(Mostly) Political One-Liners: Push Polls Saga, Cynthia Nixon, and Minnesota’s 8th
April 17, 2018 · 3:00 PM EDT
By Nathan L. Gonzales and Leah Askarinam
Arkansas’ 2nd District: Congratulations to Democrat Clarke Tucker’s campaign for using the term “robocalls” in a press release even though the local media referred to them as a “push poll,” which it most likely wasn’t since push polls don’t exist.
Colorado Governor: State Attorney General Cynthia Coffman, recent ex-wife to GOP Rep. Mike Coffman, received a dismal 6 percent of delegates at the state assembly over the weekend, leaving her short of the 30 percent threshold to make the GOP primary ballot for governor.
Dads For Office: Maybe we should start asking men about how they’ll balance work and family obligations considering Republican Scott Wagner (running for governor in Pennsylvania) and Democrat Randy Bryce (running for Paul Ryan’s open seat in Wisconsin’s 1st district) are taking heat for not paying child support.
Fast-Casual Fantasy: It’s possible that Cava laces the food with an illegal substance that facilitates addiction, but is it possible to offer half the portion for half the price?
Indiana Senate: It’s unclear whether the story will stick to GOP Rep. Todd Rokita yet, but no political candidate wants the Associated Press to write about alleged ethics law violations less than a month before a competitive primary.
Michigan’s 11th District. Former Treasury Department official Haley Stevens has received plenty of national attention, but don’t be surprised if former state House Minority Leader Tim Greimel surprises in the August 7 Democratic primary, according to a local source.
Minnesota’s 8th District (a): Former ICE agent Leah Phifer fought former state Rep. Joe Radinovich, a former campaign manager for outgoing Rep. Rick Nolan, to a draw for the DFL endorsement after a 10-hour battle at the party convention on Saturday, even though Radinovich had Nolan’s support and is the favored candidate of Democrats in Washington.
Minnesota’s 8th DIstrict (b): While Phifer and Radinovich face off in a August 14 primary, retired St. Louis County Commissioner/Duluth police officer Peter Stauber, the likely GOP nominee, can focus on preparing for the general election in a rare takeover opportunity for Republicans nationwide.
Minnesota’s 8th District (c). Stauber (who we met with in February) is regarded as one of Republicans’ top candidates in the country and raised $270,000 in the first quarter of the year, while most top-tier Democratic candidates raised at least $500,000 through the same time period.
Mississippi Senate: The U.S. Chamber’s new television ad, “Effective Conservative,” supporting appointed-Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith is a good example of what a positive ad looks like from an outside group, without being able to coordinate with the candidate.
New York Governor: Actress Cynthia Nixon earned the endorsement of the Working Families Party which means she could lose the Democratic primary to Gov. Andrew Cuomo and still have a line on the November ballot.
Tennessee Governor: If you’re looking for GOP candidates trying to sound like President Donald Trump, here’s GOP Rep. Diane Black with a call to “build that wall” in her ad “Border.”
Tennessee Senate: Retiring-Sen. Bob Corker sure seemed to go out of his way to compliment former two-term Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen, who is running to replace him, compared to his to-the-point Tweet about GOP Rep. Marsha Blackburn.
Washington Capitals: With Forward Brett Connolly’s effort to get a young fan a souvenir puck, at least the team is winning at something.
West Virginia Governor: A positive ad from an outside group—Senate Majority PAC’s “Miners” boosting Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin—is recognizable for its lack of video footage of the candidate because of the prohibition on coordination.