Young Voters Targeted in New Ads

The San Francisco Chronicle has a great article today on how young voters are being targeted for political advertising this Presidential season. Ads for both Presidential contenders are now appearing on MTV and Comedy Central. Interestingly enough, the average viewer on MTV is 22 and on Comedy Central is 29. The question arises as to how many actual voters these ads will be hitting. Some estimates say that more then a third of viewers may not be voters who are registered or eligible to vote. Will these ads get more people to register to vote? Increase turnout? Only time will tell.

Click here to read the full story.

Facebook-A Vehicle for Political Hits?

College kids use it to talk to their friends and see when the parties are. Obama used it to help organize his armies of volunteers. Now the Republican National Committee has decided to use it as a hit on Obama's quest for the Presidency. When asked about the new means of advertising, RNC Communications said;

“This is an interactive way to learn more about Obama’s poor judgment,” RNC spokesman Alex Conant said in a statement Tuesday. “Obama’s judgment is an issue in this election, and this site will help us highlight some of Obama’s noteworthy ‘friends.’”

By friends, they are speaking of Tony Rezko, who has been met with scrutiny because of some development deals that he was convicted of and William Ayers who was a part of the controversial Weather Underground.

Check out the website at www.barackbook.com

Scandal in Alaska! House and Senate Races

Senator Ted Stevens (R) v. Mayor Mark Begich (D)

The senate seat long held by Senator Ted Stevens is not one Republicans would have thought they'd have to pay much attention to this year, that is until Senator Stevens got himself into some trouble. Senator Stevens has been under investigation by federal authorities in connection with a bribery case involving VECO, an oil field and pipeline services company that was looking to win a contract to construct an oil and natural gas pipeline. Company executives have plead guilty to, among other things, making payments to Senator Stevens' son and for some renovations to the Senator's home.

Today, the FBI has indicted Senator Stevens under seven felony counts of lying to the FBI - quite a penalty to pay for a wrap-around porch and a Viking gas range. Something similar to this landed former San Diego Congressman Randy "Duke"Cunningham in jail not too long ago.

So, Senator Stevens has been put to work for the first time in many years to defend his formerly secure seat and today's news is not helping things. The 84-year old Senator has been quite popular in Alaska for bringing home federal funds (remember that "bridge to nowhere?"). Opposing him, if he survives the primary, which is looking less likely today, is a Democratic favorite and rising star, Mayor Mark Begich. Mark Begich is mayor of Anchorage and a moderate Democrat.

Begich is putting up quite a challenge to Senator Stevens; polling has them within two to five points of one another with Begich leading in most recent polls by as much as eight points and Stevens up in one or more from a week or so ago. The fact that Republicans have to spend money here to help Stevens defend the seat he has held for 40 years is not helping the Republican cause, although pundits have rated this seat as leaning Republican. As the race progresses we will see if the political pundits start to consider it a toss up or even leaning D.

Congressman Don Young (R) or Sean Parnell (R) v. Ethan Berkowitz (D)

Very much like the Senate seat in Alaska, the single House seat in Alaska is also worth watching this year. Tied up in the same VECO scandal as Senator Ted Stevens is long-time congressman Don Young. According to federal authorities, Congressman Young is being investigated in connection with the oil field and pipeline company's misdeeds. Congressman Don Young is popular in Alaska because of all the funding he has brought back to the state, including Monday for the infamous "Bridge to Nowhere."

Young is being challenged by a state legislator named Ethan Berkowitz and is in for a real fight. In fact, Congressman Young is trailing Berkowitz by double digits in the polls. And all this is just assuming Young wins the Republican primary, which is not a certainty. His Republican challenger in the primary is Lt. Governor Sean Parnell, and Parnell is currently holding a small lead. While Berkowitz is running ahead of Young, he is trailing Parnell in the polls.

Wisconsin House Race, 8th Congressional District

Congressman Steve Kagan (D) v. Former Assembly Speaker John Gard (R)

The race for congress in the 8th District of Wisconsin is a rematch of the 2006 race. In 2006, Steve Kagen, a wealthy doctor from the Green Bay area and the Democratic candidate, beat the less well-funded John Gard, former Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly. Congressman Kagen is now defending his seat against Gard. Congressman Kagen appeared in the press briefly because of comments he made about an argument with Karl Rove. Even though the seat has historically been Republican, it very well may remain Democratic in November as Kagen is now an incumbent and still has a lot of money to spend on the race. The average of political ratings from Stuart Rothenberg, Roll Call, Congressional Quarterly, the Cook Political Report, and Robert Novak indicate that this race leans Democratic. A poll by Public Opinion Strategies has Kagen up, but only by 4 points and within the margin of error.

 

Win Ben Stein's Money and the Presidential Race

In an interview this weekend, former Presidential Speech Writer (to Nixon and Ford, wow, I didn't think he looked old enough to work for Nixon) Ben Stein (yes that Ben Stein of Bueller, Bueller) in an interview this weekend says that McCain needs Karl Rove to jump start his campaign.

Would having Rove on the campaign help or hinder McCain? Would it hurt him with the Independents, where the memory of Rove will bring Bush back up? Only time will tell.

Read the full article here.

California House Race, 4th Congressional District

State Senator Tom McClintock (R) v. Ret. Lt. Col. Charlie Brown (D)

Meanwhile, out in California. . . .  California’s 4th District is historically Republican country, but in 2006, Democrat Charlie Brown came pretty close to putting a Democrat in that seat.  Lt. Col. Charlie Brown is trying again this year. It’s far from a sure thing, but he has a chance. The current occupier of the seat, Republican Congressman John Doolittle, got himself into a bit of trouble. Back in April 2007, it became public that this 18-year veteran of Congress was involved in the Jack Abramoff scandal (the lobbyist who pleaded guilty to charges of public corruption) after FBI agents raided his home in Virginia.  Taking one for the team, Doolittle decided back in January to yield to the wishes of his fellow Republicans and not seek reelection. Back in 2006, he had defeated Charlie Brown by only 3 points – and that was before scandal hit. This year, Charlie Brown got an early start and has done well raising funds, but taking Doolittle’s place is conservative California State Senator Tom McClintock. McClintock is known throughout the state because he ran for governor in the 2003 recall election and has been something of a thorn in the side of both Republican Governor Schwarzenegger and the Democrat-controlled Legislature, fighting for his causes which include balanced budgets and low taxes. As for Charlie Brown, he is a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, a career officer who has served from Vietnam to Desert Storm and a bit beyond.  He is a strong candidate – a moderate Democrat who has always lived in rural areas and is particularly strong on national security – but though he has raised over a million dollars, McClintock has raised about $1.5 million. The seat is still rated to be leaning Republican.

Stretching in the House Chamber?

On the day after Congressman Chris Van Hollen, announced that out of 75 competitive seats up for grabs in 2008, 50 of them are currently filled with Republicans, he got even more good news. A fitness guru is considering running for the House of Representatives. Arnold? Nope. Richard Simmons.

Thats right. The King of Thin needs to talk to his dogs, and if they agree well, he may run. Click here to see the full article.

Veep Stakes: Minus One?

Looks like former VP Candidate John Edwards may be out of the running. According to some insider blogs, and the National Enquirer (ok, I know, it is a tabloid, but it is causing ripples out there in the political gossip world), it looks like the affair that Edwards had previously denied may in fact be real. Click here to see the full article.

The real question is what Obama's take on this is. Was he even considering Edwards? How much veracity is there to this story? As they like to say in the news business, developing...

QUICK UPDATE on Minnesota Senate Race

I wrote in an earlier entry about the Minnesota Senate Race that Jesse Ventura, former Navy SEAL, professional wrestler, and governor of Minnesota, might enter the Minnesota senate race. Just last week he announced on Larry King Live that he is not going to join the fray.  He cited family reasons. He also let on that his interest in politics is not dead, so we may hear from him yet, just not sure when. His entry into the race probably would have hurt Al Franken more than Senator Norm Coleman, but now we will never know for sure. The Minnesota primary is September 9 and there are several other candidates running, including two Green Party candidates, Michael Cavlan and Thomas Harens.

Plugging Away

Work continues on making the Votimus site more user-friendly and introducing new features. We have received a lot of valuable feedback from test users which will help ensure that once we do launch the site it will be intuitive and easy for visitors to use.

There are many great changes on the horizon, so I encourage you to come back regularly to see our progress. And, as always, please us know if you have any comments or suggestions!

Thanks,

Scott

VEEP Watch

Part Two: Democrats

As I mentioned yesterday, the sheer number of names being floated as possible vice presidential picks for each candidate is staggering. MSNBC did a whole March Madness thing, narrowing down 64 names to a final four and then finally one. Some names seem to be mentioned more often or more enthusiastically than others, but it is entirely possible that the candidates will surprise us with someone completely different.

Some top names on Obama’s list may include Hillary Clinton, Kathleen Sebelius, Sam Nunn, Evan Bayh, Ted Strickland, Bill Richardson, Joe Biden, Wesley Clark, John Edwards, Bob Kerrey, Ken Salazar, Chris Dodd, Tom Vilsack, Tom Daschle, Brian Schweitzer, Janet Napolitano, and even Al Gore (not that he’d want the job . . . again). On McCain’s list, top names may include Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Bobby Jindal, Mark Sanford, Tom Ridge, Mike Huckabee, Rudy Giuliani, Sarah Palin, and Joe Lieberman.

I looked at the Republicans yesterday. Today, I’ll focus on the Democrats. . . .

Democrats: Question number one, at least among some Hillary supporters, is, “Will there be a Dream Ticket?” The answer is unknown, but conventional wisdom says, “No.” Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius is mentioned as an Obama favorite, and Obama himself, generally quite secretive about vice presidential options, has betrayed an interest in her publically. Presidential candidate and Senator Joe Biden is a favorite of many, although there is a contingency of folks who think he would be even better as secretary of state because of his clarity and vision on foreign policy.

One-week presidential candidate and Indiana Senator Even Bayh is also a favorite of many – he is a moderate Democrat and well liked. Also a favorite is the Governor of Ohio, Ted Strickland – representing this infamous, swing state will carry some weight. Fiery first-term Virginia Senator Jim Webb was also a favorite because of his strong foreign policy and military experience and know-how, not to mention his incredible campaign including a tight win and his son’s Iraq combat boots that he wore throughout. But Webb recently took himself out of the running. Another Virginian, Governor Tim Kaine has also been mentioned, but he does not have the same high profile as Senator Webb, nor does he have the same, strong military and foreign policy background. And speaking of international affairs . . . foreign policy powerhouse Sam Nunn, former Senator from Georgia, has long been admired for his intelligence on matters of foreign affairs and is a favorite of Democrats.

Interestingly, Nebraska Republican (but vocal critic of President Bush) Senator Chuck Hagel has been floated as a potential vice presidential candidate for Barack Obama. And in case one republican wasn’t sexy enough, former Republican Secretary of State and retired General Colin Powell, has been friendly with and publicly supportive of Obama. His military and foreign policy experience and acumen (not to mention his differences with Bush’s policy on the Iraq War and diplomacy generally) make him an interesting pick. Some have mentioned the Republican General’s name as a possible pick for John McCain as well, but, believe it or not, this is the less-likely option.

The Governors: Obama fellow-Kansan Governor Kathleen Sebelius, presidential candidate Governor Bill Richardson, Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, Florida Senator Bill Nelson, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer, and Governor Phil Bredesen of Tennessee. Of course, dreamers in the bunch name another Tennessean as a possible V.P. pick, but Al Gore as V.P. to a “President Obama” is probably more about dreams than analysis.

The Senators (serving and retired): Presidential candidate and New York Senator Hillary Clinton; Indiana Senator Evan Bayh; Delaware Senator Joe Biden; former Maine Senator George Mitchell; close advisor to Obama and Missouri first-term Senator Claire McCaskill; well-respected and repeat visitor to Iraq Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed; former Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle; Colorado Senator Ken Salazar; master-negotiator (from Ireland to the Middle East) former senator from Maine, George Mitchell; former Georgia Senator Max Cleland (this triplegic, Vietnam Veteran lost his senate reelection bid to now-Senator Saxby Chambliss after being targeted in ads as unpatriotic); Virginia Senator Jim Webb (although he has taken his name off the short list); presidential candidate and Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd; and Republican Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska.

The Generals: Former Commander of the Allied Forces in the Kosovo War and NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, retired General Wesley Clark; Former Secretary of State and retired General Colin Powell; former Chief of the Army, retired General Eric Shinseki who is well-known for being chastised for publicly stating that we would need to put a few hundred thousand troops into the Iraq post-war effort; and Commander-in-Chief of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), retired General Anthony Zinni who has also lead diplomatic missions to Israel and Palestine.

And there are more! Democrat from Texas Congressman Chet Edwards; former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin; Lee Hamilton, the honorable co-chair of the 9/11 Commission have also been mentioned as possible VP picks; and billionaire and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Women, Democrats and Republicans: And in case you like to keep track of these kinds of things, there are 10 women in consideration, 6 Republicans and only 4 Democrats. They are: Condoleezza Rice (R), Hillary Clinton (D), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R), Kathleen Sebelius (D), Claire McCaskill (D), Sarah Palin (R), Janet Napolitano (D), Christine Todd Whitman (R), Meg Whitman (R), and Carly Fiorina (R).

VEEP Watch

Part One: Republicans

The sheer number of names being floated as possible vice presidential picks for each candidate is staggering. MSNBC did a whole March Madness thing, narrowing down 64 names to a final four and then finally one for each candidate. Some names seem to be mentioned more often or more enthusiastically than others, but it is also entirely possible that the candidates will surprise us with someone completely different.

Some top names on McCain’s list may include Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Bobby Jindal, Mark Sanford, Tom Ridge, Mike Huckabee, Rudy Giuliani, Sarah Palin, and Joe Lieberman. On Obama’s list, top names may include Hillary Clinton, Kathleen Sebelius, Sam Nunn, Evan Bayh, Ted Strickland, Bill Richardson, Joe Biden, Wesley Clark, John Edwards, Bob Kerrey, Ken Salazar, Chris Dodd, Tom Vilsack, Tom Daschle, Brian Schweitzer, Janet Napolitano, and even Al Gore (not that he’d want the job . . . again).

Today, I’ll do the Republicans. Look out for the Democrats tomorrow!

Republicans: Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty is a favorite, as is the very young and respected Bobby Jindal, the Governor of Louisiana who is known for his strong ethics and integrity. Former Massachusetts Governor and presidential candidate Mitt Romney is, of course, a popular pick as well, although if McCain does choose his vice presidential candidate from a pool of people with whom he gets along, as some say he is wont to do, Romney might not make the cut. Also mentioned seriously is Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison – she is very well-respected on the Hill and, though one of her great strengths (and what must be a key factor in considering her for the VP campaign) is that she is consistently conservative, she is also thought to be someone who works well with Democrats. Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin may also be on the short list.

Former presidential candidate, Baptist minister, and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee and former presidential candidate and Mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani are, of course, contenders. So are, South Dakota Senator John Thune; Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin; football Orange Bowl champion and CNN political contributor, former Congressman J.C. Watts of Oklahoma; Former Hewlett-Packard CEO and McCain advisor Carly Fiorina; former Mayor of New York and former presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani; law-enforcement politician, former Presidential candidate and actor, former Senator Fred Thompson; and Secretary of State and close-advisor-and-confidante-to-the-President Condoleezza Rice. Former Ohio Congressman Rob Portman’s former position as U.S. Trade Representative probably wouldn’t have ruffled too many Republican feathers, however fiscal conservatives and deficit hawks may not have appreciated his other White House position . . . former Director of the White House Budget Office under President Bush. Recently, Portman has said he is not interested in the position.

The governors: Former Governor Mitt Romney; Governor Bobby Jindal; Gov. Tim Pawlenty; Governor Mark Sanford; former Governor Mike Huckabee; former and first-ever Secretary of Homeland Security and former Governor of Wisconsin Tom Ridge; Texas Governor Rick Perry; Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr.; Governor Sarah Palin; former Republican Party Chair and Governor of Mississippi Haley Barbour. Former EPA Administrator and former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman’s name has been floated, but her positions on the environment may be too liberal. The current and past governors of Florida are also mentioned in conversations about potential VP picks, but they both may have disqualifying factors. Governor Charlie Crist of Florida has recently gotten engaged, but Republicans are questioning his motives, and although former Governor and brother-to-the-President Jeb Bush is popular and well liked, his last name may keep him off the ticket this time around.

The senators: Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison; Senator John Thune; former Senator Fred Thompson; Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina; Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander; and finally, Independent-but-Caucusing-as-a-Democrat and 2004 vice presidential candidate Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman would be an interesting choice and possible because of his strong support of the War in Iraq and of Israel.

The businessmen and women: Carly Fiorina; Rob Portman; Former California congressman, SEC Chairman Chris Cox; former E-Bay CEO Meg Whitman; and Dell Founder and CEO Michael Dell.

2008 Statewide Election Information

We took several big steps towards our initial launch this week. If you check out our map, you will now see entries for all of the statewide elections taking place in 2008. In addition, as you click around the map you’ll now start to see candidates for office rather than only the current office holder. We still need to update some of the information, but having the basic information uploaded and on our site is a big milestone for us. Go check it out for yourself and let us know what you think!

We are working on several changes to improve the usability and look of the site. Very soon the map will be more intuitive, look better and have better instructions. We have a lot of great things in the pipeline, so I hope that you come back to visit frequently to see our progress and, once again, give us suggestions through the feedback tool.

Minnesota Senate Race

Norm Coleman (R) v. Al Franken (D)

Minnesota has always had interesting politicians. Governor Jesse Ventura was a professional wrestler before he became the state governor. Now, Minnesotans will decide whether to vote into the Senate a professional satirist and comedian. Saturday Night Live to Air America isn’t the most likely path to the Hill, but Al Franken is taking that path.

Franken is probably as progressive as former Senator Paul Wellstone was, and in this only-sometimes-liberal state, he has a tough campaign ahead of him. His frank talk and outspoken manner, especially from his Al Franken Show days and his blog on the Huffington Post, give Republicans a lot to work with. The campaign’s focus has fluctuated between the issues and Franken’s colorful comedy, giving Norm Coleman the second star-studded race of his career (in 1998, Coleman ran against and lost to Jesse Ventura in the three-way gubernatorial race . . . and the former Governor may do it to Coleman again if he decides to enter this race . . . Ventura has been toying with the idea of entering the senate race, in case it wasn’t already interesting enough!)

First-term Senator Norm Coleman, the Republican and former mayor of St. Paul, came to the senate by beating former Vice President Walter Mondale after Senator Paul Wellstone was killed in a plane crash only days before the 2002 election. Minnesota has voted Democratic in the last two presidential elections and the state is trending Democratic, but that won’t stop Minnesotans from seriously considering giving Republican Coleman a second term. Coleman has been leading Franken in the polls throughout this very expensive (over $25 million so far) race, although his lead has fluctuated a lot, usually within a 10-point spread and sometimes within the margin of error. This seat is rated a toss up.

Virginia Senate Race

Mark Warner (D) v. Jim Gilmore (R)

Politicos have had their eyes on the Virginia US Senate Race for a few years now. Mark Warner has been considered a rising star in politics for years, ever since he first ran for Governor of Virginia. After defeating a Republican to win that seat, he won great praise and was known as a Democrat who could work well with Republicans.

Virginia has also become a state to watch because of changing demographics – the state used to be considered a Republican state, but Democrats have been doing better there of late with the growing population of Northern Virginia right outside of Washington, DC and the beginnings of a shift to the left that the whole country is experiencing. Mark Warner is running against another former governor of Virginia, Republican Jim Gilmore. They are vying for Senator John Warner's seat as he has decided to retire from the Senate this year. John Warner, a solid Republican, has been critical of the Bush administration's foreign policy in recent years. Mark Warner, the Democratic candidate, is leading Gilmore in the polls by a very comfortable margin and the average political rating has this seat a likely turnover for Democrats.

New Hampshire Senate Race

John Sununu (R) v. Jeanne Shaheen (D)

The New Hampshire US Senate Race is one to watch - Republican incumbent Senator John Sununu is facing a tough challenger in a tough year for Republicans. Democrat Jeanne Shaheen, former Governor of New Hampshire and current President of Harvard’s Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics, will face Sununu in November – a rematch of the 2002 Senate race.

Partially because New Hampshire has become a Democratic state,
and partially because Shaheen is a strong candidate, Sununu is currently trailing in the latest polls by 14 points. In addition, New Hampshire has the distinction of having voted against President Bush in 2004 after having voted for him in 2000 and is none too happy with the War in Iraq. This is one to watch for a possible Democratic gain in the Senate this year. The average rating (from Stuart Rothenberg, Roll Call, Congressional Quarterly, the Cook Political Report, and Robert Novak) for this race has it leaning Democratic.

Welcome to the Votimus Alpha Launch!

Thanks for joining us for the pre-launch of Votimus!

For years I’ve been frustrated by how difficult it is to find even basic information about, much less get involved in, the elections, candidates and issues across the country that I care about. After spending far too many hours in front of my computer searching through a seemingly endless maze of national news sites, local news sites, political sites, candidate sites and blogs, I thought to myself that there needs to be a better way of doing things.

I wanted a website where anyone could quickly get information about federal, state and local elections taking place anywhere around the country. The best way to do this, I thought, would be through an easy-to-use interactive map of the United States with a simple toolbar next to the map controlling the level of government. With a few clicks, a person would be able to find an election, research the candidates running, see what the relevant issues were and read the most current news for any election in the country.

And not only would people be able to learn about elections, they’d actually be able to participate in them – make a campaign contribution, sign up to volunteer, indicate which candidate they supported, tell their friends, etc. In other words, they’d be able to get involved.

On top of that, the site would attract and be supported by a great politically-oriented community of people. People would be able to share with others (if they wanted to) the elections they were following, the candidates they were supporting, the issues they cared about and the organizations they were involved with. Or, if they wanted, the site would be a place where they could meet new people.

So, I created Votimus. Or, to be more precise, with your help our team is in the process of creating Votimus. We are still in our very early stages, so we will be adding additional content and functionality over the coming weeks. Still, even with our basic version you can:

• Get information on thousands of elections taking place this November;


• Become a member and join the Votimus community;


• Track the elections you most interested in through our
  “MyElections” feature;


• Show others the candidates and organizations you support;


• Make your voice heard by commenting on elections and candidates
  around the country;


• Search our database of thousands of candidates;


• Send your friends links to our election pages;


• And many other things.

Again, we will be adding a lot to the site in the near future, including additional social networking features, the ability to add user generated content and more local election and candidate information. However, we hope you find even this basic version of the site informative and engaging.

Please explore the site and let us know what you like and don’t like about it. We are eager to get your feedback so that we can continuously improve the site and make it better and better. Whether you have a comment regarding the site’s graphics, usability, content, etc., we want to know what you think!

Thank you in advance for your help, and we’ll let you know as we roll out more complete versions of the site.

Best regards, and happy 4th of July!

Scott Gluck
Founder/CEO
Votimus