But some Democrats are wary of more "stimulus" spending and ending Bush-era tax cuts for the rich
President Obama headed to the hard-hit heartland, Milwaukee and suburban Cleveland, last week to talk up the economy—and to give a boost to discouraged Democrats. Speaking near Cleveland, where two weeks before Republican House Minority Leader John Boehner called for the president to fire his economic team, Obama offered a strong pushback that included proposals to aid the economy and faulted past GOP policies for creating the "worst recession of our lifetime."
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Substantively, Obama focused on three elements: investing in infrastructure projects, tax breaks for middle-class families and businesses, and incentives to keep American jobs at home. The most contentious issue is his call to let Bush-era tax cuts expire at the end of the year for families with annual incomes exceeding $250,000. The GOP wants the cuts made permanent regardless of income level.
Overall, the proposals face tough prospects in Congress, even though some are similar to past Republican ideas. For instance, Obama wants to permanently extend business research and development tax credits, which President George W. Bush called for in his January 2006 State of the Union address. Obama's plan would also provide a temporary tax break to encourage business capital spending, such as purchasing equipment or making renovations. And he wants to help create jobs with further government spending
to expand broadband internet access, and to rebuild roads, bridges, airport runways, high speed railroads—the kind of federal largesse that lawmakers of both parties embraced in the past.
But the estimated $180 billion price tag for direct spending and business tax breaks is raising concerns. The White House says it will be offset by measures such as raising taxes on multinational corporations and oil and gas companies. "Robbing Peter to pay Paul is not pro-growth tax policy," countered R. Bruce Joston, executive vice president for government affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
And while Obama hoped to give Democratic candidates a positive economic agenda, some worry about backing a further "stimulus," a term now stigmatized by Republicans. "I will not support additional spending in a second stimulus package," said Colorado Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet, who faces a difficult reelection battle against Tea Party favorite Ken Buck. "We must make hard choices to significantly reduce the deficit." Bennet suggested using left over Recovery Act funds for infrastructure costs.
On taxes, conservative Democratic Sens. Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Kent Conrad of North Dakota favor extending the Bush-era tax cuts, including those for the wealthy, until the economy stabilizes. On Monday, Connecticut Independent Sen. Joseph Lieberman, who aligns himself with the Democrats, told a business group in his home state that he favors extending the tax breaks for everyone for at least another year. With the dissenting conservative Democrats and the Senate Republicans opposed to raising taxes on high-income taxpayers, Obama and Senate Democratic leaders face a very tough, if not impossible, hurdle to their plan to let the tax cuts lapse for the wealthy.
In his press conference last Friday, Obama defended last year's stimulus bill but acknowledged it hasn't done as much as necessary to help the economy recover. He dodged the question of whether his additional economic measures can be defined as a second stimulus, but said, "I will continue to stimulate growth and jobs as long as I'm president of the United States."
US News
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Charlie Rangel Outraises All of His Challengers Combined
Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand among the best at raising campaign bucks
Predictions are flying about the likelihood of the House and Senate changing hands in November's midterm elections. But before parties can plan their agendas for the next congressional session, their candidates first have to make it through their primaries. After Tuesday, the last big day of the 2010 primary season, nearly all of the nominees for the general election will be chosen. Altogether, voters in seven states plus the District of Columbia will on Tuesday finalize their November ballots for 61 House seats, six Senate seats, and six gubernatorial races. Only the Hawaii primary and a House runoff primary in Louisiana will remain after this.
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NEW YORK
The Democratic primary in New York's 15th District is sure to be one of Tuesday's most-watched races. In this race, five Democratic candidates are challenging embattled Rep. Charles Rangel, who has been charged with 13 ethics violations and stripped of his position of Ways and Mean Committee chair. But incumbency has its privileges, as Rangel has raised substantially more in campaign funds than all of his challengers combined.
The winner of the Democratic primary is almost certain to win the seat in Novemberin this overwhelmingly Democratic district, which favored President Obama with 93 percent of the vote in 2008 and Democratic presidential candidate
John Kerry in 2004 with 90 percent of the vote.
Rangel enjoys the usual incumbent fundraising advantage, with nearly $2.7 million in total receipts this cycle. By contrast, Rangel's five Democratic opponents and the sole Republican in the race have combined to raise around $388,000. However, money does not necessarily reflect voter support. A New York Times poll published on September 3 showed that 66 percent of voters in New York City, where the 15th District is situated, think Rangel should either resign or not run for reelection. Yet whether Rangel can be ousted in the primary remains to be seen. He has historically been very popular in his district, sometimes winning reelection by margins of over 80 points.
State Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell IV is the biggest name among Rangel's Democratic challengers. Aside from being known in New York for his nine years in the state Assembly, Powell also is a member of a prominent New York political family. His father served in the House from 1945 until 1971, when he was defeated in the Democratic primary by Rangel. While Powell may have the advantages of name recognition and political legacy, the New York Times last week endorsed a less-known candidate, Joyce Johnson. Johnson has served in the New York City government in many capacities, including working in the Mayor's Office of Children and Families and the New York City School Chancellor's office. Johnson's Times endorsement may help her overcome her severe financial disadvantage. Johnson has raised $44,401, of which only $10,000 remains in the bank. Powell, meanwhile, has over $128,000 in receipts, with nearly $40,000 in his coffers. The challenger who has been most successful at fundraising is activist and writer Jonathan Tasini, who has taken in $171,000 this cycle. Tasini is perhaps the most liberal of all of the candidates, with a platform that includes same-sex marriage rights, abortion rights, and the decriminalization of marijuana use.
The winner of the Democratic primary will face Republican Michel Faulkner, a Christian minister and former director of U.S. programs at international aid organization World Vision. Aside from the challenges of running as a Republican in a strongly blue district, Faulkner is at a fundraising disadvantage to almost any Democratic candidate that might emerge. Faulkner has raised just over $27,000, with only $5,200 in his campaign account as of August 25.
On a statewide level, New York is in the unusual position of having both of its Senate seats on the ballot this year. On Tuesday, New York Republicans will choose their candidates for the seats currently held by Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand. Two are vying for the GOP candidacy in Schumer's race: retired CIA agent Gary Berntsen and political consultant Jay Townsend. Berntsen has taken in nearly $180,000, including $50,000 in loans from himself. He has spent much of this on his primary battle, and had $61,000 in his campaign account as of August 25. Townsend has likewise exhausted most of his resources on his primary campaign. Townsend's campaign has had similar fundraising success, with $162,000 in receipts. Townsend has also outspent his Republican opponent in the run-up to the primary, and has only $10,600 on hand. Both Republican candidates include cutting government spending as a major part of their platforms, and both also support a repeal of the new healthcare reform law.
The winner of the Republican contest will have a tough general election against Schumer, who is unopposed for the Democratic nomination. The 11-year Senate veteran garnered nearly 71 percent of the vote in his 2004 election and is among the most prolific fundraisers of election 2010. He has $17.9 million in receipts this election cycle, the third-most of any current Senate candidate, and an astounding $23.2 million in the bank, more than any other candidate. Furthermore, without Democratic challengers to battle, Schumer can put the full weight of his millions into fighting off a Republican challenge.
New Yorkers will also decide on Tuesday the candidates for their other Senate race, a special election for the seat held by Gillibrand. Appointed in 2009 to take the place of then-Sen. Hillary Clinton, who resigned to become secretary of state, Gillibrand also has the advantages of incumbency and cash. Her receipts this cycle total $11.3 million, making her the eighth-most-successful fundraiser among current Senate candidates. Unlike Schumer, Gillibrand has a primary to win if she wants to defend her seat in November, and has spent much of the funding she has amassed. As of August 25, she had $4.5 million remaining in her warchest. She will face a challenge from the left in Gail Goode, a deputy borough chief in the New York City Tort Unit. While Gillibrand touts her involvement in passing healthcare reform and the stimulus bill, Goode is emphasizing that she is "not a political insider," which has become a common campaign tactic in this year's anti-incumbent atmosphere.
The Democratic nominee will face one of three candidates duking it out in the Republican primary: former Rep. Joe DioGuardi, attorney Bruce Blakeman, or economist David Malpass. All three have significant political experience. Dioguardi served in the House of Representatives from 1985 through 1989, Blakeman has served as both a county legislator and former New York Port Authority commissioner, and Malpass was deputy assistant secretary of state under President George H. W. Bush. Among the three, Malpass has the clear fundraising advantage, with nearly $2 million in the bank of the $2.9 million he has raised. This is more than twice DioGuardi's total receipts figure and four times that of Blakeman. The winner will likely need substantial ammunition running a general election campaign in a state that has been strongly Democratic in recent years. New York elected Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton in 2006 with 67 percent of the vote, as well as President Obama with 62 percent in 2008.
US News
Predictions are flying about the likelihood of the House and Senate changing hands in November's midterm elections. But before parties can plan their agendas for the next congressional session, their candidates first have to make it through their primaries. After Tuesday, the last big day of the 2010 primary season, nearly all of the nominees for the general election will be chosen. Altogether, voters in seven states plus the District of Columbia will on Tuesday finalize their November ballots for 61 House seats, six Senate seats, and six gubernatorial races. Only the Hawaii primary and a House runoff primary in Louisiana will remain after this.
Click here to find out more!
NEW YORK
The Democratic primary in New York's 15th District is sure to be one of Tuesday's most-watched races. In this race, five Democratic candidates are challenging embattled Rep. Charles Rangel, who has been charged with 13 ethics violations and stripped of his position of Ways and Mean Committee chair. But incumbency has its privileges, as Rangel has raised substantially more in campaign funds than all of his challengers combined.
The winner of the Democratic primary is almost certain to win the seat in Novemberin this overwhelmingly Democratic district, which favored President Obama with 93 percent of the vote in 2008 and Democratic presidential candidate
John Kerry in 2004 with 90 percent of the vote.
Rangel enjoys the usual incumbent fundraising advantage, with nearly $2.7 million in total receipts this cycle. By contrast, Rangel's five Democratic opponents and the sole Republican in the race have combined to raise around $388,000. However, money does not necessarily reflect voter support. A New York Times poll published on September 3 showed that 66 percent of voters in New York City, where the 15th District is situated, think Rangel should either resign or not run for reelection. Yet whether Rangel can be ousted in the primary remains to be seen. He has historically been very popular in his district, sometimes winning reelection by margins of over 80 points.
State Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell IV is the biggest name among Rangel's Democratic challengers. Aside from being known in New York for his nine years in the state Assembly, Powell also is a member of a prominent New York political family. His father served in the House from 1945 until 1971, when he was defeated in the Democratic primary by Rangel. While Powell may have the advantages of name recognition and political legacy, the New York Times last week endorsed a less-known candidate, Joyce Johnson. Johnson has served in the New York City government in many capacities, including working in the Mayor's Office of Children and Families and the New York City School Chancellor's office. Johnson's Times endorsement may help her overcome her severe financial disadvantage. Johnson has raised $44,401, of which only $10,000 remains in the bank. Powell, meanwhile, has over $128,000 in receipts, with nearly $40,000 in his coffers. The challenger who has been most successful at fundraising is activist and writer Jonathan Tasini, who has taken in $171,000 this cycle. Tasini is perhaps the most liberal of all of the candidates, with a platform that includes same-sex marriage rights, abortion rights, and the decriminalization of marijuana use.
The winner of the Democratic primary will face Republican Michel Faulkner, a Christian minister and former director of U.S. programs at international aid organization World Vision. Aside from the challenges of running as a Republican in a strongly blue district, Faulkner is at a fundraising disadvantage to almost any Democratic candidate that might emerge. Faulkner has raised just over $27,000, with only $5,200 in his campaign account as of August 25.
On a statewide level, New York is in the unusual position of having both of its Senate seats on the ballot this year. On Tuesday, New York Republicans will choose their candidates for the seats currently held by Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand. Two are vying for the GOP candidacy in Schumer's race: retired CIA agent Gary Berntsen and political consultant Jay Townsend. Berntsen has taken in nearly $180,000, including $50,000 in loans from himself. He has spent much of this on his primary battle, and had $61,000 in his campaign account as of August 25. Townsend has likewise exhausted most of his resources on his primary campaign. Townsend's campaign has had similar fundraising success, with $162,000 in receipts. Townsend has also outspent his Republican opponent in the run-up to the primary, and has only $10,600 on hand. Both Republican candidates include cutting government spending as a major part of their platforms, and both also support a repeal of the new healthcare reform law.
The winner of the Republican contest will have a tough general election against Schumer, who is unopposed for the Democratic nomination. The 11-year Senate veteran garnered nearly 71 percent of the vote in his 2004 election and is among the most prolific fundraisers of election 2010. He has $17.9 million in receipts this election cycle, the third-most of any current Senate candidate, and an astounding $23.2 million in the bank, more than any other candidate. Furthermore, without Democratic challengers to battle, Schumer can put the full weight of his millions into fighting off a Republican challenge.
New Yorkers will also decide on Tuesday the candidates for their other Senate race, a special election for the seat held by Gillibrand. Appointed in 2009 to take the place of then-Sen. Hillary Clinton, who resigned to become secretary of state, Gillibrand also has the advantages of incumbency and cash. Her receipts this cycle total $11.3 million, making her the eighth-most-successful fundraiser among current Senate candidates. Unlike Schumer, Gillibrand has a primary to win if she wants to defend her seat in November, and has spent much of the funding she has amassed. As of August 25, she had $4.5 million remaining in her warchest. She will face a challenge from the left in Gail Goode, a deputy borough chief in the New York City Tort Unit. While Gillibrand touts her involvement in passing healthcare reform and the stimulus bill, Goode is emphasizing that she is "not a political insider," which has become a common campaign tactic in this year's anti-incumbent atmosphere.
The Democratic nominee will face one of three candidates duking it out in the Republican primary: former Rep. Joe DioGuardi, attorney Bruce Blakeman, or economist David Malpass. All three have significant political experience. Dioguardi served in the House of Representatives from 1985 through 1989, Blakeman has served as both a county legislator and former New York Port Authority commissioner, and Malpass was deputy assistant secretary of state under President George H. W. Bush. Among the three, Malpass has the clear fundraising advantage, with nearly $2 million in the bank of the $2.9 million he has raised. This is more than twice DioGuardi's total receipts figure and four times that of Blakeman. The winner will likely need substantial ammunition running a general election campaign in a state that has been strongly Democratic in recent years. New York elected Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton in 2006 with 67 percent of the vote, as well as President Obama with 62 percent in 2008.
US News
Tea Party Insurgent Aims to Oust Well Funded Foe in Delaware Primary
Long time Rep. Mike Castle faces strong challenge from underfunded conservative Christine O'Donnell
Predictions are flying about the likelihood of the House and Senate changing hands in November's midterm elections. But before parties can plan their agendas for the next congressional session, their candidates first have to make it through their primaries. After Tuesday, the last big day of the 2010 primary season, nearly all of the nominees for the general election will be chosen. Altogether, voters in seven states plus the District of Columbia will on Tuesday finalize their November ballots for 61 House seats, six Senate seats, and six gubernatorial races. Only the Hawaii primary and a House runoff primary in Louisiana will remain after this.
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DELAWARE
The Republican Senate primary in Delaware is perhaps Tuesday's most-anticipated contest. In what is becoming a common trend this election season, Rep. Mike Castle, a 17-year House veteran, will face a challenge from the right in Tea Party-backed political commentator Christine O'Donnell. The Tea Party's surprise victory in Alaska, where Joe Miller upset Sen. Lisa Murkowski in the August Republican Senate primary, spurred the movement to focus on O'Donnell's bid, which was until very recently viewed as a longshot. Supporters of the fledgling conservative movement are hoping that, with O'Donnell, they can yet again defeat an establishment Republican.
Castle has taken in over $3.5 million this cycle, with $2.6 million in the bank as of August 25. O'Donnell, meanwhile, has taken in less than one tenth of that amount, $280,000, and has spent almost all of it in trying to defeat Castle. As of August 25, she had only $20,374 in her campaign account. But O'Donnell has had significant outside help, particularly from the Our Country Deserves Better Political Action Committee, which is affiliated with the Tea Party Express. Thus far, the Tea Party Express has spent nearly $216,000 on promoting O'Donnell in this race, and has said it would spend about $250,000 total on the candidate by Tuesday's primary.
O'Donnell has also been endorsed by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, South Carolina Republican Sen. Jim DeMint, and prominent conservative groups like the Susan B. Anthony List, which promotes prolife women candidates, and the Gun Owners of America, which promotes Second Amendment rights. Castle, meanwhile, has received a flurry of support from other established Republicans in the run-up to the primary. In recent weeks he has received $2,000 from Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe's campaign committee, as well as $5,000 each from leadership PACs affiliated with Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo and South Dakota Sen. John Thune.
Castle and O'Donnell are currently in a virtual tie, according to a September 12 poll from Public Policy Polling. The survey of likely Republican voters showed O'Donnell leading Castle, 47 to 44 percent, but because the margin of error is 3.8 percent the race is a statistical dead heat. The Republican primary could have major consequences for who wins the seat in the November general election. A poll released on September 7 by Rasmussen Reports shows that Castle currently has a better chance than O'Donnell at defeating Democratic candidate Christopher Coons, an attorney and County Executive for Delaware's New Castle County. Among likely voters, Castle leads Coons by 11 points, 48 to 37 percent, whereas Coons leads O'Donnell by ll points, 47 to 36 percent. The financial situation is similar: Coons' $1.6 million in receipts and $944,231 in his warchest are much smaller than Castle's figures but are substantially larger than O'Donnell's totals.
The Senate seat up for election is currently held by Democrat Ted Kaufman, who was appointed to finish the Senate term of Joe Biden, who resigned to become vice president. Kaufman is not seeking re-election.
With Castle vacating his at-large House seat, that race is also open this year. Democrat John Carney, Delaware's Lieutenant Governor from 2001 to 2009, is unopposed for his party's nomination. With many political analysts favoring the Democrats to pick up the seat in November, the Republican candidate will likely face an uphill battle. Michele Rollins, a businesswoman and philanthropist, and Glen Urquhart, the president of his own real estate and investment company, are both vying for the GOP nomination. Rollins has over $800,000 in receipts, with $369,014 in the bank as of August 25. Urquhart's fundraising has largely kept pace with Rollins', as he has taken in over $700,000 during this election cycle. However, $565,000 of that money has come out of his own pocket, and he has spent far more, with only $194,000 left in his coffers as of August 25. Rollins has garnered the endorsement of the Republican Party of Delaware, but Urquhart has been questioning her GOP bona fides. One Urquhart advertisement criticizes Rollins for contributions that she and her family made to Democrat Joe Biden's campaigns during his years in the Senate.
US News
Predictions are flying about the likelihood of the House and Senate changing hands in November's midterm elections. But before parties can plan their agendas for the next congressional session, their candidates first have to make it through their primaries. After Tuesday, the last big day of the 2010 primary season, nearly all of the nominees for the general election will be chosen. Altogether, voters in seven states plus the District of Columbia will on Tuesday finalize their November ballots for 61 House seats, six Senate seats, and six gubernatorial races. Only the Hawaii primary and a House runoff primary in Louisiana will remain after this.
Click here to find out more!
DELAWARE
The Republican Senate primary in Delaware is perhaps Tuesday's most-anticipated contest. In what is becoming a common trend this election season, Rep. Mike Castle, a 17-year House veteran, will face a challenge from the right in Tea Party-backed political commentator Christine O'Donnell. The Tea Party's surprise victory in Alaska, where Joe Miller upset Sen. Lisa Murkowski in the August Republican Senate primary, spurred the movement to focus on O'Donnell's bid, which was until very recently viewed as a longshot. Supporters of the fledgling conservative movement are hoping that, with O'Donnell, they can yet again defeat an establishment Republican.
Castle has taken in over $3.5 million this cycle, with $2.6 million in the bank as of August 25. O'Donnell, meanwhile, has taken in less than one tenth of that amount, $280,000, and has spent almost all of it in trying to defeat Castle. As of August 25, she had only $20,374 in her campaign account. But O'Donnell has had significant outside help, particularly from the Our Country Deserves Better Political Action Committee, which is affiliated with the Tea Party Express. Thus far, the Tea Party Express has spent nearly $216,000 on promoting O'Donnell in this race, and has said it would spend about $250,000 total on the candidate by Tuesday's primary.
O'Donnell has also been endorsed by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, South Carolina Republican Sen. Jim DeMint, and prominent conservative groups like the Susan B. Anthony List, which promotes prolife women candidates, and the Gun Owners of America, which promotes Second Amendment rights. Castle, meanwhile, has received a flurry of support from other established Republicans in the run-up to the primary. In recent weeks he has received $2,000 from Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe's campaign committee, as well as $5,000 each from leadership PACs affiliated with Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo and South Dakota Sen. John Thune.
Castle and O'Donnell are currently in a virtual tie, according to a September 12 poll from Public Policy Polling. The survey of likely Republican voters showed O'Donnell leading Castle, 47 to 44 percent, but because the margin of error is 3.8 percent the race is a statistical dead heat. The Republican primary could have major consequences for who wins the seat in the November general election. A poll released on September 7 by Rasmussen Reports shows that Castle currently has a better chance than O'Donnell at defeating Democratic candidate Christopher Coons, an attorney and County Executive for Delaware's New Castle County. Among likely voters, Castle leads Coons by 11 points, 48 to 37 percent, whereas Coons leads O'Donnell by ll points, 47 to 36 percent. The financial situation is similar: Coons' $1.6 million in receipts and $944,231 in his warchest are much smaller than Castle's figures but are substantially larger than O'Donnell's totals.
The Senate seat up for election is currently held by Democrat Ted Kaufman, who was appointed to finish the Senate term of Joe Biden, who resigned to become vice president. Kaufman is not seeking re-election.
With Castle vacating his at-large House seat, that race is also open this year. Democrat John Carney, Delaware's Lieutenant Governor from 2001 to 2009, is unopposed for his party's nomination. With many political analysts favoring the Democrats to pick up the seat in November, the Republican candidate will likely face an uphill battle. Michele Rollins, a businesswoman and philanthropist, and Glen Urquhart, the president of his own real estate and investment company, are both vying for the GOP nomination. Rollins has over $800,000 in receipts, with $369,014 in the bank as of August 25. Urquhart's fundraising has largely kept pace with Rollins', as he has taken in over $700,000 during this election cycle. However, $565,000 of that money has come out of his own pocket, and he has spent far more, with only $194,000 left in his coffers as of August 25. Rollins has garnered the endorsement of the Republican Party of Delaware, but Urquhart has been questioning her GOP bona fides. One Urquhart advertisement criticizes Rollins for contributions that she and her family made to Democrat Joe Biden's campaigns during his years in the Senate.
US News
Senate GOP to Oppose Obama Tax Plan
WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans will oppose any effort to renew soon-to-expire Bush administration tax cuts if upper income taxpayers are excluded from the reductions.
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A spokesman for Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell said Monday that every Senate Republican has pledged to oppose President Barack Obama's tax-cutting plan. Obama would renew the tax cuts for most people, but let the top income tax rate rise back to almost 40 percent on family or small business income over $250,000.
McConnell has said a bill extending the tax cuts for only low- and middle-income earners cannot pass the Senate. Forty-one senators can block a bill with a filibuster, but McConnell spokesman Don Stewart declined to say whether all 41 Republicans would support a filibuster.
At issue is a year-end deadline to renew a variety of tax cuts enacted in 2001 — when the federal government was running a surplus.
On Sunday, House GOP Leader John Boehner said he would support renewing tax cuts for the middle class but not the wealthy if that was his only choice.
Democrats are worried that November elections could hand the GOP control of the House and perhaps the Senate. The White House and its Democratic allies hope to use the tax-cut fight to cast themselves as defenders of the middle class and Republicans as a party eager to revive the days of the still unpopular former President George W. Bush.
"We're going to take the next 50-some days to convince the public that's exactly what the Republicans would do — back to the Bush policies," said White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs Gibbs said on NBC's "Today" show.
Gibbs said the middle class should not be used as a political football by Republicans maneuvering to give tax cuts to wealthy taxpayers, who he said don't need the reductions. Republicans say paring taxes for the wealthy would encourage them and the businesses they operate to create jobs.
Congressional analysts say renewing the tax cuts for everyone would cost the government $4 trillion over the next decade. With polls showing a broad public anger over spiraling federal deficits, Obama wants to exclude individuals earning over $200,000 and couples making over $250,000 — who account for $700 billion of that total.
"That's a debate we're happy to have," McConnell told the Washington Post. "That's the kind of debate that unifies my caucus."
Democrats aren't unified behind Obama and their House and Senate leaders. Several Senate Democrats say they would like all of the Bush tax cuts
to be extended for another year or two as the economy slowly recovers from the recession.
"I don't think it makes sense to raise any federal taxes during the uncertain economy we are struggling through," Sen. Joe Lieberman, a Connecticut independent who aligns with Democrats, said Monday. "The more money we leave in private hands, the quicker our economic recovery will be. And that means I will do everything I can to make sure Congress extends the so-called Bush tax cuts for another year."
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on Monday also called on Congress to move quickly to extend the tax cuts.
Geithner and the administration have tried to make the case that conditions would have been worse without Obama's economic policies, including the $814 billion stimulus package. Geithner said that a return to Republican policies would put the economic recovery in jeopardy.
"We can't afford to go back to the policies of the past decade when we passed large tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans without paying for them and saw little impact on job creation and years of stagnation in middle class wages," he said.
Republicans say the level of spending undertaken by the Obama administration has done little to boost the economy. Instead, it has increased the deficit to unsustainable levels, they say.
US News
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A spokesman for Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell said Monday that every Senate Republican has pledged to oppose President Barack Obama's tax-cutting plan. Obama would renew the tax cuts for most people, but let the top income tax rate rise back to almost 40 percent on family or small business income over $250,000.
McConnell has said a bill extending the tax cuts for only low- and middle-income earners cannot pass the Senate. Forty-one senators can block a bill with a filibuster, but McConnell spokesman Don Stewart declined to say whether all 41 Republicans would support a filibuster.
At issue is a year-end deadline to renew a variety of tax cuts enacted in 2001 — when the federal government was running a surplus.
On Sunday, House GOP Leader John Boehner said he would support renewing tax cuts for the middle class but not the wealthy if that was his only choice.
Democrats are worried that November elections could hand the GOP control of the House and perhaps the Senate. The White House and its Democratic allies hope to use the tax-cut fight to cast themselves as defenders of the middle class and Republicans as a party eager to revive the days of the still unpopular former President George W. Bush.
"We're going to take the next 50-some days to convince the public that's exactly what the Republicans would do — back to the Bush policies," said White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs Gibbs said on NBC's "Today" show.
Gibbs said the middle class should not be used as a political football by Republicans maneuvering to give tax cuts to wealthy taxpayers, who he said don't need the reductions. Republicans say paring taxes for the wealthy would encourage them and the businesses they operate to create jobs.
Congressional analysts say renewing the tax cuts for everyone would cost the government $4 trillion over the next decade. With polls showing a broad public anger over spiraling federal deficits, Obama wants to exclude individuals earning over $200,000 and couples making over $250,000 — who account for $700 billion of that total.
"That's a debate we're happy to have," McConnell told the Washington Post. "That's the kind of debate that unifies my caucus."
Democrats aren't unified behind Obama and their House and Senate leaders. Several Senate Democrats say they would like all of the Bush tax cuts
to be extended for another year or two as the economy slowly recovers from the recession.
"I don't think it makes sense to raise any federal taxes during the uncertain economy we are struggling through," Sen. Joe Lieberman, a Connecticut independent who aligns with Democrats, said Monday. "The more money we leave in private hands, the quicker our economic recovery will be. And that means I will do everything I can to make sure Congress extends the so-called Bush tax cuts for another year."
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on Monday also called on Congress to move quickly to extend the tax cuts.
Geithner and the administration have tried to make the case that conditions would have been worse without Obama's economic policies, including the $814 billion stimulus package. Geithner said that a return to Republican policies would put the economic recovery in jeopardy.
"We can't afford to go back to the policies of the past decade when we passed large tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans without paying for them and saw little impact on job creation and years of stagnation in middle class wages," he said.
Republicans say the level of spending undertaken by the Obama administration has done little to boost the economy. Instead, it has increased the deficit to unsustainable levels, they say.
US News
In Wisconsin, Democrats Are On the Defensive
GOP eyes Russ Feingold's Senate seat, and both parties jockey over House seat held by retiring Rep. David Obey
Predictions are flying about the likelihood of the House and Senate changing party hands in November's midterm elections. But before parties can plan their agendas for the next congressional session, their candidates have to make it through the primaries. After Tuesday, the last big day of the 2010 primary season, nearly all of the nominees for the general election will habe been chosen. Altogether, voters in seven states plus the District of Columbia on Tuesday will finalize their November ballots for 61 House seats, six Senate seats, and six gubernatorial races. Only the Hawaii primary and a House runoff primary in Louisiana will remain.
Click here to find out more!
WISCONSIN
The Wisconsin Senate seat currently held by Russ Feingold is one of a half-dozen Democratic seats that appear likely to be "in play" in November. Feingold's popularity among Wisconsin voters has faded in recent weeks. Surveys from SurveyUSA and the Democratic polling firm Public Policy Polling show that his approval rating has slipped below 50 percent, and that a growing number of Wisconsin residents are "undecided" on whether they approve or not. Feingold, in office since 1993, has no Democratic primary opponents. He has, however, been both fundraising and spending copiously in advance of what is expected to be a tight November race. Feingold is among this year's top fundraisers, with $13.7 million in receipts, of which he has spent $11.4 million this election cycle.
Ron Johnson, the owner of a Wisconsin-based plastics company, and David Westlake, a small-business owner, have emerged as the top contenders on the GOP ballot. An August 25 poll from Rasmussen Reports showed both to be closely matched with Feingold, though Johnson appears to have an edge over Westlake. Forty-seven percent of likely voters surveyed said they would support Johnson in a race against Feingold, who had the support of 46 percent of respondents ( a statistical tie). Westlake had a weaker showing, with 40 percent to Feingold's 47 percent, but the 4-percent margin of error shows him to be statistically close to Feingold as well.
Johnson is one of the top self-funded candidates of the 2010 election cycle, and has loaned his campaign $4.4 million of the total $6.3 million it has taken in thus far. These totals dwarf Westlake's fundraising numbers. Westlake reports $78,363 in campaign receipts. If Westlake is victorious on Tuesday, he will have some ground to make up in facing Feingold. As of August 25, Westlake had only $1,500 in his campaign account. Johnson, meanwhile, reported $1.6 million still in his coffers.
Many election-watchers currently expect the race in Wisconsin's Seventh District to be the state's most competitive U.S. House race this year. The district's current representative, Democrat David Obey, is retiring after 42 years in Congress. Tuesday's primaries will feature two candidates from each party hoping to compete in what could be a hotly contested general election.
On the Republican ballot, District Attorney Sean Duffy may be best known to some voters for being a cast member on a past season of MTV reality show The Real World. He is battling farmer and businessman Dan Mielke. Mielke has attacked Duffy for his support of civil unions, as well as his reality TV past, saying that The Real World "is known for its promotion of a lifestyle that goes directly against sound moral guidelines." Mielke is not the only one on the defensive—the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has already spent $50,000 on advertisements opposing him.
Despite these attacks, Duffy has managed to accrue a substantially larger campaign warchest, with $1.2 million in receipts, compared to Mielke's $500,000. Duffy's $700,000 in the bank as of August 25 also far surpasses Mielke's $24,000.
On the Democratic side, the race is between state Sen. Julie Lassa and real estate broker Don Raihala. Lassa is promoting her work on Wisconsin economic issues, including her work penning a job creation package that passed the Wisconsin state legislature and became law. Raihala is taking a more humble approach to campaigning, billing himself as "pretty much just your typical average Wisconsin guy." Lassa also espouses more liberal views than Raihala. While the state senator has praised the health care reform legislation and is endorsed by pro-choice organization EMILY's List, Raihala's views are more conservative. He is pro-life and furthermore opposed to cap-and-trade legislation, as well as the health insurance mandate in the new healthcare reform law.
Lassa has $548,000 in receipts and still retains a major part of that in her account, with $403,000 left to spend, according to her latest filing with the Federal Election Commission. Raihala, who described himself as a "dark horse" candidate in a recent debate, likewise remains an unknown quantity in terms of fundraising, and has no filings currently available from the FEC.
US News
Predictions are flying about the likelihood of the House and Senate changing party hands in November's midterm elections. But before parties can plan their agendas for the next congressional session, their candidates have to make it through the primaries. After Tuesday, the last big day of the 2010 primary season, nearly all of the nominees for the general election will habe been chosen. Altogether, voters in seven states plus the District of Columbia on Tuesday will finalize their November ballots for 61 House seats, six Senate seats, and six gubernatorial races. Only the Hawaii primary and a House runoff primary in Louisiana will remain.
Click here to find out more!
WISCONSIN
The Wisconsin Senate seat currently held by Russ Feingold is one of a half-dozen Democratic seats that appear likely to be "in play" in November. Feingold's popularity among Wisconsin voters has faded in recent weeks. Surveys from SurveyUSA and the Democratic polling firm Public Policy Polling show that his approval rating has slipped below 50 percent, and that a growing number of Wisconsin residents are "undecided" on whether they approve or not. Feingold, in office since 1993, has no Democratic primary opponents. He has, however, been both fundraising and spending copiously in advance of what is expected to be a tight November race. Feingold is among this year's top fundraisers, with $13.7 million in receipts, of which he has spent $11.4 million this election cycle.
Ron Johnson, the owner of a Wisconsin-based plastics company, and David Westlake, a small-business owner, have emerged as the top contenders on the GOP ballot. An August 25 poll from Rasmussen Reports showed both to be closely matched with Feingold, though Johnson appears to have an edge over Westlake. Forty-seven percent of likely voters surveyed said they would support Johnson in a race against Feingold, who had the support of 46 percent of respondents ( a statistical tie). Westlake had a weaker showing, with 40 percent to Feingold's 47 percent, but the 4-percent margin of error shows him to be statistically close to Feingold as well.
Johnson is one of the top self-funded candidates of the 2010 election cycle, and has loaned his campaign $4.4 million of the total $6.3 million it has taken in thus far. These totals dwarf Westlake's fundraising numbers. Westlake reports $78,363 in campaign receipts. If Westlake is victorious on Tuesday, he will have some ground to make up in facing Feingold. As of August 25, Westlake had only $1,500 in his campaign account. Johnson, meanwhile, reported $1.6 million still in his coffers.
Many election-watchers currently expect the race in Wisconsin's Seventh District to be the state's most competitive U.S. House race this year. The district's current representative, Democrat David Obey, is retiring after 42 years in Congress. Tuesday's primaries will feature two candidates from each party hoping to compete in what could be a hotly contested general election.
On the Republican ballot, District Attorney Sean Duffy may be best known to some voters for being a cast member on a past season of MTV reality show The Real World. He is battling farmer and businessman Dan Mielke. Mielke has attacked Duffy for his support of civil unions, as well as his reality TV past, saying that The Real World "is known for its promotion of a lifestyle that goes directly against sound moral guidelines." Mielke is not the only one on the defensive—the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has already spent $50,000 on advertisements opposing him.
Despite these attacks, Duffy has managed to accrue a substantially larger campaign warchest, with $1.2 million in receipts, compared to Mielke's $500,000. Duffy's $700,000 in the bank as of August 25 also far surpasses Mielke's $24,000.
On the Democratic side, the race is between state Sen. Julie Lassa and real estate broker Don Raihala. Lassa is promoting her work on Wisconsin economic issues, including her work penning a job creation package that passed the Wisconsin state legislature and became law. Raihala is taking a more humble approach to campaigning, billing himself as "pretty much just your typical average Wisconsin guy." Lassa also espouses more liberal views than Raihala. While the state senator has praised the health care reform legislation and is endorsed by pro-choice organization EMILY's List, Raihala's views are more conservative. He is pro-life and furthermore opposed to cap-and-trade legislation, as well as the health insurance mandate in the new healthcare reform law.
Lassa has $548,000 in receipts and still retains a major part of that in her account, with $403,000 left to spend, according to her latest filing with the Federal Election Commission. Raihala, who described himself as a "dark horse" candidate in a recent debate, likewise remains an unknown quantity in terms of fundraising, and has no filings currently available from the FEC.
US News
In New Hampshire, a Test for the Tea Party
Palin-backed Ayotte leads for GOP Senate nomination, but Tea Partiers favor Lamontagne
Predictions are flying about the likelihood of the House and Senate changing hands in November's midterm elections. But before parties can plan their agendas for the next congressional session, their candidates first have to make it through their primaries. After Tuesday, the last big day of the 2010 primary season, nearly all of the nominees for the general election will have been chosen. Altogether, voters in seven states plus the District of Columbia on Tuesday will finalize their November ballots for 61 House seats, six Senate seats, and six gubernatorial races. Only the Hawaii primary and a House runoff primary in Louisiana will remain after this.
Click here to find out more!
NEW HAMPSHIRE
New Hampshire's Senate race is closely watched this year, and many election analysts consider this seat to be a "toss-up" or "leaning Republican," come November. The seat in question is being vacated by Republican Judd Gregg, who is retiring after three terms.
Gregg's departure has opened up a wide field of Republican candidates--seven will be on Tuesday's ballot for the GOP nomination. A poll released September 3 by Republican polling and consulting firm Magellan Strategies showed that four of these candidates register significant support, with former New Hampshire Attorney General Kelly Ayotte leading the field. Ayotte has the support of 34 percent of likely Republican primary voters, giving her a 13-point lead over attorney Ovide Lamontagne's 21 percent. Businessmen Bill Binnie and Jim Bender come in third and fourth, with 17 and 13 percent, respectively. However, there is room for surprises on Tuesday, since 11 percent of the voters in the survey said they were undecided (margin of error 3.3 percent).
Ayotte has the most impressive list of endorsements among the Republican candidates, with several high-profile Republicans from across the country lending their support. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has named Ayotte one of her "Mama Grizzlies" of the election season, and Republican leaders like Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum have all voiced support. However, Binnie has the most substantial financial resources. The businessman has over $7 million in receipts over the election cycle, $5.8 million of which he loaned to the campaign himself. In the tough fight for the nomination, Binnie has spent much of this, with just over $425,000 left in his campaign account as of August 25. Ayotte, for her part, has raised over $2.9 million, with her most recent filing showing $823,431 in the bank. The Republican race had long been framed as a contest between Ayotte and Binnie, but Lamontagne's recent emergence as a top contender has complicated the situation. Lamontagne, boosted by some Tea Party-related support, has climbed into the top tier of candidates despite his significantly lower fundraising totals. Lamontagne has just over half a million dollars in receipts over the election cycle, with $109,000 remaining in his coffers.
The winner will face Rep. Paul Hodes, who is unopposed for the Democratic nod. Hodes has raised $3.8 million, and, with no primary to fight, is in the best financial shape of all candidates, with $1.2 million in his pocket as of August 25. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has put considerable resources into this race as well, and has already spent over $66,000 on promoting Hodes in New Hampshire.
Analysts from the Cook Political Report, the New York Times, and Congressional Quarterly characterize both of New Hampshire's House seats as "toss-ups" this year. Republicans are hoping to pick up seats in New Hampshire's House districts, both of which are currently represented by Democrats. In the First District, incumbent Democratic Rep. Carol Shea-Porter, is defending the seat she has held since 2007. Like Hodes, Shea-Porter has no Democratic challengers and has not been forced to exhaust her resources yet. Of the over $1 million she has raised, nearly $530,000 remain in the bank.
Shea-Porter will face one of the eight Republicans who will be on Tuesday's GOP ballot. Sean Mahoney, the president of a communications company and a former New Hampshire committeeman to the Republican National Committee, has the most resources of any candidate in this race, with over $1 million in receipts. Shea-Porter clearly sees him as a rival, and has already begin campaigning against him, mailing fliers criticizing Mahoney to voters around the district. Frank Guinta, a former mayor of Manchester, New Hampshire's largest city, is also one of the favorites for the GOP nomination. In addition to his mayoral experience, Guinta spent two terms in the state legislature, which may boost his name recognition with voters. He has shown that he has the fundraising ability to withstand a November campaign, with $875,000 in receipts and over $150,000 currently in his accounts. Rich Ashooh, an executive at a defense contracting firm, is also running a strong campaign and has also recently been meeting with New Hampshire Tea Party leaders, which could help give him added support in a crowded field. Ashooh has raised $375,000 this cycle, but a tough primary has left him with only $80,685 in the bank.
In the Second District, seven Republicans and two Democrats are vying to take the seat being vacated by Paul Hodes. The Democratic primary ballot features two candidates: attorney and activist Ann McLane Kuster and Katrina Swett, the president of a human rights foundation and wife of Dick Swett, who held the Second-District seat from 1991 to 1995. Pro-choice groups have been major players in this campaign and the source of all independent expenditures made for either candidate. Though both candidates are pro-choice, abortion rights groups EMILY's List and Planned Parenthood have both spent in support of Kuster in recent weeks. Pro-choice organization NARAL, however, has spent in support of both candidates.
Swett has been painting Kuster as a "far-left progressive," while Kuster has emphasized Swett's more moderate views as a negative. In a recent debate, Swett appealed to more moderate Democrats, acknowledging that she supported the Bush tax cuts. Kuster, meanwhile, has embraced liberal causes like the push for a public health insurance option and affirmative action.
Fundraising totals show both Democratic candidates to be ready for a November campaign. Swett came into the campaign with $870,000 already on hand from a failed 2008 Senate run and to that has added $580,000 from fundraising, Even after a protracted primary against Kuster, she still has nearly $800,000 in her war chest right now. Kuster has similar receipts, having taken in $1.4 million. She has outspent Swett, however, with $450,000 left in her pocket as of August 25.
The Republican race features several contenders who are no stranger to New Hampshire politics. Charles Bass is the most prominent of the five Republican contenders, having already served as New Hampshire's Second-District Representative from 1995 until 2007. Bass has received the endorsement of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, as well as $5,000 from the leadership PAC associated with House Minority Leader Eric Cantor. The former House member has pulled in over $565,000 thus far and still maintains $312,000 in his accounts, according to his August 25 FEC report. Airline captain Bob Giuda has also held elective office, having served in the New Hampshire House from 2001 through 2007. Giuda's campaign is largely self-funded, as the candidate has provided $132,000 of the $173,000 of his campaign's total receipts. Another prominent Republican candidate, talk radio host Jennifer Horn, gained election experience in 2008, when she won the Republican nomination for the Second-District seat. She was defeated by Hodes in the general election, but is clearly fighting hard for a win this year. She has spent almost all of the $223,000 her campaign has amassed in receipts, with $32,150 now in the bank.
US News
Predictions are flying about the likelihood of the House and Senate changing hands in November's midterm elections. But before parties can plan their agendas for the next congressional session, their candidates first have to make it through their primaries. After Tuesday, the last big day of the 2010 primary season, nearly all of the nominees for the general election will have been chosen. Altogether, voters in seven states plus the District of Columbia on Tuesday will finalize their November ballots for 61 House seats, six Senate seats, and six gubernatorial races. Only the Hawaii primary and a House runoff primary in Louisiana will remain after this.
Click here to find out more!
NEW HAMPSHIRE
New Hampshire's Senate race is closely watched this year, and many election analysts consider this seat to be a "toss-up" or "leaning Republican," come November. The seat in question is being vacated by Republican Judd Gregg, who is retiring after three terms.
Gregg's departure has opened up a wide field of Republican candidates--seven will be on Tuesday's ballot for the GOP nomination. A poll released September 3 by Republican polling and consulting firm Magellan Strategies showed that four of these candidates register significant support, with former New Hampshire Attorney General Kelly Ayotte leading the field. Ayotte has the support of 34 percent of likely Republican primary voters, giving her a 13-point lead over attorney Ovide Lamontagne's 21 percent. Businessmen Bill Binnie and Jim Bender come in third and fourth, with 17 and 13 percent, respectively. However, there is room for surprises on Tuesday, since 11 percent of the voters in the survey said they were undecided (margin of error 3.3 percent).
Ayotte has the most impressive list of endorsements among the Republican candidates, with several high-profile Republicans from across the country lending their support. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has named Ayotte one of her "Mama Grizzlies" of the election season, and Republican leaders like Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum have all voiced support. However, Binnie has the most substantial financial resources. The businessman has over $7 million in receipts over the election cycle, $5.8 million of which he loaned to the campaign himself. In the tough fight for the nomination, Binnie has spent much of this, with just over $425,000 left in his campaign account as of August 25. Ayotte, for her part, has raised over $2.9 million, with her most recent filing showing $823,431 in the bank. The Republican race had long been framed as a contest between Ayotte and Binnie, but Lamontagne's recent emergence as a top contender has complicated the situation. Lamontagne, boosted by some Tea Party-related support, has climbed into the top tier of candidates despite his significantly lower fundraising totals. Lamontagne has just over half a million dollars in receipts over the election cycle, with $109,000 remaining in his coffers.
The winner will face Rep. Paul Hodes, who is unopposed for the Democratic nod. Hodes has raised $3.8 million, and, with no primary to fight, is in the best financial shape of all candidates, with $1.2 million in his pocket as of August 25. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has put considerable resources into this race as well, and has already spent over $66,000 on promoting Hodes in New Hampshire.
Analysts from the Cook Political Report, the New York Times, and Congressional Quarterly characterize both of New Hampshire's House seats as "toss-ups" this year. Republicans are hoping to pick up seats in New Hampshire's House districts, both of which are currently represented by Democrats. In the First District, incumbent Democratic Rep. Carol Shea-Porter, is defending the seat she has held since 2007. Like Hodes, Shea-Porter has no Democratic challengers and has not been forced to exhaust her resources yet. Of the over $1 million she has raised, nearly $530,000 remain in the bank.
Shea-Porter will face one of the eight Republicans who will be on Tuesday's GOP ballot. Sean Mahoney, the president of a communications company and a former New Hampshire committeeman to the Republican National Committee, has the most resources of any candidate in this race, with over $1 million in receipts. Shea-Porter clearly sees him as a rival, and has already begin campaigning against him, mailing fliers criticizing Mahoney to voters around the district. Frank Guinta, a former mayor of Manchester, New Hampshire's largest city, is also one of the favorites for the GOP nomination. In addition to his mayoral experience, Guinta spent two terms in the state legislature, which may boost his name recognition with voters. He has shown that he has the fundraising ability to withstand a November campaign, with $875,000 in receipts and over $150,000 currently in his accounts. Rich Ashooh, an executive at a defense contracting firm, is also running a strong campaign and has also recently been meeting with New Hampshire Tea Party leaders, which could help give him added support in a crowded field. Ashooh has raised $375,000 this cycle, but a tough primary has left him with only $80,685 in the bank.
In the Second District, seven Republicans and two Democrats are vying to take the seat being vacated by Paul Hodes. The Democratic primary ballot features two candidates: attorney and activist Ann McLane Kuster and Katrina Swett, the president of a human rights foundation and wife of Dick Swett, who held the Second-District seat from 1991 to 1995. Pro-choice groups have been major players in this campaign and the source of all independent expenditures made for either candidate. Though both candidates are pro-choice, abortion rights groups EMILY's List and Planned Parenthood have both spent in support of Kuster in recent weeks. Pro-choice organization NARAL, however, has spent in support of both candidates.
Swett has been painting Kuster as a "far-left progressive," while Kuster has emphasized Swett's more moderate views as a negative. In a recent debate, Swett appealed to more moderate Democrats, acknowledging that she supported the Bush tax cuts. Kuster, meanwhile, has embraced liberal causes like the push for a public health insurance option and affirmative action.
Fundraising totals show both Democratic candidates to be ready for a November campaign. Swett came into the campaign with $870,000 already on hand from a failed 2008 Senate run and to that has added $580,000 from fundraising, Even after a protracted primary against Kuster, she still has nearly $800,000 in her war chest right now. Kuster has similar receipts, having taken in $1.4 million. She has outspent Swett, however, with $450,000 left in her pocket as of August 25.
The Republican race features several contenders who are no stranger to New Hampshire politics. Charles Bass is the most prominent of the five Republican contenders, having already served as New Hampshire's Second-District Representative from 1995 until 2007. Bass has received the endorsement of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, as well as $5,000 from the leadership PAC associated with House Minority Leader Eric Cantor. The former House member has pulled in over $565,000 thus far and still maintains $312,000 in his accounts, according to his August 25 FEC report. Airline captain Bob Giuda has also held elective office, having served in the New Hampshire House from 2001 through 2007. Giuda's campaign is largely self-funded, as the candidate has provided $132,000 of the $173,000 of his campaign's total receipts. Another prominent Republican candidate, talk radio host Jennifer Horn, gained election experience in 2008, when she won the Republican nomination for the Second-District seat. She was defeated by Hodes in the general election, but is clearly fighting hard for a win this year. She has spent almost all of the $223,000 her campaign has amassed in receipts, with $32,150 now in the bank.
US News
10 Things You Didn't Know About George Miller
1. George Miller was born in Richmond, Calif., on May 17, 1945, to Dorothy and George Miller Jr., a Democratic state senator.
2. He earned an associate degree from Diablo Valley College in 1965 and a B.A. from San Francisco State University in 1968.
Click here to find out more!
3. Miller married Cynthia Caccavo in 1964, and they have two sons and six grandchildren.
4. When his father died in 1969, Miller lost the election to succeed him in the state Senate.
5. Miller earned a J.D. from the University of California–Davis in 1972. Soon after, he served as legislative assistant to California Senate Majority Leader George Moscone.
6. In 1974, at age 29, Miller was elected to serve the state's Seventh District in the U.S. House, where he now has worked more than half his life.
7. He was an author of the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act and has since called for improvements to the education reform law, including increased funding and flexibility.
8. In 2007, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appointed Miller to the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. As cochair, he helps craft and explain the party's positions on various policies.
9. That same year, Miller launched "Ask George" on YouTube, using videos to respond to the public's questions, primarily about the Iraq war. He continues to use online "MillerTV" to communicate his views to constituents.
10. As chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, Miller was a key author of the major healthcare reform bill that became law in March.
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2. He earned an associate degree from Diablo Valley College in 1965 and a B.A. from San Francisco State University in 1968.
Click here to find out more!
3. Miller married Cynthia Caccavo in 1964, and they have two sons and six grandchildren.
4. When his father died in 1969, Miller lost the election to succeed him in the state Senate.
5. Miller earned a J.D. from the University of California–Davis in 1972. Soon after, he served as legislative assistant to California Senate Majority Leader George Moscone.
6. In 1974, at age 29, Miller was elected to serve the state's Seventh District in the U.S. House, where he now has worked more than half his life.
7. He was an author of the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act and has since called for improvements to the education reform law, including increased funding and flexibility.
8. In 2007, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appointed Miller to the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. As cochair, he helps craft and explain the party's positions on various policies.
9. That same year, Miller launched "Ask George" on YouTube, using videos to respond to the public's questions, primarily about the Iraq war. He continues to use online "MillerTV" to communicate his views to constituents.
10. As chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, Miller was a key author of the major healthcare reform bill that became law in March.
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