Thursday’s political round-up

March 9, 2006

Today’s installment of campaign-related news items that wouldn’t generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers:

* Facing a new round of questions for her faltering Senate campaign, Rep. Katherine Harris (R-Fla.) beat back rumors of her demise and said yesterday she doesn’t plan to drop out of the race. “I am out there. We are running hard. We think we have great momentum,” Harris said. Complicating matters, Pittsburgh Steelers heir Tom Rooney (R) said he’s considering a primary challenge against Harris.

* Businessman Ned Lamont will formally announce next week that he is taking on Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D) in Connecticut’s August Democratic primary. The announcement is scheduled for Monday at the Old State House in Hartford. Sean Smith, Lieberman’s campaign manager, said, “We’re proud to put Sen. Lieberman’s record against anybody’s. We’ll see if (Lamont’s) angry one-issue candidacy is what Connecticut Democrats are looking for.”

* In Massachusetts, a new SurveyUSA poll shows the state’s three-way gubernatorial campaign very close. If Dems nominate Deval Patrick, Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey (R) leads, 35% to 30%, with Christy Mihos (I) running third with 20%. If Dems nominate Tom Reilly, Reilly leads Healey, 36% to 31%, with Mihos at 22%.

* Speaking of Massachusetts, Lt. Gov. Healey is scheduled to announce tomorrow that former state police leader and state Rep. Reed Hillman (R) will join the GOP ticket as her running mate.

* In California, with Rep. Bill Thomas (R) having announced his retirement at the end of the year, the campaign to replace him is well underway. The race will likely pit two former Thomas staffers against one another. Republican State Assemblyman Kevin McCarthy announced his candidacy the day after Thomas made his intentions clear, and is generally considered the favorite. McCarthy will, however, likely face State Sen. Roy Ashburn in a GOP primary.

* A new Fairleigh Dickinson poll in New Jersey shows Sen. Bob Menendez (D) leading state Sen. Tom Kean, Jr., 42% to 37% in the likely match-up for November. Pollster Peter Woolley said he believes that Menendez’s role as a leading opponent of the Dubai Ports World deal has boosted his standing statewide (via Taegan Goddard).

I am just spiteful and yes petty, enough that I want Harris to stay in the race, lose her House seat, and get her ass kicked in the general election.

  • After initial ambivalence, I’m starting to get into this Ned Lamont candidacy. The key word in the Lieberman flack’s response: “angry.” That’s a Republican spin point, plain and simple.

    It’s not that I think Karl Rove sent a secret decoder ring message to Holy Joe’s guys instructing them to phrase it that way; this is just how the Lieberman team thinks.

    He’ll run a two-pronged strategy: one is that he’s “principled” about the war and even if you disagree, you should respect that. Though I think he’s more delusional than principled on the war question, I can see that point. Point two is that on everything else, he’s a “good Democrat.” This is where we have to call BS, and it should be easy to do so. I don’t think he’s a solid progressive so much as a typical pol who’s responsive to special-interest pressure–whether it’s from Planned Parenthood, the Sierra Club, or the National Association of Manufacturers.

    Add in his habit of sticking shivs in every other Democrat out there, and this really is a case worth making. If Lamont wins the primary, he’ll likely win the general. If Lieberman beats him, there’s still a decent chance that he’ll modify his behavior to be a bit less dickish and toadying toward the Republicans.

  • I’m with dajafi. I see no downside to a strong primary challenge to Lieberman. The closer the race is the more Lieberman may get the message that we don’t want anymore DINOs.

  • “We’ll see if (Lamont’s) angry one-issue candidacy is what Connecticut Democrats are looking for.”

    It’s obvious who the real Dem is here. Lamont is angry like a true wigged out bug eyed Dem and Lieberman is sanguine and at peace with his RepubCo leanings.

    Vote Angry! Vote Lamont!!

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