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Grits
By Hastings Wyman
Southern Political Report
September 1, 2008 — North Carolina: Hagan, Perdue and McCain Lead It’s 39% for US Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R), 42% for Kay Hagan, Dole’s Democratic challenger, according to a Public Policy Polling (D) survey taken August 20-23. In the governor’s race, Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue (D) led Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory (R) 43% to 38%, with 4% for Libertarian Michael Munger. But in the presidential race, Republican John McCain is maintaining a lead, 45% to 42% for Barack Obama.
Louisiana: Hay for the Hayride
In the Pelican State’s US Senate race, in the pre-primary reports filed with the Federal Election Commission the last week in August, US Sen. Mary Landrieu (D) had nearly $3.9 million on hand to John Kennedy’s (R) $2.7 million. Here are cash-on-hand totals for key US House races in Louisiana: œ 2nd District (New Orleans) Indicted incumbent William Jefferson (D) has not filed a report, but his primary foes have: Byron Lee $69,000; Cedric Richmond $68,000; Troy Carter $39,000; James Carter $38,000; and Helena Moreno $16,000. œ 4th District (Shreveport, etc.) Paul Carmouche (D), with weak primary foes, had $283,000 on hand. In the GOP’s three-way race, John Fleming had $107,000; Jeff Thompson $72,000; and Chris Gorman $32,000. œ 6th District (Baton Rouge) US Rep. Don Cazayoux (D) had $212,000 to Bill Cassidy’s (R) $306,000 and independent Michael Jackson’s $13,000. œ 7th District (Lafayette, etc.) US Rep. Charles Boustany (R) had $681,000 on hand to Donald Cravins Jr.’s (D) $186,000. The party primaries will be on September 6, with runoffs, if needed, on October 4; the General Election is on November 4. Virginia: McAuliffe for Governor? Terry McAuliffe, 51, former chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and currently a political consultant in Northern Virginia, has been courting Virginia delegates at the Democratic convention in Denver, hinting that he’s considering running for governor of the Old Dominion in 2009. The Washington Post reports that in remarks to the Virginia delegation, McAuliffe related how he funneled some $5 million in DNC funds to help Tim Kaine (D) get elected Virginia governor in 2005. Two other Democrats are already in the race, Delegate Brian Moran, brother of Congressman Jim Moran, and state Sen. Creigh Deeds. For the GOP, state Attorney General Robert McDonnell is expected to run. Biden and Thurmond In June 2003, one of the eulogists, and one of only a handful of US Senators, who participated in the funeral of US Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-SC), was US Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE). SPR’s account of Thurmond’s funeral noted that Biden was one of the few speakers to confront Thurmond’s segregationist past, and that his remarks overall were “remarkably insightful.” |
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