Today is primary day and 3.5 million Flori

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Independent Voters Decide Elections; Idaho Republicans Move to Close Primaries

INDEPENDENT VOTERS
  • Among Independents, Poll Favors Obama Over Congress (By MEGAN THEE-BRENAN, NY Times/The Caucus) Independent voters make up an influential voting bloc that frequently decides elections, but they are an unpredictable bunch. In 2008, just over half of independent voters threw their support behind Barack Obama and Congressional Democrats, yet by the election of 2010, they had swung back to supporting Republicans for Congress. Now, just a few months into the new Congress’s term, more than twice as many independents approve of the job the president is doing than they do of the job Congress is doing, according to the latest CBS News poll.
  • Moderates vs. Independents Part I (Introduction, 2010 chart) (by: DGM, Swing State Project) Savvy political analysists have long understood that the number of truly Independent voters is a lot smaller than the self-identification numbers suggest, but that doesn't stop even the most savvy of political analysists from assuming that Independent = Moderate. 

IDAHO REPUBS GET BACKING FROM COURT TO CLOSE PRIMARY
Introduce measure in legislature
  • Elias: State GOP shoots self in foot once again (Thomas D. Elias, Ventura County Star) The latest self-destructive move came at the party's late-winter state convention, where activist delegates voted to stage an end-run around the "top-two" open primary election system that now allows all voters to cast ballots for any candidates they like, regardless of party. That system gets its first large scale test in the statewide primary set for next spring.
  • Idaho starts down road to closing GOP primary, state to pay legal fees to Republican party (Associated Press, Magic Valley Times News) Under Monday's measure, Republicans would vote in GOP primary races, while Democrats would vote in Democratic primaries.
NOTE: Lots of local coverage using this AP piece

2012
  • The Donald, debunked (By Chris Cillizza, Washington Post/The Fix) And, don’t forget that in 1999 Trump formally registered with New York’s Independence Party as he weighed a run for president on the Reform Party line. He might have a hard time explaining that move to GOP caucus and primary voters.

CALIFORNIA PROP 14 ELECTION
  • Steve Collett Announces Candidacy for Congress - Candidate Claims "Marijuana Will Be Legal in 2012" Steve Collett for Congress (PRESS RELEASE Bradenton.com) Running as a Libertarian, Steve Collett is on the ballot in what is likely to be an 18-way race. The official list will be certified on March 30th, but the list includes Mr. Collett, five democrats, six Republicans, one Peace and Freedom candidate and five others who will be listed on the ballot as "No Party Preference." Heavyweights Janice Hahn and "Kit" Bobko are likely to make a large splash in a race already in controversy. The Secretary of State, Debra Bowen, is also in the race, making for a very complicated transition to the new election rules passed by voters with Proposition 14 last year.

EDUCATION REFORM
  • Poverty the biggest challenge of all in education reform (Central Jersey.com/Courier News Editorials) A good education is perhaps the most important factor in breaking the cycle of poverty. Education not only teaches skills, but it also broadens a student's horizons and introduces them to opportunities that otherwise they would never know. An education gives them a chance to succeed and break the bounds of poverty.

No comments: