| President
Americans Elect: Americans Elect has officially given up seeking a third party presidential candidate. No candidate met the threshold in the group's online nominating system. In a statement, Americans Elect says the rules developed are clear and "the primary process for the Americans Elect nomination has come to an end."
Romney: Mitt Romney and the RNC raised $40.1 million in April, the campaign announced Thursday. President Obama and the DNC had announced a $43.6 million dollar haul a day before. The figure is a big improvement over Romney's $12.5 million total for March.
More Romney: Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney is airing his first general election ads in a couple days, a positive biographical spot introducing himself to voters. The ad will run in Iowa, North Carolina, Virginia and Ohio.
Super PACs: A super PAC led by TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts has rejected a proposal that would link President Obama to his former pastor Jeremiah Wright, a line of attack that the GOP rejected in 2008 and one which presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney repudiated today. The $10 million plan, outlined in a 54 page strategy document, would include television and newspaper ads as well as outdoor advertisements and aerial banners.
Senate
Nebraska: State Sen. Deb Fischer starts with an 18 percentage point lead in her race against former Sen. Bob Kerrey, according to a just completed Rasmussen Reports poll. Fischer receives 56% support to 38% for Kerrey, with 3% undecided.
North Dakota: The first independent poll of the North Dakota Senate race shows Rep. Rick Berg at 51% versus former state Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp at 44%. Before today, the only poll results publicly released in the Senate race came from state and national Democrats, who claimed as recently as late April that Heitkamp led Berg by several percentage points.
House
AZ-6: Rep. David Schweikert received the endorsement of FreedomWorks in his race against Rep. Ben Quayle, following previous endorsements by Citizens United and the Club for Growth, as well as Sen. Pat Toomey. Quayle is thought to have the backing of much of the GOP leadership in the House.
AZ-8: Both parties are using the special election to replace Rep. Gabrielle Giffords to test their messages for the Fall. The NRCC has dumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into television spots that criticize Barber on health care reform and Medicare cuts while using shots of Obama and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. The Democrats, meanwhile, are going after Kelly on Medicare and Social Security, suggesting he would support House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan's budget plan.
CA-24: Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado launched his first TV ad, a $200,000 buy that will run for three weeks. As the only Democrat, Rep. Lois Capps is assured of advancing beyond the June 5 all party primary, while Maldonado and actor Chris Mitchum compete for the second spot.
CO-6: Rep. Mike Coffman is coming under attack for some comments made about President Obama'a citizenship. "I don't know whether Barack Obama was born in the United States of America. I don't know that," Coffman said. "But I do know this, that in his heart, he's not an American. He's just not an American." Coffman has issued a written apology and said he misspoke.
KY-4: A preview of next Tuesday's Republican primary in Kentucky's 4th District. The local Republican establishment has split its support between state Rep. Alecia Webb-Edgington and Boone County Judge-Executive Gary Moore. Several outside tea party affiliated groups, and Sen. Rand Paul, are backing Lewis County Judge-Executive Thomas Massie.
MI-14: Rep. Gary Peters has been endorsed by a host of Detroit community leaders, including Mayor Dave Bing, in his member versus member race against Rep. Hansen Clarke.
New Hampshire: PPP finds both New Hampshire House races are close. In the 1st Congressional District, Carol Shea-Porter leads Republican incumbent Frank Guinta 47-43 in a rematch of their 2010 contest. Guinta's become increasingly unpopular as his first term has progressed, going from a 39/38 approval rating last July to a 36/44 one now. In the 2nd Congressional District, Charlie Bass and Ann McLane Kuster are tied at 42%. On the previous survey Bass had a 43-42 advantage.
North Dakota: The Club for Growth has endorsed Public Service Commissioner Kevin Cramer, just one day after FreedomWorks announced their support for his bid. The North Dakota Republican Party support Public Service Commissioner Brian Kalk, who received the party's official endorsement at the state convention earlier this year. Cramer decided to run outside the convention system and challenge Kalk in the June 12 primary.
NRCC: The National Republican Congressional Committee announced that eight GOP House candidates reached Contender status, one step from earning top tier Young Guns status. The candidates are: Kim Vann CA-3, John Tavaglione CA-41, Joe Coors CO-7, Ben Lange IA-1, John Archer IA-2, Dan Dolan IA-2, David Rouzer NC-7, and Maggie Brooks NY-25.
SC-7: Former Lt. Governor Andre Bauer and Horry County Council Chair Tom Rice lead in the race for the Republican nomination for the new 7th Congressional District seat according to a new poll commissioned by Francis Marion University and SCNOW.com. Bauer leads the nine person field of Republican candidates with 22 percent of voters polled, followed by Rice with 21 percent. Chad Prosser is third with 8 percent. 35 percent of those polled said they were still undecided.
Redistricting
New York: A Judge has denied a Democratic attempt for an injuction against the Republican drawn State Senate map. Elections for the State Senate and State Assembly will go forward under the recently passed lines. |
