2014 congressional races

Crackpot Tim Donnelly could signal the end of California's Republican PartyNo one serious thinks there's a Republican who can defeat California Governor Jerry Brown in November. He turned Schwarzenegger's deficits into surpluses and, other than zombie-partisan rightists, voters love him. In 2010, despite Meg Whitman's jaw-dropping $160 million spend, Brown beat her by over a million votes and she limped ito the finish line with a mere 40.9%.

Today's Illinois Republican Party… very sadAny list of the most effective and dedicated progressives in Congress wouldn't be complete without 8 term Chicagoland icon Jan Schakowsky.

Did you read Ken's post last night about Davos and economic inequality? If not, here's another chance. OK, so who doesn't love traveling by private jet? I mean, everyone knows how sucky airplane travel has become, right? Especially all the way to Davos!

In the 2010 redistricting, some residents of Simi Valley objected when they became part of the newly drawn 25th CD, which is primarily a Los Angeles County district. They wanted to remain as part of Ventura County. Tony Strickland's part of Simi Valley stayed behind with the rest of Ventura, in CA-26 and he ran, unsuccessfully, for the open seat there against Democrat Julia Brownley. She beat him 53-47% and he immediately began his rematch campaign.

Texas Congressman Ralph Moody Hall was born a few weeks after Warren G. Harding died in office, Vice President Calvin Coolidge had been sworn in and the Republican Teapot Dome bribery scandal was shaking confidence in the Republican Party. He was ten when FDR was first elected and an adult when there was an President in office not named Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Other than John Dingell (age 87), Hall is the last living congressman who fought in World War II. An attorney, he was elected to the Texas state Senate in 1962 and then to Congress in 1980.

If you missed me putting Buck McKeon's resignation from Congress into context for KPFK listeners yesterday, here's a short, abbreviated version above.

Although Politico leaked the story yesterday, this morning, Buck McKeon officially-- finally-- announced he wouldn't be running for office again. If you're even a semi-regular DWT reader, you've known that for months. Buck's family has started a war industries lobbying firm and he'll be moving over there.

Above you see a new 6-figure Club for Growth ad for one of their threatened incumbents, Michigan Ayn Rand fanatic Justin Amish. They are attacking his Establishment opponent Brian Ellis who is backed by Karl Rove and "business interests" openly-- and by Boehner and Cantor surreptitiously.

Kansas is one of the reddest of the red states. In 2012, Obama only managed to get 38% of the vote there. He won only two counties in the entire state, Wyandotte (Kansas City) and Douglas (Lawrence). Earlier, Rick Santorum won the GOP primary with 51%-- with more than double the votes Romney got. There are no Democrats in their delegation to Congress and in the 40 member state Senate, there are only 9 Democrats.

Get used to seeing pictures of New Jersey teabagger Steve Lonegan yellingSteve Stockman's deranged "John Cornyn-is-a-liberal" campaign really is something to behold.