Independent Voters Growing Fastest, Georgia Indies Pick Chapman

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Number of Independent voters growing fastest of all political groups (By Suzanne Jacobson, Payson Roundup - CA where it is currently 59 degrees)
• GOP make big gains in Iowa voter registration (By JASON HANCOCK, Iowa Independent) The  current totals for registered voters are 661,115 for Democrats, 615,011 for Republicans and 683,817 for no party.
• Republican Party of Iowa: Huge swing in voter registration to Iowa GOP cuts dem edge in half in 2010 (Iowa Politics)
• Obama rating suffers among independents (Mike Memoli, Chicago Tribune/The Swamp)
• Obama Job Approval Rating Down to 38% Among Independents (by Jeffrey M. Jones, Gallup)
• Crucial independent voters abandoning Obama, now under 40%, lowest ever (LA Times/Top of the Ticket)
• 50 REASONS TO REGISTER INDEPENDENT (by W. E. Messamore, CAIVN)

OPEN PRIMARIES

• Election sign-up starts Wednesday (The Advocate) open primary for lt. gov Oct. 2

MIDTERM ELECTIONS

• 2010 Elections: Independents Gain Favor in Governors' Races - Poor Economy, 'Voter Revolt' Against Party Politics Creates Opportunities for Independents (By SUSAN PAGE, ABC News)
• SC: Ketner Dropping Independent Bid (Contributed by Carolina Politics Online, Before It's News)
• No need to make it harder for independent challenge (Iland Packet - Hilton Head SC)
• Forbes to host fundraiser for Rand Paul - The Kentucky Republican Senate candidate heads to New York for a cash injection (BY BRUCE SCHREINER, ASSOCIATED PRESS, Salon)

FLORIDA

• Letter: Rise up, voters, and call for open primaries in Florida (Peter Allen, TC Palm)

GEORGIA

• Georgia Independent Voters gives "thumbs up" to Jeff Chapman for gov:

"Over the past several months, Georgia Independent Voters has reached out to all of the candidates for Governor of Georgia, to talk with them about their views on independent voters here in Georgia and where they stand around issues of structural political reform that are important to independent voters here in Georgia.

We heard from, and spoke with, several candidates, and were impressed with the candidacies of both Carl Camon, a Democrat, and Jeff Chapman, a Republican. Both Camon and Chapman were supportive of key structural reforms independents want to see here in Georgia – both were supportive of a verifiable voting record, of maintaining open primaries, of radically lowering ballot access barriers for independent and third party candidates, and of giving political independents representation on the currently highly partisan Federal Election Commission. We appreciated the opportunity to speak to all of the candidates who responded to our invitation....." read more here.

• Boyd backs Chapman in GOP governor's race (Augusta Chronicle) A group called Georgia Independent Voters also gave Chapman its "thumbs up" while asserting it doesn't formally endorse candidates. The group and Boyd cited Chapman's maverick reputation in the state Senate, where he frequently voted against his party leadership.
• Former Candidate Ray Boyd and Georgia independent voters throw support to Chapman (Paulding County Republican Examiner, Christopher Collins) Georgia Independent Voters issued a statement declaring, "A key impression we had, based on [Jeff's] history and our conversation, was his willingness to stand for issues of principle while in elected office.
• Jeff Chapman Receives Independent Support Focused on Ethics, Principles (FROM HIS WEBSITE)
• Boyd throws support, cash to Chapman for governor (by Aaron Gould Sheinin, Atlanta Journal Consitution/Georgia Elections Central) Chapman, a sitting state senator from Brunswick, was also endorsed by Georgia Independent Voters.
• Jim Galloway (AJC/Political Insider)

NEW YORK

• NYC Mayor Bloomberg endorses Barrett for governor (By Patrick Marley, Wisconsin Journal Sentinel)

NYC CHARTER REVISION

• The Commission will then hold a series of public hearings throughout the five boroughs on the preliminary report, soliciting feedback and public comment.  The dates for those hearings are July 19, 21, 26, 28, and August 2 (locations and times will be announced at a later date).