Memorial Day Weekend with NYC Mayoral Candidate Adolfo Carrion

Queens Independence Party on the trail in Jackson Heights with Adolfo Carrion for Mayor

Queens Executive Committee member Josephine Coskie (left) and Vice Chair Bryan Puertas on the street with Independence Party candidate for New York City Mayor, on the ballot in November 2013, in Jackson Heights, Queens. Memorial Weekend, Sunday May 16.

Off to a great start in Queens!!

Buena Suerte

Inclusion of Independents, Latinos at Heart of Arizona Redistricting Fight

ARIZONA REDISTRICTING

• Objectors call for ouster of IRC member (BY HOWARD FISCHER - CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICES, Yuma Sun) And Ken Moyes, who is doing work for the possible congressional campaign of state Sen. Frank Antenori, R-Tucson, charged that the commissioners created a “Trojan horse” district that they claim is politically competitive but actually tilts Democratic if the voting patterns of independents are considered.
• Arizona Latinos at Center of Redistricting Process (by: Valeria Fernández, New American Media, Truth Out) “The legislative draft map adopted today by the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission lacks competitive districts and is a giant step backward, as drawn. Without more competition, extremists will continue to get elected and will discourage Independent voters from having any say in Arizona's future,” said Luis Heredia, executive director of the Arizona Democratic Party.

And what about those Texas caucuses???

...Despite the finger pointing by both campaigns, the chaos with the caucuses didn't seem to favor one side or the other -- they were just a mess. At Wetmore Elementary School in a suburban section of northeastern San Antonio, the electoral process had simply fallen apart, swamped by turnout that Democratic Party officials should have been able to anticipate but apparently didn't. A line of voters waiting to cast ballots stretched out the door and around the corner of the school. Four precincts use the school as a polling place, but it looked like 400 precincts' worth were still there when the polls closed. Another few hundred people who had already voted were standing up against the wall waiting for the caucuses to start -- three hours behind schedule, because all the primary voters had to finish first.... (Salon)

The A.P. said that 170 delegates from Tuesday’s contests have yet to be assigned, many from the Texas caucuses.... (New York Times)

Unprecedented turnout at caucuses across Houston and Harris County left hundreds of frustrated voters waiting in the cold until almost midnight outside at least one polling place in West Houston on Tuesday.... (Houston Chronicle)

By 9:15, the caucus results were known in Precinct 34. Obama, who trailed Clinton in the day's voting there, won the local delegate count. He will send 24 delegates to the senatorial convention, Clinton 16. "I don't know how much difference this makes in the long run, but it makes a lot of difference to me," said 31-year-old Megan House, who was hoping to be chosen a delegate for the next stage of the process. "You've got to make a stand somewhere. People are understanding that democracy is controlled by those who show up." (Houston Chronicle)

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

WISCONSIN: Voting gap divides the parties (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) When those proportions are applied to the total state vote, about 311,000 self-identified independents voted Democratic, while about 94,000 voted Republican. Put another way, about 77% of the independents went to the Democratic side.

TEXAS: Texas Latino community plays hard to get (Politico) Texas Hispanic turnout in the last presidential election offers a glimpse into an electorate that is anything but monolithic: 57 percent were Democrats, 26 percent were Republicans and almost 16 percent were Independents. Hispanic independents will be a key target, said Gonzalez, who endorsed Obama last week.

PENNSYLVANIA CLOSED PRIMARY: 3rd-party voters get reminder -- independents cannot vote in PA primary (Wilkes Barre Times Leader)

New York Latino pols criticize Hillary's campaign choices

Here's a link to Elizabeth Benjamin's Daily Politics blog about the letter from NY State Sen. Ruben Diaz (Bronx) and Assemblyman Jose Peralta (Queens) to Hillary Clinton "expressing dismay over the resignation of her Latina campaign manager, Patti Solis Doyle".....

American Taino: Latino Pols are not going to just rollover and play dead to the Clintonistas

From American Taino:
NY Latino Pol: Clinton Playing With Fire
Yet more evidence that Latino Pols are not going to just rollover and play dead to the Clintonistas poor treatment of their Latino allies.

Today, two New York Latino Pols--State Senator Ruben Diaz and Assemblyman Joseph Peralta-- questioned the sacking of Patti Solis Doyle for primary losses they believe should be blamed on Bill Clinton and others.

Diaz issued this warning: She might be playing with fire with the Hispanic community. I just wanted them to know that we are not innocent, to believe that the person resigned on her own. No one resigns when things are going good..... click on the link to read more....

California Dem Primary: African American, Latino and independent voters

[From Forbes Trailwatch]
Only 12% of California’s likely Democratic voters are African American, and the latest Field Poll shows they favor Obama 55% to 19%. This means that for the Illinois Senator to win this state on Feb. 5, he will have to make inroads into other subgroups.

Clinton still has the lead among all registered Democrats in California, 37% to 31%. Californian Latino voters are one of Obama’s biggest challenges. That group, a bloc that is growing in power, comprises 20% of California’s Democratic voting population. Clinton has a sizeable lead among Latinos, with a 52% to 19% advantage.

Independent voters could also play a crucial role in the Democratic race in California, where Democrats--but not Republicans--allow independents to vote in their primary. This group, 13% of those expected to vote tomorrow, favor Obama 54% to 32%.

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• NEW JERSEY: Independents can vote Feb. 5 (LETTER to Asbury Park Press)
• PENNSYLVANIA: Indies can register for primary, then reregister after vote (Republican & Herald)
• CALIFORNIA: Independents - "Decline to state" - are 20% (Capitol Weekly)
• ARIZONA: Independents choose to remain independent (East Valley Tribune)
• OKLAHOMA: Students, Independents altering profile of Cleveland County voters (The Moore American)
• Clinton, Obama Run Ads in Feb. 5 States (AP Google)
• Latino power (Las Vegas Review Journal)
• New South Carolina Poll: Obama expands lead (Public Policy Polling blog)
• Obama expands lead in South Carolina (Press Release - Public Policy Polling)

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• The voters no one can take for granted--independent voters are on the rise (Los Angeles Times)


• New Hampshire's independent voters at 44% big factor in primary (Detroit Free Press)


• Independents may get to vote in primary (The Arizona Republic)


• 36 percent of Latino voters are independent (Chicago Sun-Times)


• Kinky Friedman dons Democrat tag (Star-Telegram)


• Senate Bill 924 asks voters to decide whether to get out of Iraq (Sacramento Bee)


• Obama, Kucnich endorse IRV (Instant Runoff Voting website - a project of FairVote.org)

People want to know: How do I get my blog listed on The Hankster sidebar?

It's really pretty simple, but you have to have the right stuff! Email me, make a comment or ask--or have a friend do it, and I'll have a look to see if you have it!

Latino Pundit does!

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• 43% in the new survey identify as independents (Susan Page-USA Today)
• Latino group aims to mobilize voters (Miami Herald)
• New Mexico Election Reform (OpEd News)
• Boxborough resident runs for Congress as independent (Bolton Common - GateHouse News Service)
• NAACP Forum: Obama, Clinton in a tight battle for black vote (Boston Globe)
• Sec of State nixes protest over Lieberman party (Stamford Advocate)
• It's Not Easy Being Green -Pennsylvania discrimintes against independents (WFMZ )
• Virginia - a top tier swing state with lots of indies (Hotline)

Conversations on Independence

Lost in the Wilderness says a lot about what it means to be independent! Daniel Larison on Eunomia has a great idea -- more choices! American Taino warns Democrats they have a lot to prove to Latino voters...