Local Greenbelt, Maryland Mayor Colin Byrd announced that he will challenge House Majority Leader and 21-term incumbent Representative Steny Hoyer (D-Mechanicsville) in the 2022 Democratic primary. Mayor Byrd, who was elected to his position when just 27 years of age, said that Mr. Hoyer "can no longer represent adequately more diverse places like Prince George’s County and Charles County." In 2020, Mr. Hoyer also faced a Democratic primary challenge and was re-nominated with a 64-27% margin.
Though he is not likely to unseat the veteran congressional leader, Mayor Byrd has the potential of becoming a credible challenger, so this situation merits watching. Yesterday, we mentioned that former Massachusetts state Representative Geoff Diehl (R-Plymouth), who was the Republican US Senate nominee against incumbent Elizabeth Warren (D) in 2018, is a potential Republican primary challenger to Gov. Charlie Baker. Today, we see several Democratic names coming to the forefront.
Already announced is Harvard University political theorist Danielle Allen. Media reports suggest that Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone (D) is also testing the waters for a statewide run. They also mention top Democratic politicos such as Attorney General Maura Healey, Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-Newton), Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, and former state Senator Ben Downing as possible candidates, but there is no evidence that any of them will launch a campaign. Despite Massachusetts’ strong Democratic foundation, Gov. Baker appears well positioned to win a third term. The Electoral College members met yesterday in the 50 state capitals and officially made Democrat Joe Biden President-Elect of the United States. Unlike in many years – in 2016, for example, seven electors did not support the candidate of their state – the total was exactly 306-232 electoral votes, properly reflecting the split from the eligible voting electorates.
In 29 states and the District of Columbia, the electors are bound by state law to cast the electoral vote at the direction of the voters. In 21 states, however, the electors are free to stray from the state mandate. After today’s vote, the totals will be reported to the Congress on January 6th, at which point, Mr. Biden will be officially elected. Fresh from losing his congressional seat, freshman Rep. T.J. Cox (D-Fresno) said yesterday that he will run again in 2022. Mr. Cox lost to former US Rep. David Valadao (R-Hanford/Bakersfield) in November by 1,522 votes, or one full percentage point. In 2018, Mr. Cox unseated Rep. Valadao by 862 votes.
The two, however, are already not alone in the 2022 candidate field. Former state Assemblywoman Nicole Parra (D-Hanford), who served a stormy three-term stint in the legislature more than a decade ago when the term limits law only allowed her a six-year service period, has already announced that she will be a congressional candidate in the next election cycle. Ms. Parra was barred from her office for a period of time for refusing to support the Democratic leadership on certain legislative bills. She has several times endorsed Republican candidates since leaving office and accepted an appointment from then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R). After calling for Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s (R) resignation for his handling of the November 3rd voting procedures, Sen. David Perdue (R) and appointed Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R) are again joining forces to publicly criticize their fellow Republican.
Yesterday, the two issued statements demanding that Raffensperger release the new registered voters list, something he has failed to do even though the registration period ended on December 7th. The two are concerned because of progressive left organizations encouraging people to move to Georgia for a short time in order to vote in the runoff elections. As the Senators explained, early voting began yesterday and there is no official updated voter registration list available to determine who is a lawful voter. Former Massachusetts state Representative Geoff Diehl (R-Plymouth), who was the Republican US Senate nominee against incumbent Elizabeth Warren (D) in 2018, is making political noises suggesting he is considering challenging Gov. Charlie Baker (R) for re-nomination.
Gov. Baker continues to be rated as one of the most liked Governors in the nation, often placing first in such polling among the 50 state chief executives, but those strong numbers largely come from the state’s Democratic voters. His standing within his own Republican Party is much weaker. Gov. Baker is expected to seek a third term in 2022. This is a developing story. With all the presidential lawsuit challenges virtually wound down, the appointed Electoral College members will convene in the 50 state capitals today to officially cast their electoral votes for President of the United States. Based upon the voting and official certifications from the various states, former Vice President Joe Biden will secure majority support. His total should reach 306 electoral votes, unless electors in the 21 states where their votes are not bound by state law decide upon a different course. From the 29 states and the District of Columbia, which do bind their electoral tabulations, Mr. Biden will receive 178 votes and President Trump 124.
After today’s vote, the totals will be reported to the Congress on January 6th, at which point, Mr. Biden will be officially elected. A pair of newly released Georgia Senate runoff polls again find the two races in toss-up mode. The Atlanta-based Trafalgar Group (12/8-10; 1,018 GA likely runoff voters; combination online and text responses) sees Sen. David Perdue (R) and documentary filmmaker Jon Ossoff (D) tied at 49% apiece. In the special election, Trafalgar posts appointed Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R) to a three-point lead over Rev. Raphael Warnock (D), 50-47%.
The Fabrizio Ward/Hart Research team, featuring a bipartisan Republican and Democratic survey research approach (11/30-12/4; 1,250 GA likely voters; live interview with an emphasis on those 50 years of age and older), on behalf of the AARP organization, projects a similar result in the pair of campaigns but with the Democrats in better position. Fabrizio/Hart data finds Mr. Ossoff holding a two-point, 48-46% lead, with Rev. Warnock up a point, 47-46%, over Sen. Loeffler. It is important to remember, however, that the Trafalgar data is the more recent of the two surveys. The time difference between the two is ten days from the beginning of the earlier poll to the conclusion of the latter. State Sen. Amanda Chase (R-Midlothian), who last week said that she would run for Governor in 2021 as an Independent once she saw that the state Republican Party had scheduled a convention to nominate their candidate instead of a primary, has changed her mind again. Sen. Chase issued a statement over the weekend saying that she again intends to enter the Republican nomination process.
State Delegate Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights), the former state House Speaker, is the early favored candidate to win the party nomination, however. Democrats, in a primary election, are expected to nominate former Governor Terry McAuliffe who will be the favorite in the general election in a state that has moved decidedly toward the Democrats. On Saturday, North Carolina State Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley conceded her statewide judicial election to Republican Paul Newby, an Associate Justice of the court. After a full recount and the beginning of a hand sampling recount, Ms. Beasley ended the race, losing with a margin of just 413 votes from more than 5.4 million ballots cast.
Because the North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice appoints special judicial panels, the new Republican chief justice will have the power to set the three-judge panels who will eventually hear redistricting challenges once the legislature enacts post reapportionment maps. North Carolina will receive at least one new congressional seat when the new apportionment is announced sometime after the first of the year. |
The Rundown BlogLearn more about the candidates running in key elections across the United States. Archives
April 2024
Categories
All
|
|
BIPAC© 2022 BIPAC. All rights reserved
|