase the effectiveness and strength of our intelligence community.

It is the directive of our intelligence community to keep us safe. Winning the War on Terror will require an expansion of our foreign intelligence capacity. We must also authorize the intelligence community to act in any foreign country to root out terrorism. The President will authorize the Director of National Intelligence to centralize all counter-terrorism intelligence in a National Intelligence Directorate. The NID will have 5,000 specially trained troops for their use. These NID troops are trained to be experts in kill-or-capture raids on terrorist targets.

4. Broaden the scope of our intelligence community's efforts abroad.

Since the tragic events of 9/11, our nation has said we will draw no distinction between terrorists and their allies. In order to more effectively prosecute the War on Terror, the United States Intelligence Community will no longer recognize the national boundaries of the following nations when in pursuit of terror:

   -Bahrain
   -Cyprus
   -Egypt
   -Iran
   -Iraq
   -Northern Cyprus
   -Oman
   -Qatar
   -Syria
   -United Arab Emirates
   -Yemen
   -Pakistan

5. Implement a counter-insurgency strategy in Afghanistan.
Similar to Iraq, we must focus on winning the hearts and minds of the population in Afghanistan. Our strategy must shift to protect the people and improve the humanitarian situation as well as the security situation. Our new modus operandi is take-hold-develop, similar to Iraq. Implementation of this strategy will require 60,000 new troops to be deployed to Afghanistan.

6. Degrade access to funding, weapons, and support for terrorists.

Our efforts in the past have been largely successful in identifying and weakening terrorist support networks. With the expansion of foreign intelligence powers, we must also take a freeze-and-seize approach to terrorist assets all over the world. Alongside limiting terrorist financial assets, a new program of poppy eradication in Afghanistan is critical. Our country must step up its agricultural aid to Afghan farmers to complement Columbia-style drug eradication missions.

7. Develop a coalition to address weak Middle Eastern borders.

Terrorist networks have demonstrated their adaptability and flexibility. Their fluid, soldiers-without-countries nature allows them to take advantage of the weak border situation across the Middle East. Efforts to truly eradicate terrorist networks in one country should be complemented by an international commitment to securing national borders in the Middle East.

8. Reassure our allies and include them in the new strategic shift.

Our allies are champions of the Freedom Agenda. They understand the incredible importance of a foreign policy based on both national interest as well as national values. Securing their commitment and strengthening the coalition with new partners and a surge in resources is critical to effectively implementing the new strategy.

While no definite commitment from the Pentagon or the White House, but it has been discussed, at the very least that the stated goal is for the final surge of Iraq troops to be returning home in summer of 2008. One military general stated, "given the recent turnaround in Iraq, we can see the end in sight."

Violence has decreased and August saw the lowest number of American Casualties since the start of the war. Popular support for the Iraq War has increased slightly over the success of the surge. Recent poll put support for war at 52 percent. President Giuliani's personal approval rating has remained steady, hovering around 55 to 57 percent.

[Potus]

*Picture of President Giuliani, Secretary Rice as the sun goes down,  talking and looking out the window of the Oval.*

The Victors

How Rudy and Rice Are Winning The War on Terror

Excerpt:

I walked down the streets of Baghdad, Iraq. I was here not long ago, on this very street. On my last visit, I received an armed escort to this part of the city. This time, however, I can walk freely and safely down the street.

On my last journey, the street had been a face of the downtradden. Boarded up buildings and militiamen were staples of this part of Baghdad. The poverty and lack of opportunity bred radicalism and served as recruiting ground for extremists.

But on my most recent trip, life was different. Shops were open. Families walked to market stands to buy groceries. No one considered their safety before sleeping in a room with a window. There was peace. There was calm. There was prosperity.

Excerpt:

Hamida is a 16 year old student in one of the schools ran by the Coalition. She is strong, opinionated, and outspoken. She refuses to wear a veil and advocates for little girls to get an education.

"I could never be who I am under Saddam," she said. "Little girls," she says, "went from having lives of oppression under Saddam and seeing his face on television to seeing Secretary Rice."

US Secretary of Defense Condi Rice left a strong impression on Hamida's school when she visited. Rice had brought a lecture with her from her Stanford days and presented to the class on Women in History. She spoke of scientists and businesswomen. Powerful women, Hamida believes, are the future of Iraq.

The admiration for Rice was strong in Iraq. Government officials respect her strength and resiliency. She has been unwavering in the United States' devotion to Iraq and Afghanistan. This won her many fans in the government while the populace grew to support the United States as a whole.

Excerpt:
"We love Rudy!" exclaimed Ahmed, a merchant who recently opened a new store in the city of Mosul. "As someone who lived in prison under Hussein, it brings a tear to my eye knowing a manlike Rudy Giuliani will care about my children and grandchildren," he said.

The Iraqi populace seemed to support Giuliani greatly. The commitment to their democracy gave them reason to love the President. Even in the province of Anbar, Sunni Iraqis were developing a sense of nationalism and rising up against terrorists in their villages.

Anbar has long served as the base of the insurgency. This hotbed was a no-go zone for Coalition forces due to the Sunni population and their acceptance of militants. Since the expansion of involvement in Iraq, siding with Baghdad and the Coalition over Al Qaeda became very beneficial for the Sunni leaders in the province.

With victory in Anbar, Al Qaeda and other militants no longer have a command and control in Iraq. Rudy and Rice are winning in Iraq.

[Donerail]

Update: Edwards, Nunn, Warner to make final push in Virginia


Richmond, VA -- Big-name Democrats, including former Senator Sam Nunn, one of the nation's leading experts on national security and foreign policy, and former Senator John Edwards, one of the party's frontrunners for their 2008 Presidential nomination, are descending on Virginia to promote the election of Jim Webb, a decorated Vietnam War veteran and former Secretary of the Navy under Ronald Reagan. Conventional wisdom holds that his opponent, incumbent Senator George Allen, holds a wide edge, but Edwards noted that "Jim's a war hero, a Reagan appointee; he's the kind of Democrat who can really represent and understand folks from rural areas. When he's elected, he could quickly become a leading face of the party on foreign relations and national defense." With Allen not focusing on his own race and the three Democrats campaigning hard, this race could be the sleeper of the cycle.

Edwards and Nunn, along with Virginia Governor Mark Warner and Texas Representative Chet Edwards (no relation), are among the co-founders of One America PAC, a political action committee aimed at targeting key races to help elect Democrats, particularly in the South. When asked about the organization's geographic focus, Edwards responded, saying, "Look at how Joe Biden did in 2004. We managed to do very well in other regions - winning Colorado, Nevada, Iowa, Pennsylvania. Apart from Rudy Giuliani's base region in the New York Metro, we managed to hang on pretty well in the rest of the country. But we only won a handful of states in this region - Democratic-leaning Maryland, Kentucky, and the home states of our nominee and his Vice President. Where we need to gain votes is the South. Florida, point and a half; Missouri, less than 3 points; Virginia, around two, and that would've changed the entire dynamic of the race. We're targeting 13 key House races, 4 key Senate seats, and 5 key governorships to try to start rebuilding our party in the region. We have a winning message, and it's one that needs to be heard - that will be heard, if we're successful.

The duo are expected to spend a significant amount of time in Virginia before election day, though also working in Maryland, Missouri, Arkansas, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, and Arkansas on behalf of major Democratic candidates.

[NHI]

2006 Midterms: Primaries

Alabama: Gubernatorial Republican Primary

√ Roy Moore: 50.51%
Bob Reilly (inc): 49.49%

Alaska: Gubernatorial Republican Primary

√ Sarah Palin: 46.10%
Frank Murkowski (inc): 39.93%
John Binkley: 13.97%

Florida: Gubernatorial Republican Primary

√ Charlie Crist: 52.2%
Tom Gallahger: 46.8%

Massachusetts: Gubernatorial Republican Primary

√ William Weld: 52.6%
Kerry Healey (inc): 47.4%

New York: Gubernatorial Republican Primary

√ Donald Trump: 59.9%
John Faso: 38.4%
Other: 1.7%

Texas: Gubernatorial Democratic Primary

√ Laura Miller: 50.0%
Lecita Van De Putte: 36.5%
Rob Pitman: 8.9%
Ron Kirk: 4.6%

Pennsylvania: Senatorial Republican Primary

√ Tom Ridge: 50.07%
Rick Santorum: 49.93%

Texas: Senatorial Republican Primary

√ Ron Paul: 50.16%
Bill Ratliff: 49.84%

General Election Polls: Snapshot

New York Gubernatorial Election (D+5)

Eliot Spitzer: 49%
Donald Trump: 44%

Massachusetts Gubernatorial Election (D+4)

Deval Patrick: 48%
Bill Weld: 44%

Texas Gubernatorial Election (R+10)

Rick Perry: 53%
Laura Miller: 43%

New Hampshire Gubernatorial Election (D+25)

John Lynch: 60%
Jim Coburn: 35%

Arkansas Gubernatorial Election (Tied)

Mike Beebe: 48%
Asa Hutchinson: 48%

Maryland Gubernatorial Election (R+1)

Bob Ehrich: 48%
Martin O'Malley: 47%

Ohio Gubernatorial Election (Tied)

Ted Strickland: 47%
Ken Blackwell: 47%

Colorado Gubernatorial Election (R+2)

Bob Beauprez: 46%
Bill Ritter: 44%

Maine Gubernatorial Election (R+1)

Peter Mills: 34%
John Baldacci: 33%
Barbara Merill: 25%

Minnesota Gubernatorial Election (R+3)

Tim Pawlenty: 50%
Mike Hatch: 47%

[NHI]

Bad Night to be an Incumbent!

Republicans: Both moderates and conservatives alike felt the wrath of voters in primaries, with many incumbents being tossed out. In Massachusetts, former Governor Bill Weld soundly defeated incumbent Kerry Healey and now is poised to take on Democrat Deval Patrick in the fall. In Alabama, incumbent Governor Bob Reilly also fell to a primary challenger, losing to Alabama state judge Roy Moore. In Alaska, newcomer and Mayor of the town of Wasilla, Sarah Palin ousted embattled Governor Frank Murkowski.

In the race to fill Vice President Hutchison's old seat, Congressman Ron Paul who ran for his House seat in 2004 on the Libertarian Ballot and won, secured the Republican Nomination, defeating one time favorite Bill Ritter. But, perhaps the biggest upset came in Pennsylvania with incumbent Senator Rick Santorum losing his primary to former Governor and Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge. Santorum, who originally looked to face an uphill battle against Bob Casey in November, now clears the way for a competitive race with Ridge. Latest polls show a dead heat between the two, with 47 percent for Ridge and 46 percent for Casey.

In the New York Republican Primary, Donald Trump routed his Republican opponent and will now face Democratic nominee Eliot Spitzer in what is expected to be a costly race. Polls show a narrow lead for Spitzer, but Trump ever the showman proclaimed at his victory speech that "I will defeat Spitzer, make no doubts about it. You can write it down."

The midterms, are shaping up to a good year for the Republicans. Generally, midterms tend to bode poorly for the incumbent party, but President Giuliani's handling of the Iraq War, coupled with his dealings with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina have boasted not only his approval ratings (57 percent), but the Republican brand as well. While some pundits expect a possible challenge from the Right for Giuliani in 2008, given the Anti-incumbent sentiment fused in the midterm primaries, most analysts believe no candidate will topple the President. "He's not vulnerable like George H.W. in 1992. He's kept his word and is leading the country in the right direction." -- Karl Rove. Early trial heats against the three frontrunners for the Democratic nomination put Giuliani in a strong position heading into 2008. While most pundits expect his numbers to come down, Rove suggest, "the fact he is beating Clinton by almost ten and Edwards and Lincoln by double digits should give the Democrats pause for concern. They don't have a candidate to beat the President, or even mount a serious challenge at this point!" Polls consistently show Edwards and Clinton as the strongest against Giuliani, while former Vice Presidential Nominee Blanche Lincoln tends to fair the worst.

Hypothetical 2008 Presidential Election Poll: Circa 2006 (Clinton, Edwards, Lincoln)

Rudy Giuliani: 52% (+8)

Hillary Clinton: 44%

Rudy Giuliani: 53% (+11)

John Edwards: 42%

Rudy Giuliani: 55% (+15)

Blanche Lincoln: 40%

[Maxwell]

The Santorum camp demands a recount in this very close and disputed race.

[Lumine]

Trumpmania: General Election:

New York State, June to November, 2006:
With a strong victory in the primary and seeking to unite the party behind the Trump/Skelos ticket, Donald Trump has proved that he can be a formidable candidate. It remains to be seen if he can actually defeat Eliot Spitzer and the invigorated NY Democratic Party, but Trump and his team remain confident of a strong victory by the time November comes.

"I will defeat Spitzer, make no doubts about it. You can write it down." Those were the key words in Mr. Trump's speech after winning the Republican Primary with a wide lead over rival John Faso, and needless to say the crowd was electrified. If one thing can be said about Donald Trump, is that he knows how to handle a crowd and be an amusing candidate to follow. And that is precisely the skill he used to win over the local party, going out there and talking to the voters and the activists and securing his flanks with the national endorsements he received, which helped to craft the argument of a Donald Trump who would continue many of the successful policies of George Pataki and Rudy Giuliani while still being his own man; a man with a conservative vision and what he dubbed "common-sense proposals and common-sense talk". There were rumours that Trump would try to get Faso to run as Lt. Governor, but he chose to unite the party and balance the ticket in a different way by unexpectedly choosing one of the most experienced Republicans in the State, the Deputy Majority Leader of the New York State Senate Dean Skelos, whose legislative experience was considered an asset and a way of convincing the voters that Trump was indeed going to be able to run the state in the best way possible by working with both parties.

And it seems the people of New York are actually vindicating Trump's confident and slightly pompous rhetoric, with polls showing Spitzer leading by a mere five points (with earlier polls suggesting that Mr. Faso would struggle to gain more than 35% of the vote) and Trump close enough to win the election with a strong effort. Despite the belief that the conservative businessman can do well in New York City (specially with President Giuliani's appearances in the state) Steve Schmidt and the Trump Team have taken no risks and they have diverted a substantial amount of resources into the city of Buffalo, Erie County and Western New York in general, knowing that maximized turnout in those areas could put Mr. Trump over the top. Ads continue to run across the state, promoting Trump's business record and leadership and Skelos's experience and "gravitas" as the perfect duo to lead the state for the next four years, and blasting Spitzer for not having a clear vision. Mr. Trump has attacked his rival over his platform and what he considers are the "wrong ideas" for the state, with special emphasis on the "tough on crime" aspect of the Republican ticket. And while the Republican campaign has never talked about it in a direct way, there have been allegations from independent groups that Mr. Spitzer could be involved in suspicious campaign contributions dated all the way back to 1998 and, furthermore, that he may be involved in a scandal regarding call girls. Trump is no stranger to controversy over some events of his past in business, but it remains to be seen if that can be exploited as a crippling weakness. New York was certainly a Safe-Democratic state for a long time with isolated exceptions to the rule (like current President Giuliani), but with the renewed strength of the GOP and Mr. Trump's unusual financial advantages and media coverage, is there a chance for Republicans to retain the Governorship and send the Democrats into disarray?

[PPT Spiral]

Governor Weld once more? Weld campaign goes full steam ahead

With a comfortable margin of victory over Governor Kerry Healey, Bill Weld has secured the Republican nomination in the Massachusetts gubernatorial race and is on the track for making a political comeback after a decade in the wilderness. Weld selected State Senator Scott Brown as his running mate for the ticket, believing that Brown's compelling life story and down-to-earth appeal will prove to be a great asset on the campaign trail. After congratulating Healey for her service in Beacon Hill and for her competitive campaign, Weld quickly turned to uniting Republicans and focusing all of his attention on Democratic nominee Deval Patrick. "We are all in this together now, and I know that we can beat Deval Patrick and keep Massachusetts on the right track!" With the Republican Party united behind Weld and Brown, the ticket starts off at a strong position, only trailing Patrick by 4 points in a heavily Democratic state according to a recent poll. The competitiveness of this election leaves the campaign very happy, with top strategists believing there is a very real chance of victory.

As the election draws nearer, the campaign has been working across the state to spread the message and raise support. More out-of-state money has been pouring into this race than originally expected due to how close it has turned out to be, with Republicans especially hitting hard in a state where they believe they are able to keep the Governor's seat for another four years. Pro-Weld advertisements portray Weld as a moderate, bipartisan leader with a proven record of accomplishment: ending state borrowing, passing tax cuts, and balancing the budget every year without ever having to raise taxes. Patrick is painted as a bland Massachusetts liberal who will usher in fiscal irresponsibility and who cares more about the Democratic Party than the people of Massachusetts. Strong efforts are being made to court independents and moderate Democrats, the key to victory as a Massachusetts Republican statewide. Weld frequently points out his more moderate or liberal positions on areas such as environmental protection, gay rights, and corporate responsibility to voters.

As the campaign enters it final weeks, Weld has seen his numbers tick up and he seems to have the late momentum just as he did in the primary. "I'm very comfortable with where I am right now," Weld told a reporter during an interview, "and I think the people of Massachusetts are going to vote with their hearts and say, 'You know, even if I don't agree with everything you may believe all the time, I trust you.'" With national Republican support and a truly active campaign, Weld is bound to make this election worth watching.

[Maxwell]

Judge Roy Moore wins primary, goes into general election confident

In what was considered to be a major upset, Alabama Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore, known for his controversy over the ten commandments, knocked out incumbent Governor Bob Riley in the primary. Moore was primarly backed by the Senate Conservatives Fund, which has put a lot of money into Senate races and otherwise, knocking out non-conservative Republicans in multiple races. Polling shows this race a lot closer than it was with Bob Riley, but Moore still holds a nevertheless commanding lead heading into the general election.

"The founding fathers believed in Jesus, and Jesus believed in democracy. Democracy and our constitutional government go together hand and hand, and I believe, together, they make a pretty potent team. With Democrats in congress trying to strip god from schools and bibles from nuns, it's time we made it clear that no means no. Republicans have stood idly by, and with my election, they will stop that behavior and fight for the principles and values Americans believe in! God, will be back in our lives once again!"

[NHI]

Recount in Pennsylvania

√
Santorum Campaign Request Recount in Senate Primary

Results from Primary: 100% Reported (Difference: 0.14%)

√ Tom Ridge: 50.07%
Rick Santorum: 49.93%

9:00 am EST Recount, Pennsylvania Secretary of State's Office

Pennsylvania Recount: <1% Recounted (Difference 2.02%)

Tom Ridge: 51.01%
Rick Santorum: 48.99%

9:10 am EST ≈15% Recounted (Difference 1.50%)

Tom Ridge: 50.75%
Rick Santorum: 49.25%

9:37 am EST ≈27% Recounted (Difference 1.34%)

Tom Ridge: 50.67%
Rick Santorum: 49.33%

9:59 am EST ≈39% Recounted (Difference 0.62%)
Tom Ridge: 50.31%
Rick Santorum: 49.69%

10:14 am EST ≈66% Recounted (Difference 0.32%)

Tom Ridge: 50.16%
Rick Santorum: 49.84%

10:31 am EST ≈84% Recounted (Difference 0.18%)

Tom Ridge: 50.09%
Rick Santorum: 49.91%

10:44 am EST ≈94% Recounted (Difference 0.12%)

Tom Ridge: 50.06%
Rick Santorum: 49.94%

10:54 am EST ≈97% Recounted (Difference 0.06%)

Tom Ridge: 50.03%
Rick Santorum: 49.97%

10:56 am EST ≈98% Recounted (Difference 0.04%)

Tom Ridge: 50.02%
Rick Santorum: 49.98%

Breaking News: PA Senate Recount Ridge in the Lead

Nearly 100% of the recount completed and at the current count Former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge holds the narrowest of leads over incumbent Senator Rick Santorum. The latest number put Ridge with 50.02 percent, and Santorum with 49.98 percent; the difference 0.04%. The first recount was requested by the Santorum campaign, but given Pennsylvania state law which requires a recount to occur with a result totaling less than 0.5 percent.

No word yet from either the Ridge or Santorum Campaigns.

[MadmanMotley]

Ridge Campaign Statement:

While this is a close race, we at the Ridge campaign are sure of victory, and ready to take on Bob Casey in the fall. Pennsylvanians need someone who will represent their interests, and not take the senate seat as a way to tout their own agenda.

[NHI]

Alabama Gubernatorial Election Poll: (R+11)

Roy Moore: 54%
Lucy Baxley: 43%

Texas Senatorial Election Poll: (R+10)

Ron Paul: 54%

Barbara Ann Radnofsky: 44%

[NHI]

BREAKING NEWS:
TOM RIDGE DECLARED WINNER IN PA GOP PRIMARY RECOUNT

PA Republican Primary: 100% Recounted (Difference: 0.04%)

√ Tom Ridge: 50.02%
Rick Santorum: 49.98%

Pennsylvania Senatorial Election Poll: (R+1)

Tom Ridge: 47%
Bob Casey: 46%

[MadmanMotley]

Tom Ridge Speech:

Thank you! Though it was a close race, we showed that Pennsylvanians want someone who will represent their interests as a U.S. Senator. I would like to thank Senator Santorum for the clean race. We are ready to take on the tough problems in the Senate, we can work with the president, the House, and the Democrats to make this country a better place to live. I will fight hard for the working class jobs I helped to bring to this state when I was governor! Let's take on the fight for Pennsylvania and the blue collar workers here! Let's get out and vote in November, for Pennsylvania and America!

[NHI]

2006 Midterms: Generic Ballot (R+4)

Republicans: 49%
Democrats: 45%

Current Numbers; Congress

Senate:

Republicans: 53

Democrats: 46
Independents: 1

House:

Republicans: 230

Democrats: 201

Libertarian: 2
Green: 1

[Maxwell]

Quick Major Headlines

Santorum concedes defeat, hasn't endorsed Ridge

Virginia - As Santorum moves to his second home in Virginia, his concession speech was a high energy conservative speech, ignoring Tom Ridge entirely, and when asked, he refuses to endorse the Former Homeland Security Secretary. Most of his endorsees have backed Ridge, but Santorum has been a notable exception due to the negativity of the race.

Lawsuits filed against Giuliani administration over green policies, "overreach of power"

Washington D.C. - Many people, oil company executives, conservative activists, and constitutional scholars have signed on to a lawsuit against the Giuliani administration over his green policies. Many consider it unconstitutional due to his use of the executive branch to fund his program, when that is under legislative purview.

Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean - "We need real change!"

Portsmouth, New Hampshire - A little known Governor of Vermont has been running around Iowa and New Hampshire, demanding attention and running on a liberal platform. Though some of his record contradicts his rhetoric, he's been gaining stream in Net Roots circles. He's not polling highly, but he's considered very likely to enter the race for the Presidency.

DeMint flies to Iowa, woos crowds

With a recent lawsuit against the President, fiscally conservative and socially conservative crowds are becoming increasingly enthralled with DeMint. Most insiders in his circle still aren't sure whether he's running, but he's damn sure entertaining the possiblity. Most say the Senate bores him - all the life sucking procedure. As a leader of the Republicans conservative faction, many think he would run solely to give them a voice, especially considering he doesn't have to face re-election until 2010.

[PPT Spiral]

Sanford 2008?

Although Senator Jim DeMint has been attracting the press over speculation that he may challenge President Rudy Giuliani in the primaries, another South Carolina Republican has recently gotten buzz: Governor Mark Sanford. Reports are surfacing that influential conservative activists within the Republican Party who are frustrated with the Giuliani administration are attempting to draft Sanford into the race should DeMint decline to challenge the President, deeming the governor to be the most credible candidate to face Giuliani should that situation arise. Fans of Sanford point to his strong conservative credentials from Congress to the governorship and a successful record managing South Carolina, one of the early primary states. Although other possible candidates such as former New Hampshire Senator Bob Smith have openly floated their names, they have not been taken as seriously.

Sanford is in the midst of a reelection campaign, where he is favored to win. A Sanford spokesperson called the reports "just another silly story from the media," adding that "Governor Sanford is focused on bringing more opportunity to South Carolinians and has no national ambitions." Despite this, the speculation is still going strong, and for some observers, a Sanford candidacy coming to fruition may be plausible.

[badgate]

The Lush Life of a Rudy Appointee

by Tom Robbins; 8/10/2006

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Full Article

[Maxwell]

Controversy!

[badgate]

Lincoln Surrogate Schedule

August 12, 2006 Alabama
-Working at Gates Foundation HQ in Birmingham

August 13, 2006 Alabama
-Working at Gates Foundation HQ in Birmingham

August 14, 2006 Alabama
-Personal day with family

August 15, 2006 Iowa
-Rally with Gov. candidate Chet Culver in Cedar Rapids
-Fundraiser for Culver in Des Moines

August 16, 2006 Iowa
-Meet & Greet w/ Chet Culver in Mason City
-Rally w/ Culver in Fort Dodge


State Sen. Tommy Moore

August 17, 2006 South Carolina
-Speech to volunteers of Gov candidate Tommy Moore in Charleston
-Rally w/ Tommy Moore in Summerville
-Fundraiser for Moore in Charleston

August 18, 2006 Alabama
-Personal day with family

August 19-24, 2006 Alabama
-Working at Gates Foundation in Birmingham

August 23, 2006


I am proud today to announce that the Gates foundation now has an endowment of $10 billion dollars. But this money isn't meant to sit in a saving's account. We are investing in the 500 poorest school districts in the country, providing each district with $250,000 toward building repairs, full purchase of new textbooks, and a computer lab as well as other information technology in every school. Where a child lives should not determine their quality of education, and the Gates foundation will proudly and tirelessly work to achieve that benchmark.

August 25, 2006 Virginia
-Rally in Richmond with Sen. nominee Jim Webb
-Surrogate for Webb at a candidate forum in Norfolk

August 26, 2006 Virginia & D.C.
-Barnstorming Arlington-Springfield-Alexandria region of Northern Virginia w/ Jim Webb
-Evening fundraiser for Webb in D.C.


Carol Shea-Porter

August 27, 2006 New Hampshire
-Meet & Greet with Carol Shea-Porter, Dem candidate for NH-1 in Dover
-Rally in downtown Portsmouth, w/ Shea-Porter
-Evening fundraiser for Shea-Porter in Portsmouth

August 28, 2006 New Hampshire
-Barnstorming in Manchester w/ Shea-Porter
-Special Guest at town hall in Derry, w/ Shea-Porter


Paul Hodes

August 29, 2006 New Hampshire
-Rally w/ Dem. nominee for NH-2, Paul Hodes, in Concord
-Rally w/ Paul Hodes in Nashua
-Special Guest at evening town hall in Nashua

August 30, 2006 South Carolina
-Barnstorm w/ Tommy Moore in Walterboro
-Evening fundraiser for Moore in Hilton Head

August 31, 2006 South Carolina
-Rally w/ Tommy Moore in Columbia
-Special Guest at town hall in Greenville, w/ Tommy Moore

[badgate]

Biden to campaign for Radnofsky, other Democratic underdogs in 2006

Statement from the U.S. Senate office of Joe Biden

Senator Biden won one of the most impressive victories of the 2004 primary elections in Texas two years ago, and he will work tirelessly to get that base out for Radnofsky. Once Texans learn the truth about Ron Paul's dangerous and fringe positions, from everything from race relations, civil rights, national security, foreign policy, and our economy, Texans will know that he cannot possibly represent their common sense interests in the United State Senate.