Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2008
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Penn Pals
Two new ads out today highlight why two PA incumbents are in deep trouble this cycle.
-- Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta (R) began running his first TV ad today: a positive spot that stresses his "change" agenda against 12-term Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D). GOPers say that even though Barletta's endured weeks of DCCC-sponsored TV attacks (and positive Kanjorski spots), Kanjorski's the one that's suffering some poll erosion. If that's true, then Barletta heads into the fall in great shape.
-- Phil English's (R-PA 03) new buy shows how complex a race he faces. Not only has he gone negative early on businesswoman Kathy Dahlkemper (D), but he also features Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama heavily in the ad, and not in a negative way. They're used to butress his argument that Dahlkemper needs to disclose her tax returns. This appears to be an acknowledgement that he not only faces a tough opponent, but also a tough landscape.
-- Both incumbents have touted their financial advantages as a reason that they'd hold off their upstart challengers. But so far, with Kanjorski and English already running ads for weeks, that cash edge may not be a cure-all for what ails them.
Speak Polis?
Internet entrepreneur Polis (D) makes his $5M investment count, as he defeats ex-state Sen. Fitz-Gerald (D) in CO-02. Conservationist Shafroth (D) fades.
Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2008
Results
COLORADO 02 (D/BOULDER -- UDALL)
1. She Gave Him Fitz, But Nothing More
Ex-CO Board of Ed chair Jared Polis (D) defeated ex-state Sen. Pres. Joan Fitz-Gerald (D) and CO Conservation Trust ex-Pres. Will Shafroth (D), and will face electrical engineer Scott Starin (R) in the fall. Results with 100% of the precincts reporting (AP, 8/13).
CO-02 Dem Primary
- votes %age Polis 19,942 42% Fitz-Gerald 18,181 38 Shafroth 9,708 20
Polis, "relying on a massive" $5M bankroll to fund his ambitions, claimed victory last p.m. in a "hard-fought -- and at times bitterly contested" race. Polis, to a "raucous" crowd: "Tonight is just the beginning. This campaign is not about winning, it's not about me as a candidate, it's really about changing the culture of Washington and it's about new ideas" (Boulder Daily Camera, 8/12).
In his speech, Polis "referenced" the fact that he would be "among only a handful of openly gay members" of Congress. Polis, after introducing his partner: "I always worried that that would get in the way (of) giving back and contributing to our society."
Beating Fitz-Gerald "was no easy feat." He was up against a "candidate popular" with the Dem party for her "tough leadership" in the Senate. She also had "strong" union backing. But in the end, Fitz-Gerald "couldn't compete with Polis' blanketing the airwaves" with TV commercials (Hartman, Rocky Mountain News, 8/12). Meanwhile, her defeat "is a major blow" to EMILY's List, who had "touted" Fitz-Gerald as "one of its leading candidates" this cycle. The org sent out "at least" seven mailers" on her behalf (Kraushaar, Politico/RealClearPolitics' "Scorecard" blog, 8/13).
Shafroth, who began the race "as the dark horse candidate, was buoyed late in the race" by several newspaper endorsements. But that "burst of support" wasn't enough to give him the lift he needed" (Boulder Daily Camera, 8/12). Shafroth mgr Lynea Hansen: "He was very proud of the way this campaign was run because we ran a race on the issues and created a positive campaign" (Witlin, Vail Daily, 8/13).
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