Booman Tribune ~ A Progressive Community

Congressional Retirement/Open Seat Initiative

by BooMan
Sun Nov 11th, 2007 at 10:37:37 AM EST

We don't have much/any say in candidate recruitment. That job lies with the odious Chuck Schumer in the Senate and the fairly cool Chris Van Hollen in the House. But we do have the ability to support or withhold support from candidates, and we have the power to take sides in contested primaries. Maybe, one day, we'll even have the cash and clout to select and fund our own candidates, but that day is still long off.

Here's what I want to do. There are twenty races in the House where the incumbent is not running. Some of these have primaries and some don't. I'd like to create profiles of all of these twenty races. I want to know all about the Democratic candidates.

How would they have voted on key votes like: FISA, the Military Detainee Act, the AUMF-Iraq, the Bankruptcy Bill, Webb's troop rotation amendment, and the Iraq supplemental bills? If elected, do they plan to caucus with the progressives, the New Democrats, the Blue Dogs, some combination, or none at all? How much money have they raised? Do they have key endorsements. Etc.

To do this, I need volunteers. If you can select one of the twenty races (listed below the fold) and do a diary on everything you can find out about the candidates (look at their issues pages, for starters), that will create templates we can build on.

When we're done, we can create an ActBlue page to support the candidates that best meet our criteria.

We also need a questionnaire that we can send to each campaign, so they can answer the questions we can't suss out from public sources. Any one want to work on a questionnaire that has the key votes we're interested in?

Use this thread for suggestions.

We've got to do something. Sitting around and bitching isn't getting it done.

1. NY-21: D +8.7
· Incumbent: Mike McNulty (D) (retiring).
· Democratic candidates: Assembly Majority Leader Ron Canestrari, Senator Neil Breslin, Schenectady Mayor Brian Stratton (all news speculation).
· Republican candidates: Warren Redlich (2006 candidate)
2. CO-02: D +8.1
· Incumbent: Mark Udall (D) (running for Senate)
· Democratic candidates: Jared Polis, Joan Fitz-gerald, Will Shafroth.
· Republican candidates:
3. ME-01: D +6.4
· Incumbent: Tom Allen (D) (running for Senate)
· Democratic candidates: Chellie Pingree, Mark Lawrence, Ethan Strimling, Adam Cote.
· Republican candidates: Charlie Summers.
4. NJ-03: D +3.3
· Incumbent: Jim Saxton (R) (retiring)
· Democratic candidate: John Adler.
· Republican candidates:
5. NM-01: D +2.4
· Incumbent: Heather Wilson (R) (running for Senate)
· Democratic candidates: Martin Heinrich, John Adams.
· Republican candidates:
6. MN-03: R +0.5
· Incumbent: Jim Ramstad (R) (retiring)
· Democratic contenders: Terri Bonoff, Ashwin Madia.
· Republican candidate: state Rep. Erik Paulsen.
7. IL-11: R +1.1
· Incumbent: Jerry Waller (R) (retiring)
· Democratic contenders: Debbie Halvorson.
· Republican contenders: Jimmy Lee.
8. OH-15: R +1.1
· Incumbent: Deborah Pryce (R) (retiring)
· Democratic contender: Mary Jo Kilroy.
· Republican contender: state Sen. Steve Stivers. (media)
9. AZ-01: R +2.2
· Incumbent: Rick Renzi (R) (retiring)
· Democratic contenders: Howard Shanker, Ann Kirkpatrick, Mary Kim Titla.
· Republican candidates:
10. OH-16: R +3.6
· Incumbent: Ralph Regula (R) (retiring)
· Democratic contenders: John Boccieri.
· Republican contenders:
11. IL-14: R +4.8
· Incumbent: Dennis Hastert (R) (retiring)
· Democratic contenders: John Laesch, Jotham Stein, Bill Foster.
· Republican contenders: Chris Lauzen, Jim Oberweis, Kevin Burns.
12. IL-18: R +5.5
· Incumbent: Ray LaHood (R) (retiring)
· Democratic candidates: Dick Versace.
· Republican candidate: Aaron Schock.
13. NM-02: R +5.7
· Incumbent: Steve Pearce (R) (running for Senate)
· Democratic candidates: Bill McCamley.
· Republican candidates:
14. OH-07: R +6.0
· Incumbent: Dave Hobson (R) (retiring)
· Democratic contenders: William Conner, Dave Woolover.
· Republican contenders:
15. CA-52: R +9.3
· Incumbent: Duncan Hunter (R) (retiring, running for president)
· Democratic candidates: Mike Lumpkin, Jim Hester.
· Republican candidates: Duncan D. Hunter, Brian Jones, Ken King.
16. CO-06: R +10.0
· Incumbent: Tom Tancredo (R) (retiring, running for president)
· Democratic candidates: Mike Collins.
· Republican candidates: Secretary of State Mike Coffman, state Sens. Ted Harvey of Highlands Ranch and Tom Wiens of Castle Rock, and businessman Wil Armstrong, the son of former Sen. Bill Armstrong. (media.
17. OH-05: R +10.1 (special election, Dec. 11)
· Incumbent: vacant
· Democratic candidate: Robin Weirauch.
· Republican candidate: Bob Latta.
18. AL-02: R +13.1
· Incumbent: Terry Everett (R) (retiring)
· Democratic candidates: none
· Republican candidates: none
19. MS-03: R +14.1
· Incumbent: Chip Pickering (R) (retiring)
· Democratic candidates: none
· Republican candidates: none
20. WY-AL: R +19.4
· Incumbent: Barbara Cubin (R) (retiring)
· Democratic candidate: Gary Trauner.
· Republican candidates: Rep. Colin Simpson. (media).
Bonus: VA-01: R+9 (special election, Dec. 11th).
Incumbent: Vacant · Democratic and Republican candidates will be selected tomorrow in party conventions.

Congressional Retirement/Open Seat Initiative | 21 comments (21 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

IL-18 Dick Versace (4.00 / 2)

.
I'll give this district and candidates a review

12. IL-18: R +5.5
· Incumbent: Ray LaHood (R) (retiring)
· Democratic candidates: Dick Versace.
· Republican candidate: Aaron Schock.

"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."

by Oui on Fri Nov 9th, 2007 at 10:45:25 PM EST

Re: IL-18 Dick Versace (none / 0)

Dick Versace used to be a NBA coach.

by BooMan on Sat Nov 10th, 2007 at 11:13:46 AM EST
[ Parent ]

NJ-03 John Adler (4.00 / 2)

I'll take this District.

Incumbent: Jim Saxton (R) (retiring)
· Democratic candidate: John Adler.
· Republican candidates:

"Your conscience is the measure of the honesty of your selfishness. Listen to it carefully." -- Richard Bach

by WolverineBlue (camster9ATyahoo.com) on Sat Nov 10th, 2007 at 08:39:00 AM EST

Re: NJ-03 John Adler (none / 0)

cool. Thank you.

by BooMan on Sat Nov 10th, 2007 at 11:13:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: NJ-03 John Adler (none / 0)

You sure you don't want to move to Cherry Hill and run in the primary ;)

My job is not to represent Washington to you, but to represent you to Washington- Obama
Philly for Obama

by Luam (LuamDK at gmail.com) on Sat Nov 10th, 2007 at 11:23:58 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Congressional Retirement/Open Seat Initiative (4.00 / 2)

I've already done a few diaries on AZ-01, and plan to continue. I am a volunteer for Howard Shanker, but I'm also in touch with the Kirkpatrick and Titla campaigns. Any questionnaire that you develop I'll be happy to get Mr. Shanker to answer.

by pygalgia (pygalgia@gmail.com) on Sat Nov 10th, 2007 at 09:41:59 AM EST

Re: Congressional Retirement/Open Seat Initiative (none / 0)

thank you, I think we have three interesting candidates in that race.

by BooMan on Sat Nov 10th, 2007 at 11:13:07 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Congressional Retirement/Open Seat Initiative (none / 0)

I can get Titla's answers.

by ebw (ebw at abenaki dot wabanaki dot net) on Sun Nov 11th, 2007 at 10:44:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Congressional Retirement/Open Seat Initiative (none / 0)

Boo, I think you should periodically bump this story to the top of the page this weekend.

Obama is a Patriot

by Steven D on Sat Nov 10th, 2007 at 11:18:53 AM EST

Re: Congressional Retirement/Open Seat Initiative (none / 0)

we need more volunteers.

by BooMan on Sat Nov 10th, 2007 at 12:07:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Congressional Retirement/Open Seat Initiative (none / 0)

BooMan, you may have more eyes looking at this during the week rather than on a Saturday.

Fear will keep the local systems in line. -Grand Moff Tarkin Survivor Left Blogistan

by boran2 (blogistan@yahoo.com) on Sat Nov 10th, 2007 at 02:33:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Congressional Retirement/Open Seat Initiative (none / 0)

l can't commit any time right now on these races Boo, but as far as Co.:

you may as well take CO-06 off the list. my understanding is that the state d party is not going to throw any $'s at this seat, and have essentially written it off. it's very unlikely collins, without that support, will have a chance at capturing this seat.

CO-02, my district, is, at this point, looking solidly d, most probably fitz-gerald...a machine politician who in all likelihood will continue much in the same vein as mark udall...ie: good on the environmental issues, hawkish on the war[s], etc...status quo.

polis would be preferable, for many reasons. but his chances are quite slim. his biggest negative, l'm sad to report, is his openness as a gay man...this card has been [albeit subtly], and will be, played against him by the established front runner. unfortunately, it is likely the largest reason, beyond lack of established party support, he's unlikely to gain the nomination. l'm not sure raising $'s will help this race due, in no small part, to the fact that he is more than capable of financing his campaign entirely out of his own fortune.

speaking more generally; here, the biggest concern is the presidential candidate. make no mistake, clinton will be an unmitigated disaster in colo. and will place a number of seats, most notably musgraves' house seat, and allards' vacating senate seat, in serious jeopardy.

the focus, where l sit, is on the democratic caucus in feb and working to keep clinton off the ballot.

my 2¢.

perhaps tehanu, who, ims, is in musgraves' dist., or one of the other co. denizens could weigh in on these races and shed some additional light on the subject.

lTMF'sA

lTMF'sA...the revolution will not be televised...Peace

by dada on Sat Nov 10th, 2007 at 04:40:02 PM EST

Re: Congressional Retirement/Open Seat Initiative (none / 0)

I'll take NM-01; I thint we might have to hold off on NM-02, since there will be many, many people announcing in the weeks to come. Same with NM-03, which should go open in the next couple of weeks (with Udall's entrance into the Senate race).

So far:

NM-01:
Democrats: Martin Heinrich, Michelle Lujan-Grisham, John Adams
Republicans: Darren White

New Mexico FBIHOP, Local Politics from the Local Perspective

by fbihop (fbihop [at] gmail [dot] com) on Sat Nov 10th, 2007 at 04:54:11 PM EST

Re: Congressional Retirement/Open Seat Initiative (none / 0)

As of today there is another opening. NM 3. Tom Udall has announced that he will run for senate. Wiviott is dropping out and running for Udall's seat along with a throng of others.

I'll take this one, though I can't do it until next week.

If you want things to get better, be prepared to deal with change.

by Kahli on Sun Nov 11th, 2007 at 12:21:44 PM EST

Re: Congressional Retirement/Open Seat Initiative (none / 0)

I was hoping that Wiviott lived in that district. I really like him. Thank you for volunteering, Kahli.

by BooMan on Sun Nov 11th, 2007 at 12:45:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Congressional Retirement/Open Seat Initiative (none / 0)

I can do ME-01.

by ebw (ebw at abenaki dot wabanaki dot net) on Sun Nov 11th, 2007 at 10:42:23 PM EST

Re: Congressional Retirement/Open Seat Initiative (none / 0)

thank you.

by BooMan on Tue Nov 13th, 2007 at 11:35:51 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Congressional Retirement/Open Seat Initiative (none / 0)

Well, I was going to offer to work on CA-52, but I just took a quick look at the websites for the two Democratic candidates. Blech.

by Brementown Musician on Tue Nov 13th, 2007 at 03:00:33 AM EST

Re: Congressional Retirement/Open Seat Initiative (none / 0)

what's wrong with 'em? Too jarheaded?

by BooMan on Tue Nov 13th, 2007 at 11:35:37 AM EST
[ Parent ]

IL-14 (none / 0)

Hope I'm not late to the party.
Happy to take 14.

Incumbent: Dennis Hastert (R) (retiring)
· Democratic contenders: John Laesch, Jotham Stein, Bill Foster.
· Republican contenders: Chris Lauzen, Jim Oberweis, Kevin Burns.

Joe Serra is also a declared candidate for the Dem. nomination.

by LeaveTheCapital (progman36 -at- yahoo.com) on Tue Nov 13th, 2007 at 04:24:43 PM EST

Re: IL-14 (none / 0)

Not too late. I'll appreciate your input.

by BooMan on Tue Nov 13th, 2007 at 04:35:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Congressional Retirement/Open Seat Initiative | 21 comments (21 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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