Week of August 18, 2007
Opponents launch last-ditch attacks on Tsongas
The special election in Massachusetts's fifth congressional district is entering its final days, and things are getting heated. Frontrunner Niki Tsongas is facing a slew of negative attacks from opponents eager to dislodge her from the top spot. One opponent's attack at a recent forum was so blatantly false that it was recently discredited by those at the center of the claim.
Even as it defends Niki Tsongas against baseless attacks, the Tsongas campaign is working overtime to execute a voter turnout plan that will propel her to victory on Sept. 4. Predictions for turnout in this election, the day after Labor Day, are very low -- so low that a few hundred votes could make the difference between victory and defeat. In such a race, the frontrunner could easily become an also-ran -- so Tsongas is redoubling her efforts to get her positive message of change out to voters and counter the negativity coming from the rest of the field.
Clinton looks out for military families; widens lead in polls
While the Bush administration leisurely takes its time implementing the recommendations of the President's Commission on Care for America's Returning Wounded Warriors, Sen. Hillary Clinton has sprung into action. The commission recommended giving families of injured service members extended leave to care for a family member from the current 12 weeks to up to six months -- so Clinton pushed legislation to do just that through the Senate.
Clinton's Support for Injured Servicemembers Act, an amendment to the State Children's Health Insurance Program, passed with unanimous support in the Senate. "It is the right thing to do for our men and women in uniform and their families who have made tremendous sacrifices on our behalf," said Clinton, who has introduced more legislation helping wounded soldiers than any other senator.
Recent debates show that Hillary is strong, focused, and presidential -- and voters are responding, with Hillary surging ahead of her presidential rivals in recent polls. The latest CNN poll has Clinton ahead of her Democratic rivals by 20 points and the latest USA Today/Gallup poll shows Clinton leading by 22 points.
In his most recent "Crystal Ball" email newsletter, political pundit Larry Sabato calls women voters Hillary's "ace in the hole," noting that in 1992, women cast 53 percent of all Democratic primary ballots. "As the first major female presidential candidate, the historic nature of her candidacy is self-evident," he writes. "And she has underscored the importance of her own gender by making this vote-rich demographic a central emphasis of her campaign. That is smart politics."
OH-15 moves into Democratic takeover territory
After barely surviving the challenge of her career in 2006, Ohio Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce has decided not to seek a ninth term in 2008. Pryce was heading toward a brutal and costly rematch with her 2006 opponent, EMILY's List candidate and Franklin County Commissioner Mary Jo Kilroy, who came within 1,062 votes of defeating the incumbent in one of the tightest races of the election.
Pryce styled herself as a moderate to win repeatedly in this swing district, but sacrificed that image to gain power in a right-wing Congress. By 2006, she was the highest-ranking woman ever to serve in the GOP House leadership -- a position she attained by rubber stamping the Bush agenda, including the war in Iraq.
Even before Pryce's announcement, this race was seen as a promising opportunity for Democrats, largely because of Kilroy's strong challenge in 2006 and decision to run again. Pryce's retirement, which prompted the Rothenberg Political Report to move the seat from the "Lean Republican" to the "Toss Up" column in its ratings, puts Kilroy in a strong position to stage a Democratic takeover of this seat in 2008. However, Republicans will not let it go without a fight. They are scrambling to recruit a candidate and will likely pour millions into the district to keep the seat in GOP hands. Once again, the race for OH-15 will be one of the most hotly contested congressional races of the 2008 election.
EMILY's List endorses open seat candidates Chellie Pingree in ME-01 and Joan Fitz-Gerald in CO-02
EMILY's List is seizing two exciting opportunities to add new pro-choice Democratic women to the U.S. House: Chellie Pingree in Maine and Joan Fitz-Gerald in Colorado.
Both seats are being vacated by men who are running for the U.S. Senate. Keeping them in Democratic hands -- both seats are being targeted for takeover by the GOP -- is key to maintaining Democratic control of the House.
As majority leader of the Maine state Senate, Pingree spearheaded the nation's first law allowing a state to purchase prescription drugs in bulk -- guaranteeing lower prices for Maine's seniors. During her 2002 campaign for U.S. Senate, she took a courageous early stand against invading Iraq. The mother of three, Pingree spent the last four years as president of Common Cause, a national good government group. She is well-known in Maine as a strong, charismatic leader, but faces a crowded primary field of up to five challengers for this Democratic-leaning seat.
Colorado state Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald faces two wealthy opponents for the Democratic nomination in the state's second congressional district. A veteran of EMILY's List's Political Opportunity Program, Fitz-Gerald is a respected state leader who has fought for fiscal responsibility, environmental protections, stronger public schools, affordable health care, and equal rights for gay and lesbian citizens. The first woman state Senate president, Fitz-Gerald is also an outspoken defender of reproductive rights.
Pingree and Fitz-Gerald are regarded as the strongest Democrats in the field for Democratic seats that are vulnerable to Republican challenges. Early support from EMILY's List will make a big difference in their campaigns.
Campaign School trainees hit the trail
School's out -- Campaign School, that is -- and the newest 33 graduates of EMILY's List's Campaign Corps Campaign School have fanned out across the country to elect progressive candidates.
With their intensive weeklong campaign training behind them, some Campaign Corps staffers are working on targeted races in Virginia, Utah, New Jersey, and Michigan for the final three months leading up to the general election on Nov. 6. Several are on the campaigns of women supported by EMILY's List's Political Opportunity Program (POP) -- helping women candidates advance through the political pipeline to higher office.
A number are working to help pro-choice Democratic candidates prepare for tough 2008 elections in Maine and Indiana. Others went to work in the early presidential primary states of Iowa and South Carolina on Hillary Clinton's historic campaign to become the first woman president.
Eager and ready to hit the ground running, our Campaign Corps staffers have already begun to settle into life on the trail. As Campaign School was just the beginning, be sure to check back at www.emilyslist.org regularly for updates from our staffers in the field.