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Check this page for what's new on the site, what projects we've begun and completed, what message forums have been added, etc.
We will also highlight news stories and other items of interest!
Please enjoy your stay!
Angry Electorate Roars at Washington, Hands Setbacks to Establishment Candidates
Posted 05-19-2010 at 05:19 AM by webixi
Angry Electorate Roars at Washington, Hands Setbacks to Establishment Candidates
One by one, the incumbents or establishment-backed candidates in Tuesday's slate of high-stake contests fell or fell short.
If Tuesday's primaries were any indication, incumbents and establishment-backed candidates in November should be shaking in their boots.
In Kentucky, Secretary of State Trey Grayson, who was backed by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and former Vice President Dick Cheney, was soundly defeated by Tea Party favorite Rand Paul. In Pennsylvania, five-term Sen. Arlen Specter, who ditched the Republican Party last year to save his career, ended up being sent into retirement anyway by Rep. Joe Sestak in the Democratic primary.
And in Arkansas, Sen. Blanche Lincoln was forced into a runoff against Lt. Gov. Bill Halter after she failed to win the majority of votes in the Democratic primary.
Taken together, the results of Tuesday's races sent a clear message to Washington that the anti-incumbent wave that has gripped the nation over the past year isn't losing steam.
Tuesday's results come in a month when Democratic Rep. Alan Mollohan of West Virginia fell in a primary to an opponent who highlighted ethic issues and Sen. Bob Bennett of Utah was denied a spot on the ballot at a Utah Republican convention.
The latest primaries were closely watched for clues to how angry the electorate is about a weak economy, record-high deficits, two ongoing wars and a Washington environment that critics say favors rhetoric over results.
If recent elections highlight an undercurrent of voter anger, it remains to be seen how that anger will affect November's midterm elections, when Republicans will challenge Democrats for control of both chambers in Congress.
Yet one thing seems certain -- these are uncertain times for career politicians.
"I'm against the establishment. They're all crooked, unreliable and selfish for power," said Bill Osburn, 79, a military retiree from Murray, Ky., who helped tea party favorite Rand Paul win the Senate GOP nomination. "We need citizen representatives, not political politicians."
Paul, a political novice, defeated Grayson in an early test of the so-called Tea Party, a loose affiliation of disaffected voters -- mostly conservatives.
"It cannot be overstated that people want something new," Paul said, "They don't want the same old, same old politicians and I think they think the system is broken and needs new blood."
The same could be said in Pennsylvania after 80-year-old Specter lost his bid for a sixth term. His rival for the Democratic Senate nomination accused party leaders of trying to foist Specter on Pennsylvania voters.
"My party's establishment got off track," Sestak told USA Today before the election.
In Arkansas, Lincoln didn't do well enough Tuesday to avoid a June 8 runoff against Halter. Her 17-year career in Congress is now at risk.
"Voters are so angry they are throwing plates," said Democratic consultant Dane Strother.
Source:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010...nt-candidates/
Related:
Sestak Defeats Specter in Pennsylvania Democratic Primary
Rep. Joe Sestak sent Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter into retirement Tuesday with a stunning come-from-behind victory in the the Democratic primary.
Specter becomes the third incumbent member of Congress in two weeks to lose his job, after Republican Sen. Bob Bennett lost the GOP nomination at the party's Utah convention and Democratic Rep. Alan Mollohan lost a primary in West Virginia.
In November, Sestak will face Pat Toomey, who won the Senate Republican nomination Tuesday.
Specter, after calling Sestak to congratulate him, delivered a concession speech in which he thanked his campaign and his supporters.
"It's been a great privilege to serve the people of Pennsylvania," Specter said to a round of applause. "And it's been a great privilege to be in the United States Senate, and I'll be working very hard for the people of the commonwealth in the coming months."
Specter switched parties last year in what he thought would be an easier path to another nomination. But Sestak proved to be a hurdle too high for the five-term senator.
The vote also was a defeat for President Obama, who supported Specter when the senator abandoned the Republican Party last year. The moderate Specter cast his switch as a decision of principle after inflaming the GOP by voting for Obama's economic stimulus bill. But many Democratic voters questioned his motives.
Still, the reaction from Democratic leaders to Specter's loss suggested they believed they got their money's worth from Specter's party switch.
"Arlen Specter has been a valuable member of our caucus over this past year," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said in a written statement.
"Without Arlen's support, we could not have passed health insurance reform, the Recovery Act or other key parts of our agenda," he said. "I am extremely grateful to Sen. Specter for his career of service to the commonwealth of Pennsylvania and to our nation."
On the campaign trail, Specter and Sestak let their punches fly, with Specter attacking Sestak's military record and Sestak linking Specter to former President George W. Bush, who has called him a "firm ally."
Read the rest of the article:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010...es-joe-sestak/
---------------------------------------------
Tea Party Favorite Rand Paul Wins Senate GOP Primary in Kentucky
Tea Party favorite Rand Paul, who defeated Republican establishment candidate Trey Grayson in Tuesday's GOP Senate primary in Kentucky, warned Washington to "watch out, here we come."
After giving the anti-big government movement its most significant political victory yet, Paul said the Tea Party movement has a message, loud and clear.
"We have come to take our government back," he said in his victory speech, drawing thunderous applause from his supporters.
"It's just a tremendous mandate for the Tea Party," he said. "It cannot be overstated that people want something new. They don't want the same old, same old politicians and I think they think the system is broken and needs new blood."
Paul was leading late Tuesday with 59 percent of the vote to Grayson's 35 percent, with nearly all the precincts reporting.
Secretary of State Grayson conceded the race, telling his supporters to "put all differences aside" and unite behind Paul.
"No candidate ever enjoys coming up short but in this moment of great challenges for our nation it is clear to me that theres much more at stake," he said.
Paul, son of Texas Rep. Ron Paul, is a 47-year-old Bowling Green eye surgeon who had never before run for office and turned to the Internet fundraising model used by his father to pay for his campaign. Grayson stayed competitive, drawing heavy financial support from traditional GOP donors inside Kentucky.
The Kentucky primary was one of several high-stakes Senate races in three states that political analysts were closely watching for a glimpse into the mood of the country's electorate less than five months before November's midterm elections, in which Republicans will seek to regain control of both houses in Congress.
Arlen Specter, a 30-year veteran of the Senate, lost the Pennsylvania Democratic primary to Rep. Joe Sestak. And in the Arkansas primary, Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln was forced into a runoff against her top party challenger, Lt. Gov. Bill Halter.
In a fourth race with national implications, Democrat Mark Critz beat Republican Tim Burns in a special election to fill out the final few months of the term of the late Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha, keeping the seat in Democratic hands.
In Kentucky, Grayson was backed by the state's Republican establishment while Paul enjoyed the support of the Tea Party, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, retiring Sen. Jim Bunning and conservative Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina.
Democrats quickly sought to cast Paul's victory as a loss for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who backed Grayson.
"Today, Kentucky Republicans selected Rand Paul as their Senate nominee, handing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell a stunning loss," said Democratic National Chairman Tim Kaine in a written statement.
"In a show of weakness for the minority leader, and in a race that symbolized the fight over the heart and soul of the Republican Party, Rand Paul overcame McConnell's handpicked candidate by a large margin," he said. "Unfortunately for Republicans, ordinary Americans are unlikely to be receptive to extreme candidates like Rand Paul in the general election this November."
Murray resident Bill Osburn said he voted for Paul because "he's not a politician."
"I'm against the establishment. They're all crooked, unreliable and selfish for power," said Osburn, 79, a military retiree. "We need citizen representatives, not political politicians."
Read the rest of the article:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010...mary-kentucky/
---------------------------------------------
One by one, the incumbents or establishment-backed candidates in Tuesday's slate of high-stake contests fell or fell short.
If Tuesday's primaries were any indication, incumbents and establishment-backed candidates in November should be shaking in their boots.
In Kentucky, Secretary of State Trey Grayson, who was backed by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and former Vice President Dick Cheney, was soundly defeated by Tea Party favorite Rand Paul. In Pennsylvania, five-term Sen. Arlen Specter, who ditched the Republican Party last year to save his career, ended up being sent into retirement anyway by Rep. Joe Sestak in the Democratic primary.
And in Arkansas, Sen. Blanche Lincoln was forced into a runoff against Lt. Gov. Bill Halter after she failed to win the majority of votes in the Democratic primary.
Taken together, the results of Tuesday's races sent a clear message to Washington that the anti-incumbent wave that has gripped the nation over the past year isn't losing steam.
Tuesday's results come in a month when Democratic Rep. Alan Mollohan of West Virginia fell in a primary to an opponent who highlighted ethic issues and Sen. Bob Bennett of Utah was denied a spot on the ballot at a Utah Republican convention.
The latest primaries were closely watched for clues to how angry the electorate is about a weak economy, record-high deficits, two ongoing wars and a Washington environment that critics say favors rhetoric over results.
If recent elections highlight an undercurrent of voter anger, it remains to be seen how that anger will affect November's midterm elections, when Republicans will challenge Democrats for control of both chambers in Congress.
Yet one thing seems certain -- these are uncertain times for career politicians.
"I'm against the establishment. They're all crooked, unreliable and selfish for power," said Bill Osburn, 79, a military retiree from Murray, Ky., who helped tea party favorite Rand Paul win the Senate GOP nomination. "We need citizen representatives, not political politicians."
Paul, a political novice, defeated Grayson in an early test of the so-called Tea Party, a loose affiliation of disaffected voters -- mostly conservatives.
"It cannot be overstated that people want something new," Paul said, "They don't want the same old, same old politicians and I think they think the system is broken and needs new blood."
The same could be said in Pennsylvania after 80-year-old Specter lost his bid for a sixth term. His rival for the Democratic Senate nomination accused party leaders of trying to foist Specter on Pennsylvania voters.
"My party's establishment got off track," Sestak told USA Today before the election.
In Arkansas, Lincoln didn't do well enough Tuesday to avoid a June 8 runoff against Halter. Her 17-year career in Congress is now at risk.
"Voters are so angry they are throwing plates," said Democratic consultant Dane Strother.
Source:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010...nt-candidates/
Related:
Sestak Defeats Specter in Pennsylvania Democratic Primary
Rep. Joe Sestak sent Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter into retirement Tuesday with a stunning come-from-behind victory in the the Democratic primary.
Specter becomes the third incumbent member of Congress in two weeks to lose his job, after Republican Sen. Bob Bennett lost the GOP nomination at the party's Utah convention and Democratic Rep. Alan Mollohan lost a primary in West Virginia.
In November, Sestak will face Pat Toomey, who won the Senate Republican nomination Tuesday.
Specter, after calling Sestak to congratulate him, delivered a concession speech in which he thanked his campaign and his supporters.
"It's been a great privilege to serve the people of Pennsylvania," Specter said to a round of applause. "And it's been a great privilege to be in the United States Senate, and I'll be working very hard for the people of the commonwealth in the coming months."
Specter switched parties last year in what he thought would be an easier path to another nomination. But Sestak proved to be a hurdle too high for the five-term senator.
The vote also was a defeat for President Obama, who supported Specter when the senator abandoned the Republican Party last year. The moderate Specter cast his switch as a decision of principle after inflaming the GOP by voting for Obama's economic stimulus bill. But many Democratic voters questioned his motives.
Still, the reaction from Democratic leaders to Specter's loss suggested they believed they got their money's worth from Specter's party switch.
"Arlen Specter has been a valuable member of our caucus over this past year," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said in a written statement.
"Without Arlen's support, we could not have passed health insurance reform, the Recovery Act or other key parts of our agenda," he said. "I am extremely grateful to Sen. Specter for his career of service to the commonwealth of Pennsylvania and to our nation."
On the campaign trail, Specter and Sestak let their punches fly, with Specter attacking Sestak's military record and Sestak linking Specter to former President George W. Bush, who has called him a "firm ally."
Read the rest of the article:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010...es-joe-sestak/
---------------------------------------------
Tea Party Favorite Rand Paul Wins Senate GOP Primary in Kentucky
Tea Party favorite Rand Paul, who defeated Republican establishment candidate Trey Grayson in Tuesday's GOP Senate primary in Kentucky, warned Washington to "watch out, here we come."
After giving the anti-big government movement its most significant political victory yet, Paul said the Tea Party movement has a message, loud and clear.
"We have come to take our government back," he said in his victory speech, drawing thunderous applause from his supporters.
"It's just a tremendous mandate for the Tea Party," he said. "It cannot be overstated that people want something new. They don't want the same old, same old politicians and I think they think the system is broken and needs new blood."
Paul was leading late Tuesday with 59 percent of the vote to Grayson's 35 percent, with nearly all the precincts reporting.
Secretary of State Grayson conceded the race, telling his supporters to "put all differences aside" and unite behind Paul.
"No candidate ever enjoys coming up short but in this moment of great challenges for our nation it is clear to me that theres much more at stake," he said.
Paul, son of Texas Rep. Ron Paul, is a 47-year-old Bowling Green eye surgeon who had never before run for office and turned to the Internet fundraising model used by his father to pay for his campaign. Grayson stayed competitive, drawing heavy financial support from traditional GOP donors inside Kentucky.
The Kentucky primary was one of several high-stakes Senate races in three states that political analysts were closely watching for a glimpse into the mood of the country's electorate less than five months before November's midterm elections, in which Republicans will seek to regain control of both houses in Congress.
Arlen Specter, a 30-year veteran of the Senate, lost the Pennsylvania Democratic primary to Rep. Joe Sestak. And in the Arkansas primary, Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln was forced into a runoff against her top party challenger, Lt. Gov. Bill Halter.
In a fourth race with national implications, Democrat Mark Critz beat Republican Tim Burns in a special election to fill out the final few months of the term of the late Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha, keeping the seat in Democratic hands.
In Kentucky, Grayson was backed by the state's Republican establishment while Paul enjoyed the support of the Tea Party, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, retiring Sen. Jim Bunning and conservative Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina.
Democrats quickly sought to cast Paul's victory as a loss for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who backed Grayson.
"Today, Kentucky Republicans selected Rand Paul as their Senate nominee, handing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell a stunning loss," said Democratic National Chairman Tim Kaine in a written statement.
"In a show of weakness for the minority leader, and in a race that symbolized the fight over the heart and soul of the Republican Party, Rand Paul overcame McConnell's handpicked candidate by a large margin," he said. "Unfortunately for Republicans, ordinary Americans are unlikely to be receptive to extreme candidates like Rand Paul in the general election this November."
Murray resident Bill Osburn said he voted for Paul because "he's not a politician."
"I'm against the establishment. They're all crooked, unreliable and selfish for power," said Osburn, 79, a military retiree. "We need citizen representatives, not political politicians."
Read the rest of the article:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010...mary-kentucky/
---------------------------------------------
Ark. voters deliver muddled verdict on insiders
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...5qQ5gD9FPP51G0
In Arkansas, dissatisfied labor unions worked hard against Lincoln
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...051805020.html
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