Election 2008

As the political action committee (PAC) "Our Country Deserves Better" prepares for its national tour of "patriotic rallies" against Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, columnist Bill Berkowitz interviews the PAC's coordinator, Joe Wierzbicki. Like many of the PAC's officers, Wierzbicki works for the Republican-associated PR firm Russo Marsh & Rogers and with the pro-war group Move America Forward. Wierzbicki said the PAC hopes to "raise in excess of $1 million by Election Day," and run ads in "ten states." In regards to the PAC's ad that questions Obama's statements on religion, Wierzbicki asked, "Is Barack Obama's faith the Muslim registration listed by his family when he was a student growing up in Indonesia? Or is it the black liberation theology espoused by Reverend Jeremiah Wright...? Or is it the mainstream Christianity he identified with in the forum hosted by Pastor Rick Warren?" But Wierzbicki claimed his PAC isn't "Swiftboating" Obama, because, for example, "We've not used the photographs of Barack Obama in what some call 'Muslim garb' because the photos by themselves are inconclusive." They also decided, "despite the controversy that her words created," not to "use Michelle Obama's comments about this being the first time in her adult life that she was proud to be an American." Move America Forward also launched the MAF Freedom PAC, which opposes Obama and supports various Republican Congressional candidates.

Efforts by the McCain/Palin campaign to keep reporters away from Sarah Palin have prompted journalists to threaten a boycott of Palin's photo shoots at the United Nations. "The campaign had originally indicated that the print reporters following her campaign would be among the small group of journalists allowed to attend the so-called 'pool sprays' before Palin’s meetings with dignitaries on the sidelines of the U.N. meetings," explains Kenneth P. Vogel. "The sprays are basically glorified photo opportunities during which journalists can snap photos and film footage and -- if they're lucky -- shout a question or two at Palin and her company before she adjourns for private meetings. ... But the imbroglio began developing Tuesday morning when Palin’s handlers informed the small print press contingent covering her campaign that the print reporter designated to cover the events, Elizabeth Holmes of the Wall Street Journal, would not be allowed to cover the sprays." As CBS News' Scott Conroy notes, this latest dustup reflects "unprecedented" efforts by the campaign to shut out the media. "She has been a candidate for the second highest office in the land for nearly a month, but Sarah Palin has yet to hold a single press conference," Conroy writes. Even conservative Fox News has noticed how tightly the McCain campaign is trying to control access to Palin. "One reporter got close enough to Palin to ask her an impromptu question about the AIG bail-out, but that is the only spontaneous question she has gotten thrown at her since being rolled out as McCain’s number two," observed Fox news producer Shushannah Walshe.

The Republican Jewish Coalition says it hired the political polling firm Central Research to "understand why Barack Obama continues to have a problem among Jewish voters." But the poll questions upset many of the hundreds of Jewish voters in Florida, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey who received the calls. Some say it was a push poll, designed to spread negative information and disinformation. Others say the calls, with more than 80 questions, were too long to be push polls; instead, they may be testing messages for future attack ads. One question the pollsters asked is whether it would affect the respondent's vote if she or he knew that Hamas' leader had "expressed support for Obama." The Republican Jewish Coalition, which has endorsed John McCain for President, also helped launch the pro-war lobby group Freedom's Watch. In the 2000 primary campaign, the Bush team targeted McCain with a push poll in South Carolina that claimed McCain had fathered an illegitimate black baby.

"Politicians have never been known for telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, but generally when caught exaggerating the truth they usually stop. This year things seem to be different," observes Andrew Tanenbaum of Electoral-Vote.com. "For example, Sarah Palin has said over and over that she never requested any earmarks as governor. That is patently false. She requested $450 million in earmarks and got most of it. Although Congress wouldn't finance the bridge to nowhere, Palin got to keep the money anyway and spend it on other projects. When called on this, a McCain spokesman, Brian Rogers said 'We're running a campaign to win.' In other words, we don't care what the media think. Michael Cohen has a column in the NY Times about lying anno 2008. Ruth Marcus has one on what an economist called 'the symmetry of sin.' The idea is that if a reporter criticizes McCain or Palin for lying, they have an obligation to criticize Obama or Biden for lying, too. But she argues that it is not symmetric this year. Obama has been stretching the truth a little bit like quoting McCain on staying in Iraq for 100 years (which he did say) but leaving out the part where he compared it to the U.S. military presence in Germany for 60 years. In contrast, McCain and Palin have told out-and-out lies (e.g., about how Obama would raise everyone's taxes, something he never said) and repeated them even after they were pointed out numerous times." As David Corn points out, the "strategic goal" of these attacks is "to keep Obama pinned down. Should the Obama campaign waste time knocking down these purposeful errors and excessive spin? That would be letting McCain shape the debate to his advantage. But if the campaign allows this stuff to hit the wall -- and maybe stick -- the McCain mob wins."

For the full roster of candidates, see the Massachusetts state portal.

By Congresspedia assistant editor Avelino Maestas

The incumbents in Massachusetts’ contested primaries Tuesday were universally victorious, setting up November matchups that will likely keep members of the state’s congressional delegation in their jobs come January.

Sen. John Kerry (D), facing his first primary opponent in 24 years, easily defeated challenger Ed O'Reilly Tuesday. O’Reilly, an attorney who questioned Kerry’s commitment to liberal issues, took several precincts, but conceded defeat before ¾ of results were in. Kerry will go on to face Republican nominee Jeff Beatty, the founder of an anti-terrorism consulting firm.

In the state’s other contested primary, Rep. John Olver defeated his Democratic opponent, Robert Feuer. Olver will now shift focus to his general election challenger, Nathan Bech (R). Bech is a veteran of the Iraq War who now runs his family’s property management business.

Only three other incumbents face challengers in November (see the unchallenged incumbents after the jump):

• Earl Sholley, a small business owner is running against Rep. Barney Frank (D) in the 4th district.
• Richard A. Baker, a software engineer and intellectual property executive, is campaigning in the 6th district against incumbent Rep. John Tierney (D).
• John Cunningham, the owner/manager of a web-based educational service, is challenging Rep. Ed Markey (D) in the 7th district.

As part of Congresspedia's Wiki the Vote project, citizen journalists from around the country (and even some candidates!) have been logging information about the candidates' positions, biographies and records. A full list of the candidates and their professions are below, but you can also find them at their respective state portals via the Wiki the Vote project homepage. We need your help to find out more about these candidates, so if you know something about them please add it to their profile. (You can always contact one of the staff editors for help.)

"A new group financed by a Texas billionaire and organized by some of the same political operatives and donors behind the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth campaign against Sen. John F. Kerry in 2004 plans to begin running television ads attacking Barack Obama," report Matthew Mosk and Chris Cillizza. The American Issues Project, funded by Dallas businessman Harold Simmons, has amassed a multimillion-dollar fund to run the ads. Republican activists Chris LaCivita and Tony Feather are also involved in organizing the group. "The resurgence on the right appears as though it will not go unanswered," add Mosk and Cillizza. "The Service Employees International Union is set to unveil a multimillion-dollar television campaign on Monday, and other liberal and Democratic-aligned groups are rushing to establish financing for efforts over the final weeks of the campaign."

(For a full list of candidates, see the Massachusetts portal.)

By Congresspedia assistant editor Avelino Maestas

In the scheme of America politics, states don’t come much bluer than Massachusetts. With a Senate race and ten House contests on the November ballot, only five Republicans are running, and there are no contested GOP primaries. In fact, there are only two contested races during today’s primary election.

Sen. John Kerry (D) is virtually assured of being re-elected in November, but he does face a primary challenger this year. Attorney Ed O'Reilly has launched a long-shot bid to challenge the six-term incumbent, who received 22% of the vote during a state party convention to determine who gets on the Democratic primary ballot.

In the state’s 1st congressional district, Rep. John Olver (D) also faces a primary challenger: Robert Feuer (D). Olver was a long-time state lawmaker before he won a special election to Congress in 1991. Feuer is a Coast Guard veteran who now has a law practice in Stockbridge. Olver is expected to win the primary.

(For a full list of candidates, see the Guam and Virgin Islands portals.)

By Congresspedia assistant editor Avelino Maestas

For full information, including candidates, click on a state's name

By Congresspedia assistant editor Avelino Maestas

Our wrap-up of Tuesday’s primary elections is pretty hefty, so we've split it into three parts; you can find results from Minnesota and Wisconsin in this post. Remember, we have a full list of candidates after the break, including the professions of all the challengers. You can find the candidates from New England at the Delaware, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont portals and at the New England wrap up, and mid-Atlantic candidates at the District of Columbia and New York portals and at the mid-Atlantic wrap up.

Minnesota
Al Franken (D) and Sen. Norm Coleman (R) easily dispatched the competition in their respective parties’ primary elections on Tuesday. Coleman, at one time behind Franken in polling, has opened a lead over the actor/comedian. Both candidates are performing well on the fundraising front, in what has become a high-visibility contest on the national level. A half-dozen candidates from other parties will join Coleman and Franken on the November ballot.

Unopposed in their respective primaries, Democrat Jigar Ashwin Madia and Republican Erik Paulsen are preparing for the general election in Minnesota’s 3rd congressional district. Incumbent Rep. Jim Ramstad (R) is retiring at the end of the 110th Congress.

There are a couple of freshman incumbents in Minnesota being targeted by the opposition. In CD-01, Republican Brian Davis is challenging Rep. Timothy Walz (D). Meanwhile, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R) is trying to hold off a Elwyn Tinklenberg (D).

Wisconsin
In the 1st congressional district, Rep. Paul Ryan (R) was unopposed Tuesday, and Marge Krupp beat out two other Democrats for the shot to challenge the incumbent. Most of the incumbents appear to be favored for victory in the general election, though freshman Rep. Steve Kagen is facing a rematch of the 2006 election: he narrowly defeated Republican John Gard in that contest.

As part of Congresspedia's Wiki the Vote project, citizen journalists from around the country (and even some candidates!) have been logging information about the candidates' positions, biographies and records. A full list of the candidates and their professions are below, but you can also find them at their respective state portals via the Wiki the Vote project homepage. We need your help to find out more about these candidates, so if you know something about them please add it to their profile. (You can always contact one of the staff editors for help.)