Mississippi governor candidates spar over debate schedule

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** LOUISIANA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES DISCUSS TAXES, MEDICAID EXPANSION IN FIRST TELEVISED DEBATE
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Incumbent John Bel Edwards (D), U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham (R), and businessman Eddie Rispone (R) participated in the first televised debate of the Louisiana gubernatorial election ([link removed]) Thursday. Oscar Dantzler (D), Gary Landrieu (independent), and Patrick Landry (R) are also running but did not meet debate inclusion criteria.

* The candidates discussed a range of topics including the sales tax, the role of local governments in deciding tax incentives for companies, a scholarship program for Louisiana's public colleges and universities, and Medicaid expansion in the state.
* Throughout the event, Edwards said he had brought the state from a budget deficit to a surplus, increased education funding, and expanded Medicaid. Both Rispone and Abraham said that they would lower taxes and increase jobs in the state. Abraham criticized Edwards, saying he relies too much on taxes and that he made cuts to the state scholarship program. Rispone emphasized his background as a businessman, calling Abraham and Edwards career politicians.
* The debate follows a week of noteworthy endorsements in the race. Edwards was backed by the Louisiana Sheriffs Association and the International Union of Police Associations. Abraham was endorsed by U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins (R). Rispone was backed by the Republican Women of Louisiana and GNOR PAC—a committee formed by Republicans of the Greater New Orleans Area.

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** HOOD (D), REEVES (R) SPAR OVER SCHEDULE OF DEBATES IN MISSISSIPPI'S GOVERNOR'S RACE
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The Hood and Reeves campaigns have clashed this week over the timing and number of debates in the Mississippi governor’s race. Both candidates have agreed to participate in an October 10 debate in Hattiesburg. Hood has also called for debates on October 17 and October 29, while Reeves has called for a debate on September 25.

Former Gov. Jeb Bush ([link removed]) (R-Fla.) announced Tuesday that he would hold a fundraiser for Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves ([link removed]) (R-Miss.) in Tupelo on October 1. Reeves is running against Attorney General Jim Hood ([link removed]) (D), Bob Hickingbottom (Constitution), and David Singletary (I) for the state's open gubernatorial seat.

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** NEW ADS, ENDORSEMENTS IN KENTUCKY GOVERNOR'S RACE
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Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin ([link removed]) (R) released a campaign ad addressing illegal immigration Monday. The ad says that while Attorney General Andy Beshear ([link removed]) (D), who is challenging Bevin for re-election ([link removed]) , would oppose proposed legislation outlawing sanctuary cities in Kentucky, Bevin would support the law. Also Monday, Beshear unveiled the endorsement of the Kentucky Fraternal Order of Police.

* The election is the culmination of a conflict between Bevin and Beshear which began nearly four years ago when each was elected to his current position. Marcus Dorsey of the Lexington Herald-Leader said of the relationship between Bevin and Beshear that "the two men found in each other a rival to battle in courtroom filings, newspaper headlines and social media posts." The campaign has elevated this conflict, with the candidates exchanging personal attacks. Bevin called Beshear’s family “crooked and corrupt,” while the Beshear campaign has called Bevin wild, unhinged, and a bully.
* Kentucky is currently one of 22 Republican state government trifectas, since Gov. Matt Bevin (R) is a Republican and the party has majorities in both chambers of the state legislature. No seats in the state legislature are up for regular election this year, so Democrats cannot gain a trifecta. A victory for Bevin would maintain Kentucky's Republican trifecta while a victory for Beshear or Libertarian nominee John Hicks would break it.

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** BOSTON HOLDS PRIMARIES FOR EIGHT OF 13 CITY COUNCIL SEATS
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In Massachusetts, four at-large seats and four district seats on the Boston City Council are up for primary ([link removed]) . The council has 13 seats; the other five seats are also on the ballot this year but are not holding a primary because two or fewer candidates filed per seat. The top two vote recipients in each primary will advance to the general election on November 5.

* In five of the eight races on the primary ballot, incumbents are making re-election bids. All four at-large incumbents—Michael Flaherty, Althea Garrison, Annissa Essaibi George, and Michelle Wu—are running for re-election, and they face 11 challengers in the primary. Since there are four at-large seats up, the top eight vote recipients in this primary will advance to the general election.
* The four district races on the primary ballot are Districts 5, 7, 8, and 9; only the District 7 incumbent, Kim Janey, is running for re-election, and she faces two challengers. The District 5 race features eight candidates running to succeed Tim McCarthy, the District 8 contest to succeed Josh Zakim has five candidates on the ballot, and the District 9 election to replace Mark Ciommo has a seven-candidate field.
* The five city council races not on the primary ballot are for Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6. District 4 is scheduled to hold a contested general election between incumbent Andrea Campbell and challenger Jeff Durham in November. The incumbents in the other four seats—Lydia Edwards in District 1, Edward Flynn in District 2, Frank Baker in District 3, and Matt O'Malley in District 6—are all running unopposed for re-election.

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** OKLAHOMA GOV. STITT (R) MAKES FIRST APPOINTMENT TO STATE SUPREME COURT
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Governor Kevin Stitt ([link removed]) (R) appointed ([link removed]) M. John Kane IV to the Oklahoma Supreme Court. Kane ([link removed]) replaced former Justice John Reif ([link removed]) , who retired on April 30, 2019. Kane is Stitt's first nominee to the nine-member supreme court; the governor was first elected in November 2018.

* Prior to this new appointment, Kane served as the Office 1 judge of the 10th District Court in Osage County, Oklahoma. He was appointed to that position in 2005. He was also an administrative law judge from 1999 to 2005 and an assistant district attorney from 1987 to 1989.
* Including Kane, three of the sitting Oklahoma Supreme Court justices were appointed by Republican governors. Five members were appointed by Democratic governors, and the remaining seat is vacant and will be the second seat that Stitt fills by appointment.

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** BALLOT MEASURES UPDATE
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** _2019_
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Thirty-six statewide measures ([link removed]) will be on 2019 ballots in Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington.

* Besides the 24 binding statewide measures, Washington voters will see 12 non-binding advisory votes ([link removed]) concerning revenue-increasing bills recently passed by the legislature that were automatically added to the ballot.
* With the certification of these 12 advisory votes in Washington, 2019 statewide ballot measures are finalized. Four Louisiana measures are on the Oct. 12 ballot. The rest will be on the Nov. 5 ballot.


** _2020_
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Thirty-nine statewide measures ([link removed]) in 18 states have been certified for the 2020 ballot so far. Five of the 39 certified 2020 measures are citizen-initiated measures. Thirty-three are legislative referrals. One is an automatic constitutional revision commission question.

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** STATE LEGISLATIVE SPECIAL ELECTIONS UPDATE
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So far this year, 76 state legislative special elections ([link removed]) have been scheduled in 24 states. Special elections have been held for 52 of those seats so far; heading into those races, Democrats had previously controlled 30 of the seats while Republicans previously controlled 22.

* Four seats have flipped from Democratic control to Republican control.
* One seat has flipped from Republican control to Democratic control.
* One seat has flipped from Republican control to an independent officeholder.


** UPCOMING SPECIAL ELECTIONS
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OCTOBER 1

* Georgia House of Representatives District 71 (runoff) ([link removed])
* South Carolina House of Representatives District 84 ([link removed])

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** STATE IN SESSION
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Five states—Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, and Wisconsin—are in regular session ([link removed]) . Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia are in recess. New Hampshire is in veto session. Forty states have adjourned their 2019 legislative sessions.

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