It's always election season in Los Angeles. On November 4, voters go to the polls for the historic presidential election, plus perhaps a dozen state ballot measures, including an initiative to forbid same-sex marriage. On March 3, 2009, it's the first round for the mayor and other city officials — followed closely by the final round, on May 19. Check here often for updates — with an opinionated twist.
BY TOPIC: > MCCAIN-PALIN > OBAMA-BIDEN > ENDORSEMENTS
Times endorsements
No on Measure Q
October 3, 2008
It is far too vague for voters to risk $7 billion on future, unspecified L.A. Unified expenses.
Yes on Measure J for community colleges
October 3, 2008
Yes on state bonds: Props. 1a, 3, 12
October 2, 2008
No on Prop. 9, bad for criminal justice
September 26, 2008
No on Prop. 6, anti-gang spending mandates
September 26, 2008
FINAL PREZ DEBATE RECAP; GOP PULLS FUNDING IN LOUISIANA SENATE RACE; NEW POLLS.
P2008. John McCain and Barack Obama met on Wednesday night for the final of three Presidential debates. Thanks to the outstanding efforts of debate moderator Bob Schieffer, the final debate was actually the first and only encounter which was truly a debate between the two men. By far, the best debate of the race. The evening featured frequent and sharp exchanges between the two candidates -- with both men registering solid performances. While both looked strong, the evening did not appear to provide John McCain with the "game changing" results he needed. Meanwhile, just hours earlier, Wall Street lost another 733 points -- and Federal Reserve Board Chair Ben Bernanke announced he expected it would be quite a while before the US sees the start of a true economic recover. "Stabilization of the financial markets is a critical first step, but even if they stabilize as we hope they will, broader economic recovery will not happen right away," explained Bernanke. The shaky economic news continues to bolster Obama's rising poll numbers.
LOUISIANA. Republicans have abandoned their hopes of defeating their lone national Democratic US Senate target this year. According to the Washington Post, the NRSC has cancelled all of its remaining TV ad buys scheduled to run over the next three weeks against US Senator Mary Landrieu (D). The NRSC made the move in order to divert scarce funds to support to re-election bids of unexpectedly endangered US Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Saxby Chambliss (R-GA).
P2008 - DAILY POLLING UPDATE. Here is our daily update of the latest independent state polls on the Presidential race:
COLORADO (CNN/Time): Obama - 51%, McCain - 47%.
DELAWARE (Rasmussen): Obama - 56%, McCain - 41%.
FLORIDA (CNN/Time): Obama - 51%, McCain - 46%.
FLORIDA (Insider Advantage): Obama - 48%, McCain - 44%, Other - 1%.
FLORIDA (Datamar): Obama - 47%, McCain - 42%, Others - 4%.
GEORGIA (CNN/Time): McCain - 53%, Obama - 45%.
ILLINOIS (Rasmussen): Obama - 56%, McCain - 39%.
KANSAS (Rasmussen): McCain - 54%, Obama - 41%.
MISSOURI (CNN/Time): McCain - 49%, Obama - 48%.
MASSACHUSETTS (Rasmussen): Obama - 62%, McCain - 34%.
MISSOURI (CNN/Time): McCain - 49%, Obama - 48%.
NEVADA (Insider Advantage): Obama - 49%, McCain - 46%.
NEW MEXICO (Rasmussen): Obama - 55%, McCain - 42%.
NEW MEXICO (SurveyUSA): Obama - 52%, McCain - 45%, Others - 2%.
NORTH CAROLINA (Insider Advantage): Obama - 48%, McCain - 46%, Others - 1%.
PENNSYLVANIA (Muhlenberg College): Obama - 52%, McCain - 38%.
VIRGINIA (CNN/Time): Obama - 53%, McCain - 43%.
WASHINGTON (SurveyUSA): Obama - 56%, McCain - 40%, Others - 3%.
WEST VIRGINIA (Insider Advantage): McCain - 49%, Obama - 47%, Others - 1%.
US SENATE. The latest independent polls for the US Senate match-ups:
ILLINOIS (Rasmussen): US Senator Dick Durbin (D) - 62%, physician Steve Sauerberg (R) - 31%.
KANSAS (Rasmussen): US Senator Pat Roberts (R) - 55%, former Congressman Jim Slattery (D) - 36%.
MASSACHUSETTS (Rasmussen): US Senator John Kerry (D) - 63%, businessman Jeff Beatty (R) - 31%.
NEW MEXICO (Rasmussen): Congressman Tom Udall (D) - 57%, Congressman Steve Pearce (R) - 37%.
NEW MEXICO (SurveyUSA): Congressman Tom Udall (D) - 58%, Congressman Steve Pearce (R) - 40%.
GOVERNOR. The new independent polls for the gubernatorial contests:
DELAWARE (Rasmussen): State Treasurer Jack Markell (D) - 62%, retired Superior Court Judge Bill Lee (R) - 34%.
WASHINGTON (SurveyUSA): Governor Christine Gregoire (D) - 48%, former State Senator Dino Rossi (R) - 47%.
SEND A PIN = GET A FREE PLUG HERE. Here's my open offer for every campaign (and campaign supporter): send me a button or pin from the Governor, US Senate, Congressional, Statewide Office campaign you are involved in -- feel free to add a sticker and brochure -- and I'll place a link to official campaign site here on our home page blog in a daily "thank you" note. (FYI: Presidential coattails items always appreciated). My address: Ron Gunzburger, 409 NE 17 Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301.
CONGRESS. Here are the latest independent polls for US House races.
PENNSYLVANIA CD-11 (Franklin & Marshall Univ.): Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta (R) - 40%, Congressman Paul Kanjorski (D) - 35%.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 10.16.08 | Permalink | COMMENTS (720)
WEDNESDAY NEWS UPDATE.
McCAIN POLLSTER SAYS ECONOMY HELPED OBAMA; NRCC PULLS PLUG ON NON-INCUMBENTS; NEW POLL NUMBERS.
P2008. John McCain's own internal pollster Bill McInturff conceded to Marc Ambinder of The Atlantic that global economic meltdown in recent weeks has significantly eroded McCain's support. "The financial tsunami has produced one of the most difficult and volatile times to conduct polling in modern times. During these uniquely volatile last few weeks, I have seen as much day-to-day movement as I have witnessed in my 20 plus year career as a pollster," said McInturff.
CONGRESS. The NRCC is pulling the plug on national financial support for some of the GOP's most highly touted recruits -- including in Republicans in key open seat contests -- to divert funds to embattled House incumbents. According to The Politico, among those promising candidates who now find themselves without NRCC dollars include Darren White (R-NM) and Erik Paulsen (R-MN). Instead, NRCC is shifting its money to buy ads in support of various incumbents who now find themselves worried about surprisingly tight re-election races. The incumbents targeted to benefit from this money shift include John Shadegg (R-AZ), Dan Lungren (R-CA), Lee Terry (R-NE) and Henry Brown (R-SC). The article also reported that other House Republicans who now find themselves in unexpectedly competitive contests include Californians Dana Rohrabacher, Dave Dreier and Brian Bilbray. As of the end of August, the DCCC had $54 million cash-on-hand versus just $14.3 million in the NRCC bank account. The DCCC has already spent nearly $25 million on 47 races, including 30 seats currently held by Republicans. By contrast, the NRCC has spent under $2 million on just 13 seats -- and ten of those are districts the NRCC is defending. "In some of those districts, the mold has hardened," said retiring Congressman Tom Davis (R-VA), a former NRCC Chair.
P2008 - DAILY POLLING UPDATE. Here is our daily update of the latest independent state polls on the Presidential race:
COLORADO (Suffolk Univ.): Obama - 45%, McCain - 41%, Nader - 2%, Barr - 1%, McKinney - 0%.
COLORADO (Quinnipiac Univ.): Obama - 52%, McCain - 43%, Others - 1%.
MICHIGAN (Quinnipiac Univ.): Obama - 54%, McCain - 38%, Others - 1%.
MINNESOTA (Quinnipiac Univ.): Obama - 51%, McCain - 40%, Others - 2%.
MISSOURI (PPP-D): Obama - 48%, McCain - 46%.
NORTH CAROLINA (PPP-D): Obama - 49%, McCain - 46%, Barr - 1%.
OHIO (SurveyUSA): Obama - 50%, McCain - 45%, Others - 4%.
PENNSYLVANIA (SurveyUSA): Obama - 55%, McCain - 40%, Others - 4%.
PENNSYLVANIA (Muhlenberg College): Obama - 51%, McCain - 38%.
SOUTH CAROLINA (SurveyUSA): McCain - 55%, Obama - 41%, Others - 3%.
WISCONSIN (Quinnipiac Univ.): Obama - 54%, McCain - 37%, Others - 2%.
US SENATE. The latest independent polls for the US Senate match-ups:
COLORADO (Suffolk Univ.): Congressman Mark Udall (D) - 45%, former Congressman Bob Schaffer (R) - 34%, paralegal Doug Campbell (Const) - 3%, retired teacher Bob Kinsey (Green) - 1%.
COLORADO (Quinnipiac Univ.): Congressman Mark Udall (D) - 54%, former Congressman Bob Schaffer (R) - 40%, Others - 1%.
MINNESOTA (Quinnipiac Univ.): Humorist Al Franken (D) - 39%, US Senator Norm Coleman (R) - 37%, former US Senator Dean Barkley (IP) - 17%.
NORTH CAROLINA (PPP-D): State Senator Kay Hagan (D) - 46%, US Senator Elizabeth Dole (R) - 44%, postal worker Chris Cole (Libt) - 5%.
SOUTH CAROLINA (SurveyUSA): US Senator Lindsey Graham (R) - 56%, commercial pilot Bob Conley (D) - 40%.
GOVERNOR. The new independent polls for the gubernatorial contests:
MISSOURI (PPP-D): Attorney General Jay Nixon (D) - 52%, Congressman Kenny Hulshof (R) - 39%
NORTH DAKOTA (Minnesota State Univ.): Governor John Hoeven (R) - 73%, State Senator Tim Mathern (D) - 18%.
SEND A PIN = GET A FREE PLUG HERE. Here's my open offer for every campaign (and campaign supporter): send me a button or pin from the Governor, US Senate, Congressional, Statewide Office campaign you are involved in -- feel free to add a sticker and brochure -- and I'll place a link to official campaign site here on our home page blog in a daily "thank you" note. (FYI: Presidential coattails items always appreciated). My address: Ron Gunzburger, 409 NE 17 Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301.
CONGRESS. Here are the latest independent polls for US House races.
NORTH DAKOTA (Minnesota State Univ.): Congressman Earl Pomeroy (D) - 60%, retired US Naval officer Duane Sand (R) - 28%.
PENNSYLVANIA CD-11 (Research 2000): Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta (R) - 43%, Congressman Paul Kanjorski (D) - 39%.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 10.15.08 | Permalink | COMMENTS (1066)
TUESDAY NEWS UPDATE.
DOW POSTS RECORD REBOUND; CANADA VOTES; CONGRESSMAN MAHONEY SEX SCANDAL; NEW POLLS.
ECONOMY. News of a coordinated EU bailout of European banks pushed foreign markets sharply up on Monday, which in turn produced the largest single-day points gain in Wall Street history. The market shot up 936 points -- an 11.1% gain -- registering the best market percentage gain since 1932. The market is still far below the values it registered just a month ago, but the development was encouraging. On the heels of this gain, the Bush Administration will announce a plans to invest $250 billion in US banks -- in exchange for an equity interest -- a move intended to recapitalize the nation's foundering lending institutions. The coming days will tell if the gains of Monday were an anomaly or an end to the corrosive slide.
CANADA. Tuesday is election day in Canada. Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Conservative) called the snap election -- just before the global economic collapse -- in a strategic move to strengthen his minority government. Instead, polls in the closing days show the Tories have slipped and are likely to have a net loss in seats. Harper's main rival for PM is centrist Liberal Party leader Stephane Dion. Although the intellectual former Cabinet member Dion was initially seen as politically weak and a poor communicator in English, he has gained substantial ground in recent polls. Jack Layton -- leader of the democratic-socialist New Democrats -- looks likely to score the NDP's best finish ever. The regional Bloc Québécois may lose a few seats overall, and the Greens may capture their first seat in the federal parliament. If the Liberals and NDP can reach consensus after Tuesday, they will have the power to form a center-left coalition government and oust Harper. It remains to be seen, however, if any deal can be reached. If the two parties remain fractured, however, Harper may be able to hold onto a precarious and diminished minority government. [Ron's editorial endorsement -- not that any of my Canadian friends care -- is to vote NDP. But, in those ridings where only the Liberal candidate has a viable shot at defeating the Conservative candidate, then it's okay to vote Liberal.]
ELECTIONS CENTER
NOV. 4 BALLOT
Click here to get all the information you need on statewide initiatives, city measures, candidates, deadlines and more for Election Day on Nov. 4.
ENDORSEMENTS
- Yes on Prop. 1a
- No on Prop. 2
- Yes on Prop. 3
- No on Prop. 4
- No on Prop. 5
- No on Prop. 6
- No on Prop. 7
- No on Prop. 8
- No on Prop. 9
- No on Prop. 10
- Yes on Prop. 11
- Yes on Prop. 12
- Parks for L.A. County supervisor
PRESIDENTIAL RACE
Jonah Goldberg: Joe Biden, master gasbag
Editorial: Obama's Ayers connection
Erwin Chemerinsky: The candidates and the Supreme Court
Editorial: Coal and votes
Feb. 5 endorsements
Dems: Barack Obama
GOP: John McCain
American Values and the Next President
Leading up to the Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses, The Times published a nine-part editorial series examining the values that have historically defined our nation and how they will shape the 2008 election.
