NY-20 Special Election date set

Sorry I’ve been MIA for the past few weeks.  Long story short, I no longer have internet access between Sunday night and Friday morning, so this has kind of fallen by the wayside.

In case you haven’t heard, we finally have a probable date for the special election in NY-20:

Gov. David Paterson announced Wednesday that the special election to fill the congressional seat vacated by Kirsten Gillibrand’s move to the U.S. Senate will likely take place Tuesday, March 31.

Paterson, speaking in the ornate Red Room at the Capitol, said he planned to issue a proclamation setting the March election date on Monday, Feb. 23.

Between now and then, Jim Tedisco’s campaign could use as many volunteers as possible.  If you’re in the area, head over to his campaign site to sign up.  You can donate to Tedisco’s campaign here.

Even Tim “The Eyebrow” Kaine thinks Bob McDonnell will win

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine recently stopped talking about how awesome he is long enough to comment on the 2009 gubernatorial election in Virginia.  Here’s what he had to say:

Kaine said he regards Attorney General Bob McDonnell, the likely GOP nominee, as the favorite because of the state’s “32-year curse.” Kaine was referring to the pattern in which Virginians have followed each presidential election since 1976 by electing a governor of the opposing party.

“I used to think that was a coincidence,” he said, but he now thinks it reflects “buyer’s remorse.” Presidents usually lose seats in the midterm elections, he noted.

Or, perhaps McDonnell will win because he’s right on the issues.  Or because the Democrats seem poised to elect a Clinton hack with no elective experience in Virginia or elsewhere as their candidate.

Whatever the case, I’m glad to know that this back-bencher can see the light.

You can donate to Bob McDonnell’s campaign here.

Upcoming: My conference call with Jeff Beatty

This weekend I had the opportunity to speak to senatorial candidate Jeff Beatty.  I’ll try to type up the info tonight.

In the meantime, why not send him a donation?

Can LTC West’s military fearlessness carry him over the edge?

Fighting an incumbent politician is hard, but Vince Mariano at The State of Sunshine thinks LTC Allen West’s military background and fighting spirit could lead him to victory in November (links from the original):

Surely due in no small part to his military background, LTC West is a fearless individual blessed with outstanding oratorical skills. I was on hand to witness his brief remarks at a recent Palm Beach County Republican event, and it was clear that his motivational style of oratory and energetic persona easily garnered the most enthusiasm and applause from the crowd. He brings instant gravitas on foreign affairs and the Global War on Terror based on his 20 plus years of highly decorated and honorable military service. Rest assured, there is no squishiness on his part regarding any of issues pertaining to the threat of terrorism and the need to protect the homeland.

Follow the link to LTC Allen West’s response to Sen. Barack Obama’s recent race-baiting tactics in the U.S. presidential election.  If Obama wants to be a post-racial candidate, maybe he should let LTC Allen West give him some pointers.

You can donate to LTC Allen West’s campaign here.

How competitive is Maryland’s 1st District?

According to Stu Rothenberg, not very (emphasis, links in the original):

Prominent political observer Stu Rothenberg put out his latest House rankings on Tuesday, and yet again, the 1st District was not on his list of competitive races — meaning it’s safe for the incumbent party and its nominee, Andy Harris.

While that is welcome news, Rothenberg says that the GOP shouldn’t get too cocky, as Democrat challenger Frank Kratovil still has the strong support of prominent House members from Maryland.

You can donate to Andy Harris’ campaign here.