Wednesday
Jul232008
The Hunt for Blue November
Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 3:32PM
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee held a press conference to discuss elections being held in November. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) told the press that Saturday, July 29 begins the 100 day countdown to the November election, saying that the DSCC has overwhelming evidence that Americans are looking for change and finding it in Democrats.
Schumer said polls indicate that Americans are more concerned over topics like health care and education rather than national security and abortion, a concern he said shows a preference for Democratic policies. He noted Mississippi, which he described as the most conservative state, is leaning Democratic in November and becoming a swing state. Schumer, who said that only 3 of the 35 seats contested in the fall are in blue states, said Sen. Barack Obama’s popularity in the Republican Deep South is a valuable asset for Democratic senatorial contests. Schumer said Democratic senatorial candidates are well ahead in Virginia, New Hampshire, Colorado, New Mexico, and Alaska while candidates in Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska are behind but gaining momentum.
Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) stated that elections are also looking promising for Democrats on the House side of the Hill. He said that the DCCC is focusing on early contact and persuasion, launching “Get Out and Vote” campaigns in 50 districts throughout the United States. With a Democratic-controlled White House and Congress, Van Hollen said policies concerning stem cell research, children’s health care, Iraq, and gas prices would be successfully addressed.
Schumer said polls indicate that Americans are more concerned over topics like health care and education rather than national security and abortion, a concern he said shows a preference for Democratic policies. He noted Mississippi, which he described as the most conservative state, is leaning Democratic in November and becoming a swing state. Schumer, who said that only 3 of the 35 seats contested in the fall are in blue states, said Sen. Barack Obama’s popularity in the Republican Deep South is a valuable asset for Democratic senatorial contests. Schumer said Democratic senatorial candidates are well ahead in Virginia, New Hampshire, Colorado, New Mexico, and Alaska while candidates in Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska are behind but gaining momentum.
Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) stated that elections are also looking promising for Democrats on the House side of the Hill. He said that the DCCC is focusing on early contact and persuasion, launching “Get Out and Vote” campaigns in 50 districts throughout the United States. With a Democratic-controlled White House and Congress, Van Hollen said policies concerning stem cell research, children’s health care, Iraq, and gas prices would be successfully addressed.
Veterans in the congressional elections
General Clark emphasized fully funding veterans health care and education, “particularly at a time when so few of us are paying any price in this war... and there’s a declining number of people who’ve have military experience in Congress.” Clark said, “we need to do a better job at bringing younger veterans into the political process, and especially giving them a chance to run as democrats.”
VoteVets.org has endorsed several candidates who are veterans, raising thousands of dollars for their candidates running for U.S. Congress. The group's endorsed candidates are: John Boccieri, Ohio-16, Charlie Brown, California-4, Mike Lumpkin, California-52, Ashwin Madia, Minnesota-3 , Eric Massa, New York-29, Walt Minnick, Idaho-1, Jill Morgenthaler, Illinois-6, Gary Peters, Michigan-9, John Murtha, Pennsylviania-12, Steve Sarvi, Minnesota-2, Jim Martin, Georgia - U.S. Senate, and Rick Noriega, Texas – U.S. Senate, as well as incumbents Reps. Patrick Murphy, Joe Sestak, Chris Carney, and Tim Walz.