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Primaries: Recent News

2010 California Primaries: Voters OK Open Primaries, Reject PG&E
LOS ANGELES — Blaming political parties for California’s dysfunction, voters have replaced their partisan primary, but there’s no guarantee it will change government. The passage of Proposition 14 gives the nation’s most populous state an open primary where voters can cast ballots for any candidate. “Californians hate their state’s politics and they are looking for measures to change it,” said Jack Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College. But it’s doubtful Proposition 14 will be the panacea to political stalemate in Sacramento, Pitney added. Democrats will likely continue representing liberal regions of the state, with Republicans elected in the fewer Republican areas. One of five measures on the ballot, Proposition 14 was backed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has long argued that centrist candidates rarely win primaries dominated by party activists. He praised voters for “bringing real accountability to government and putting the people back in charge of the politicians.” Despite their willingness to reform primaries, voters rejected Proposition 15, a measure to experiment with public funding of political campaigns. Also Tuesday, voters overwhelmingly adopted Proposition 13, a measure that would exempt earthquake-safety improvements from property taxes. Other ballot measures that were too close to call were proposals to impose voter oversight of public power and authorize insurance companies to charge higher rates to drivers who have not always carried car insurance. Republican and Democratic parties complained that Proposition 14 would give well-funded special interests the greatest sway over the election process, arguing that candidates would be beholden to big-money donors, not voters. Third parties said they feared their candidates would be shut out of general elections because minor candidates typically draw fewer votes. Until now, California voters have been limited in most primary elections to casting ballots for candidates of only the political party they are registered with. Decline-to-state voters are the only ones who can pick a party ballot of their choice. But by the 2012 primaries, a voter in the nation’s most populous state will be able to cast a ballot for any candidate, regardless of party affiliation. However, presidential candidates would still compete in a party primary. Under the new system, two candidates of the same party could face off in a general election in state and federal races. Thomas Garner, 65, said he voted for an open primary because he can’t see a difference between Republicans and Democrats. “They fight like cats and dogs, but in the end they’re all the same. The system is broken,” said Garner, an attorney from San Diego. Proposition 14 is patterned after a law in Washington state that has been in effect since 2008. That law was upheld by the U.S.

DCCC Launches ‘Palin’s Primaries’ Site Inviting Palin To Get Involved GOP Primaries
The latest Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee 2010 campaign tactic– A familiar one: use Democratic disapproval of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin against the Republicans. The DCCC launched their ‘Palin’s Primaries’ website on Tuesday, which “will track the most divisive and messy House Republican primaries in the country.” All of this is presented in the context of campaigns that Palin could get involved in. The DCCC hopes that her involvement would trigger self-destructive results, as in last November’s New York Congressional election, in which Democrat Bill Owens defeated Palin-backed Republican Doug Hoffman after his more moderate opponent, Dede Scozzafava, was forced out for not being conservative enough. “Undeterred by the embarrassing loss she helped bring to House Republicans in last fall’s special election in Upstate New York, Sarah Palin announced she wants to get involved in more Republican primary races this year so we’re more than happy to help her out,” Jon Vogel, Executive Director of the DCCC said in a release. “Contested primaries aren’t civil war; they’re democracy at work and that’s beautiful,” Palin said at the National Tea Party Convention in early February. The DCCC, however, begs to differ, claiming that the kind of contested primaries that Palin supports could end up being highly divisive, damaging to the GOP and great for Democrats. The website currently features analysis of eight primary races, each labeled mockingly in black writing on hands that may or not resemble Sarah Palin’s..

Anger trumping accomplishments in 2010 primaries
The candidates who are channeling the public’s anger best are winning, especially on the GOP side. Republican – United States – Politics – Relationships – People.

Primaries 2010: McCain Crushes Conservative Challenger
United States – Marco Rubio – Democratic Party – Florida – Government.

Washington Veterans Take Senate Primaries
Results on one of the last big nights of the primary season suggested that even in a year when voter dissatisfaction is high, incumbents should not be counted out..

Washington Veterans Take Senate Primaries
Representative Kendrick Meek won the Democratic Senate nomination in Florida, while Senator John McCain beat back a Republican challenger in Arizona..

In primaries, political veterans could win big
Veteran Sens. John McCain and Lisa Murkowski counted on voters to reward political experience Tuesday as they faced spirited Republican primary challenges in Arizona and Alaska 10 weeks before the general election. Florida weighed the merits of wealthy outsiders vs. establishment candidates in primaries there. John McCain – Lisa Murkowski – Republican – United States – Government.

Big bucks, ugly battles dominate Tuesday primaries
As voters in five states go to the polls on Tuesday, big-dollar challenges to veteran politicians dominate the top races..

Primaries: The Establishment Strikes Back
Washington Unplugged: Bob Schieffer and Crew Break Down Tonight’s Key Primaries in Arizona, Florida and Alaska.

McCain, Murkowski, Meek Likely to Win Primaries
Anti-incumbent fever– Party favorites are set to rack up wins in three heated Senate contests today..

News Media

Arizona primary election results 2010 – Washington Post
Voters headed to the polls Tuesday in five states in the last major primaries of the summer. In Arizona, Sen. John McCain trounced former Rep. …

Winners and losers: The August 24 primary edition – Washington Post (blog)
Sarah Palin: Just when it looked like her influence in Republican primary fights was fading, Palin came back with a vengeance last night — as all five of …

Vermont primary election results 2010 – Washington Post
Voters headed to the polls Tuesday in five states in the last major primaries of the summer. Dan Balz: In Vermont, where Gov. Jim Douglas (R) is retiring, …

Primaries revamped – Lawrence Journal World
Beginning with the elections in 2011, City Commission elections will require a primary if seven or more candidates file for seats on the City Commission. …

Cheap holidays fuelling primary school truancy – Telegraph.co.uk
The number of primary school pupils playing truant has soared by a third in just two years, figures show. By Graeme Paton, Education Editor The truancy rate …

Independents Can’t Vote in DC Primary – NBC Washington
14 primary elections. The board met Wednesday to consider a request from the campaign of Mayor Adrian Fenty to allow voters registered as independent to …

The Early Word: Mixed Results – New York Times (blog)
Some Washington veterans and establishment candidates pulled off hard-won victories in Tuesday's primaries and now move on to fight for …

Anti-LGBT McCollum Loses, Pro-LGBT Leahy Wins: Primary Round Up, VT, AZ, FL – Lez Get Real
Senator Patrick Leahy managed to win the Democratic Primary against. . um. .oh yeah, Daniel Freilich. Vermonters, by and large, do not elect out incumbents. …

Gelber, Bondi appear headed for November battle – MiamiHerald.com
He believes that he won the primary because the people of Florida trust his 10 years of experience as a federal prosecutor. “Floridians understandably feel …

Twitter Activity Snapshot

  • personally I think it’s obnoxious that the government holds and finances primaries for political parties.
  • @phearlez @DaveStroup The minor parties aren’t allowed to have primaries, at least not ones run & paid for by DC.
  • MIDTERM PRIMARIES: "America has the best politicans money can buy." Will Rogers
  • http://bit.ly/cYcVgQ US Holds Bitterly Fought Primaries
  • @kcivey @DaveStroup more acc to say that those people’s selected parties are not holding primaries on Sep 14 for those people to vote in
  • IN NJ Update: Outsiders mount challengein Ariz., Alaska primaries http://ow.ly/18INdo
  • 5 National Lessons of Tuesday’s Big Primaries ” The AtlanticWire (blog) http://goo.gl/fb/Ig5RD
  • What’s really being put to the test in tonight’s primaries– http://ow.ly/18INx2
  • Tea party wins in primaries. AZ doesnt count as both were establishment. Shoebat has audio of GZ Imam claim Obama Egypt speech from his book
  • AZ, you are NOT smarter than a 5th grader! You flunked this one big time! #primaries #AZ
  • Democrats, take note: in the 2010 primaries, anger is trumping accomplishments. http://ow.ly/2uCS6
  • Arizona has chosen to return McCain to sell USA out one more time. Other news better, RE primaries #McCain #JohnMcCain #TCOT #GOP #TeaParty
  • NYT: Primaries Unwelcome News For GOP http://sweetness-light.com/–p=21648
  • RT @HuffPostPol: Checking in on political media narratives after last night’s primaries http://huff.to/dfv28I
  • Checking in on political media narratives after last night’s primaries http://huff.to/dfv28I

News Activity for Primaries

FOXNews.com – Women Victorious in Oklahoma Gubernatorial Primaries
POLITICS: Women Victorious in Oklahoma Gubernatorial Primaries http://fxn.ws/aNsoen

Suit over initiative abolishing party primaries
Suit over initiative abolishing party primaries http://bit.ly/cnASbB #bayarea

Ill. parties likely bypassing Senate primaries – Shira Toeplitz – POLITICO.com
Voters will likely have to vote early and often for #ILSEN special and general via @POLITICO http://politi.co/9uTbxK

Missouri primaries: State Senat
Missouri primaries: State Senate http://bit.ly/byUkc3