Margaret, running to fill the open seat of outgoing MInnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R), emerged as one of the frontrunners in yesterday's straw poll of Democratic caucus participants. The straw poll is a critical first step in the state's unique caucusing process, identifying the strongest candidates in an early nonbinding vote. In last night's field of 11 potential Democratic candidates, Margaret and Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak had the most straw poll votes.
This strong start doesn't mean Margaret will have an easy path to the nod from the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party, however. Two of Margaret's opponents are multi-millionaire self-funders, and this race is expected to be the most expensive gubernatorial election in Minnesota's history.
Lt. Gov. Diane Denish knows that the more open and accountable a government is, the better it runs. That's why she announced her support this week of a bill to make information about New Mexico's government available online.
The bill would create a "Sunshine Portal," mandating that the state's Department of Information Technology create a website for information such as revenues from fees and taxes and the operating budgets and monthly expenditures of state agencies. The site would also include a directory of jobs and salaries for government employees.
In an email to supporters, Denish explained why she's backing the measure:
I support the creation of a Sunshine Portal because I believe the people have a right to easily access information related to how their tax dollars are being spent. The Sunshine Portal is a huge step towards greater accountability to bolster the public's confidence in their government.
The Sunshine Portal is an idea whose time has come. It is clearly a new way of governing that I am committed to fighting for.
When it comes to something new and different, the GOP doesn't seem interested.
It's been more than a decade since Republicans kicked off their "Contract with America" campaign, and it looks like they're eager to revisit a tried-and-true approach.
Newt Gingrich and the Tea Party activists both want a new contract, and House Minority Leader John Boehner reportedly just hired one of the architects of the original one. While they may not get points for creativity, this latest blast from the past is just one more reminder that we can't let this year's elections become the new 1994.
When the GOP first pushed out their Contract with America, it coincided with major Democratic losses at the polls during midterm elections -- while many Democratic voters stayed home. This year, we're once again up against tough midterms and a GOP desperate to gain power.
We're confident our women candidates have what it takes to win this November and help Democrats maintain our majorities in Congress. But they can't do it alone. It's up to us to make sure they have the resources they need to fight right-wing attacks, get supporters to the polls, and make sure our country isn't signed on for any GOP contract that might come our way.
Julie Hamos has the endorsements, legislative know-how, and top-notch campaign staff to pull off a win just eight days from today -- but this highly-watched primary will come down to every last vote.
Running in Illinois's 10th congressional district, Julie is the best candidate to win his GOP-held seat for Democrats in November. With the backing of the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times, Julie has certainly been getting good press in recent weeks. Julie's primary opponent has run for this same seat twice and lost in the general election both times. And, although Julie is working hard to mobilize her supporters and put this seat in the Democratic column, we know voter turnout will decide this race. Ads in the Chicago media market don't come cheap, and Julie's final outreach to voters will be critical on the airwaves.
Only days after landing the endorsement of the Chicago Tribune, IL-10 candidate Julie Hamos has picked up another important newspaper endorsement, this time from the Chicago Sun-Times.
Calling their pick of Hamos in the Feb. 2 primary an "easy call," the Sun-Times said Hamos has "more than earned your vote" with her experience and leadership.
Here's what they had to say:
Hamos' qualifications are excellent. In an Illinois House controlled by one man -- Speaker Mike Madigan -- she has been an impressively independent and yet effective legislator since arriving in Springfield in 1998.
Two years ago, she was the brains and energy behind a successful scheme to fund the Chicago area transit system to keep the buses and trains moving. She pioneered electronic health records as state policy. She passed legislation to create a statewide energy-efficient building code, even getting homebuilder groups on board. She has been a leader in efforts to keep dangerous invasive species, such as Asian carp, from entering the Great Lakes.
Hamos has experience on Capitol Hill. She was a staff attorney for a House Ways and Means subcommittee. A lawyer, she worked for the Cook County state's attorney's office for most of the 1980s.
Hamos came to the United States as a refugee. Her family escaped from Hungary in the dead of night during the 1956 Revolution. It is that experience, she says, that instilled in her the "courage to fight for principles and a commitment to democracy and opportunity in America."
Looks like GOP candidates are lining up to take on EMILY's List alum Cong. Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona's 8th congressional district. CQ Politics reported today that Republican state Sen. Jonathan Paton entered the race this weekend, hoping to unseat Giffords this fall.
Already, there are a number of GOP candidates in the race, but CQ calls Paton "by far the most seasoned politician" of Giffords potential opponents.
Fortunately, Giffords is up for the challenge. A recognized leader in the House, she's been a leader on key committees including the Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees. And Arizona Democrats are ready to make sure Giffords keeps this seat in Democratic hands.
CQ Politics still rates the race “likely Democratic,” but Giffords won’t take anything for granted and will continue to work hard for her district.
Florida gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink sure knows how to bring home the bacon for citizens of the Sunshine State.
Sink, currently serving as the state's chief financial officer, announced a savings of $12 million for taxpayers today, based on the work she's done to best use the state's resources.
According to the St. Petersburg Times's blog, the cost-saving measures have included "more quickly settling lawsuits against the state, by preventing workers' injuries, and by getting medical care more quickly to workers who are injured so that they return to the job sooner."
Sink says she's working on ways to be an even better steward of Florida's funds. "And there are still many, many opportunities in state government to ... give us a new way to how we do state business," she said during a press conference today.
There's no doubt SInk brings a great deal of business experience to her current role -- and that's exactly the type of leadership Floridians deserve in the governor's mansion.
Missouri Senate candidate Robin Carnahan had a great guest piece in the Joplin Globe today, highlighting her work to protect Missouri investors as the current secretary of state. Robin knows how critical it is to restore economic stability -- for Missouri and across the country -- and she has the experience to help take steps toward recovery.
Here's a quick excerpt from her post:
As Missouri’s secretary of state and chief securities regulator, it is my job to oversee the actions of advisors and brokers; educate Missourians about safe investing; and help victims of fraud get their money back.
While federal regulators were asleep at the switch and Congress let Wall Street titans run wild, here in Missouri we’ve been hard at work making sure brokers and financial institutions play by the rules.
While we are lucky to have thousands of reputable financial professionals doing business in our state, unfortunately we still get reports every day from Missourians who have been exploited or misled by those entrusted with their savings.
Since 2005, we’ve launched more than 1,000 investigations throughout the state. An interactive map on our Web site (www.MissouriSafeSavings.com) shows geographically where these actions have occurred and the types of issues involved. In every case our office has focused on two primary goals: First, whenever possible, return money to victims; and second, stop the problems and abuse from happening again. To date, our efforts have paid off, and we have helped tens of thousands of investors recoup more than $10 billion of their lost savings.
NH-02 candidate Ann McLane Kuster is certainly on a roll.
The Concord Monitorhighlighted Kuster's campaign momentum recently, pointing out that she's hard at work fundraising and building a strong supporter base.
Kuster has also been making the rounds in the district lately, reaching out to voters and getting out her message. She'll certainly need to build momentum now, as the GOP is sure to make this Granite State seat a top target in November.
Congressional candidate Julie Hamos (IL-10) landed a huge endorsement from AFSCME yesterday. With over 100,000 members, AFSCME is one of the state's major labor unions.
Read some of the great things they had to say about Julie in their statement today:
"Julie Hamos is a serious and thoughtful legislator with a long record of taking on tough issues and finding common-sense solutions to complex problems... She will be a voice for working families who need more representation in Congress, not the corporations and powerful special interests that too often dominate the debate.”
With a tough primary around the corner, this endorsement signals critical support for Julie's campaign. Congratulations, Julie!
Today, we announced our endorsement of our third gubernatorial candidate this cycle -- Vermont's current secretary of state, Deb Markowitz.
In 1998, Deb unseated a two-term incumbent to become the state's top election official -- making her the first woman elected secretary of state in Vermont. Our Political Opportunity Program supported Deb then, and we're excited to back her race for the governor's seat. Deb is an experienced leader with stellar campaign skills, and we're happy to be part of her team.
Here's what Ellen R. Malcolm had to say about today's endorsement:
"We are thrilled to endorse Deb Markowitz for Governor of Vermont. Deb has been an all-star Secretary of State working to make government more transparent, promoting citizenship and streamlining paperwork for new businesses. She has been a champion for small businesses, making it easier to create and sustain jobs. As Governor, she’ll bring her energy and passion to fight for all the things that make Vermont such a special place -- its environment, vibrant communities, and its hard working people. EMILY's List is proud to support Deb Markowitz in her bid to become Governor of Vermont."
Exciting announcement in the Minnesota governor race!
We're thrilled to endorse Minnesota Speaker of the House Margaret Anderson Kelliher in her race to become the state's first woman governor. Margaret has been a dedicated advocate for Minnesota's families and, under her leadership, the state's legislature has promoted an agenda designed to create jobs, improve education, and increase health care coverage for uninsured children throughout the state.
Here's part of EMILY's List President Ellen R. Malcolm's statement on the endorsement:
"As Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, Margaret has earned a reputation as a coalition builder, reaching across the aisle and working to make life better for all Minnesotans. She is a champion for women and families and has exactly what it takes to be elected Minnesota's first female Governor. EMILY's List is thrilled to support Margaret's campaign and stand with her as she makes history in 2010."
We’ve bragged about Julie Hamos before—and really, how can we not? She’s been a strong progressive voice in the Illinois state legislature for over 10 years and has won dozens of awards for her work on women’s issues, the environment, and health care.
Now we have a few more reasons to be proud of her. Lately, Julie has been racking up key endorsements in her race for Illinois' tenth congressional district, including the Teamsters' backing today. Here's a note from their ringing endorsement:
“With Julie in Congress, we will have an advocate for issues important to working families, such as creating new jobs, improving transportation infrastructure and bettering the lives of residents of the 10th District.”
And earlier this week Julie was endorsed by the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois (AFFI), a union with 619 members in Illinois’ 10th congressional district and over 14,500 fire fighters statewide.
In his endorsement, AFFI executive board president Pat Devaney said, "As fire fighters, we value leaders who stand up for what's right and aren't afraid to take on challenges. We proudly stand with Julie Hamos because she has experience and knows how to get things done."
These latest endorsements are part of a growing list of Julie's supporters, which also includes NOW, UAW, and EMILY's List alum Cong. Jan Schakowsky (IL-09). With an early February primary, there's no doubt Julie is building the momentum that will be critical to a win in one of the country's top take-back opportunities for Democrats.
We wanted you to see the latest ad from Julie Hamos. Julie is running for the open seat in IL-10. Just like her ad says, we think Julie is the right person to bring the change we need to Congress.
The New York Daily News is reporting that, after deciding not to run for governor, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani "will run for U.S. Senate," pitting him against EMILY's List candidate Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.
From the story:
A source familiar with Giuliani's thinking said the failed presidential candidate has been telling people he plans to run against Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in 2010 to fill out the remaining two years of Hillary Clinton's term.
If elected, the source said, he could use that as a stepping stone to run for President in 2012 - rather than run for re-election to the Senate.
Kirsten hit the ground running when she joined the Senate this January, and we know how crucial her voice is in Washington. We'll keep you updated on race developments as we learn more.
Kirsten received the endorsement of the Human Rights Campaign today, important recognition of her work on behalf of LGBT rights. Kirsten, who has advocated for the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell since joining the Senate in January, has been a strong leader for equal rights issues, according to HRC's president, Joe Solmonese.
"From her personal lobbying of the New York legislature in support of marriage rights to helping garner support for a Senate hearing on repealing 'Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,' Gillibrand has time and again stood for fairness for all," Solmonese, EMILY's List's former executive director, said.
Cong. Debbie Halvorson (IL-11), elected with EMILY's List members' support in 2008, released a powerful video today, highlighting stories behind health care reform.
The people in the video, all Debbie's constituents, have dealt with incredible obstacles. Their stories speak for themselves:
"These stories are the reasons why I voted for the Affordable Health Care for America Act, and these are the reasons why I have fought, and will continue to fight to deliver affordable, quality, stable care that works for you," Debbie said in an email to supporters.
We couldn't be prouder to watch Debbie in action, as she exemplifies exactly the type of leadership we want in our representatives in Congress.
Because we never miss an opportunity to brag on one of our own...
A new poll released by the Clarus Research Group of Washington shows Senator Barbara Mikulski with a job approval rating of 57 percent, making her the "most popular politician" in Maryland.
Barbara is up for reelection next year, and already she's drawn three Republican opponents -- of course, she's taking any challenge seriously, but we don't mind seeing how well she polls across the state.
Only days after former John McCain campaign advisor and Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina jumped in to the race against EMILY's List Sen. Barbara Boxer (CA), Boxer has been making headlines of her own.
After several days of hearings in the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee, the climate bill Boxer introduced earlier this fall was passed in an 11-1 vote. If signed into law, the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act will create green jobs, set goals to reduce carbon pollution, and reassert America as a world leader in the fight against climate change.
Fiorina, who announced her decision in an op-ed piece in the Orange County Register earlier this week, has been contemplating challenging Boxer for months. Her Senate run should make for an interesting contest, considering her record. She's been on a handful of worst CEO lists, and she drew heat for taking a massive $21 million severance package after leaving HP. If this is any indication about what she'd bring to the Senate, that's plenty of cause for concern. Fortunately, Barbara is running a strong re-election campaign -- and she'll have us there with her every step of the way.
We wanted you to see the latest video from Julie Hamos' campaign on health care and the public option. Julie is running for the open seat in IL-10, one of the highest profile Democratic take back opportunities in the 2010 cycle.
Julie will face fellow Democrat Dan Seals in the primary. Three Republicans, all named to the NRCC's "Young Guns" program, are vying for the GOP nomination.
Only days after landing the endorsement of the Chicago Tribune, IL-10 candidate 
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