With 2 weeks to go, candidates tout bios and policies in MS governor's race
Two Mississippi gubernatorial candidates released television ads this week, while a third proposed a funding package for the state's education system.
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Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood (D) began airing his first ad in the state's Democratic gubernatorial primary. The ad, titled "A Day in the Life", depicts Hood fixing a lawnmower and reloading ammunition and discusses his record as state attorney general.
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In the Republican primary, former state Supreme Court Justice Bill Waller Jr. (R) began running an ad titled "Schools.” In the ad, Waller says he would move to increase teacher pay and expand access to vocational training.
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Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves (R) released his "Ready to Work" plan. It calls for a $100 million expenditure that would make Mississippi eligible to receive funds from the federal Ready to Work program by funding career training programs at state colleges, limiting tuition costs for students pursuing certain degrees to $20,000, and expanding access to computer science classes at the K-12 level.
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Eight Democrats and three Republicans are seeking their parties' gubernatorial nominations in the August 6 primary. If no candidate wins a majority of the vote, the top two finishers will advance to an August 27 runoff.
Self-funding challenger leads three other Houston mayoral candidates—including Mayor Turner—in fundraising
Attorney Tony Buzbee led Houston mayoral candidates in fundraising during the first half of 2019, according to financial reports filed with the city.
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Buzbee reported receipts of $5.5 million, more than three times as much as any other candidate. He is not accepting contributions and is choosing to self-finance his campaign. Incumbent Sylvester Turner was second with just under $1.7 million raised, while businessman Bill King raised $680,000 and City Councillor Dwight Boykins raised $140,000.
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Buzbee also led the four in cash on hand, with $5.1 million as of June 30 to Turner's $3.2 million, King's $320,000, and Boykins' $70,000.
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Candidates have until August 26 to file to run in the nonpartisan election. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote in the November 5 general election, a runoff will be held between the top two finishers on December 14. Under Houston's strong mayor-council system, the mayor serves as chief executive with powers including proposing a budget, signing legislation into law, appointing department heads, and overseeing city council meetings.
$2.5 million raised so far in Seattle City Council races
On Monday, campaign finance reports became available in Seattle for 53 candidates across seven city council races. The reports covered the period through July 15 and showed a total of $2.5 million raised and $1.7 million spent. District 3 incumbent Kshama Sawant raised the most of all candidates, with $214,882 in contributions. The second-highest fundraiser was Logan Bowers, who is one of five candidates challenging Sawant in District 3, with $92,240. Third was Alex Pedersen who raised $91,320. He’s facing nine other candidates for the open District 4 seat.
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The races with the highest average contribution amount per candidate are those for District 3 and District 1—races with incumbents whose re-election bids are being opposed by the local Chamber of Commerce political action committee.
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The District 3 race drew the most campaign contributions both overall and on a per-candidate average basis. The six candidates have brought in a total of $596,105—an average of $99,351 per candidate.
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In District 1, where incumbent Lisa Herbold faces two challengers, the average amount raised per candidate was $69,925. Herbold had raised the most of the three, with $78,967 in contributions.
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Seven of nine city council seats are up for election in Seattle, with a primary election August 6 and general election on November 5. The races have seen satellite spending from the local Chamber of Commerce PAC, and many candidates have received funds from the Democracy Voucher program, a public financing program in which residents distribute $25 vouchers to candidates of their choosing. As of July 16, $1.3 million had been distributed to 35 candidates participating in the voucher program.
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Across all seven districts, 15 candidates had raised more than $75,000. Participation in the Democracy Voucher Program requires candidates to agree to a $75,000 spending limit in the primary; however, that limit can be lifted in a few cases, including if a challenger (who is not participating in the program) raises or spends above that level or if satellite spending in the race exceeds it. Spending limits have been lifted in all but the District 5 race, where incumbent Debora Juarez faces five opponents.
Kentucky gubernatorial candidates square off at forum
Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear (D) and Governor Matt Bevin (R) attended a debate hosted by the Kentucky Farm Bureau on Wednesday. The two discussed agricultural issues, the state budget, public pensions, and taxes during the hourlong forum.
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Bevin told the audience that the 2019 election has national implications, saying he was actively working to support President Trump's agenda and citing Beshear's support of Hillary Clinton in 2016. Beshear, meanwhile, questioned Bevin's temperament, and told the crowd Bevin would "attack, bully, and demean your employees."
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Beshear, Bevin, and John Hicks (L) are running in the gubernatorial election on November 5. Heading into the election, Kentucky is a Republican trifecta. If Bevin wins, Republicans will maintain their trifecta control of the state, while a Beshear or Hicks victory would result in divided government in the state.
Two Louisiana gubernatorial candidates each report having over $9 million for campaign
Republican businessman Eddie Rispone and incumbent Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) both reported having more than $9 million available for this fall’s gubernatorial top-two primary, according to campaign finance reports published this week. The reports showed Rispone with $9.8 million in cash on hand, Edwards with $9.6 million, and state Rep. Ralph Abraham (R) with $1.3 million. Rispone had spent $1.5 million to Edwards' $1.4 million since the beginning of the year. Abraham spent $613,000.
Ballot Measures Update
2019:
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Twenty-two statewide measures are certified for the 2019 ballot so far in Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington.
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Four of the 26 states with a process for citizen-initiated measures allow for ballot initiatives or veto referendums on ballots in any odd-numbered years: Colorado, Maine, Ohio, and Washington.
2020:
Special Elections
So far this year, 65 state legislative special elections have been scheduled in 24 states. Special elections have been held for 49 seats so far; heading into those races, Democrats had previously controlled 29 of the seats while Republicans previously controlled 20. 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.
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In special elections between 2011 and 2018, one party (either Republicans or Democrats) saw an average net gain of four seats nationally each year.
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An average of 91 seats were filled through special elections in each of the past four odd years (2011: 94, 2013: 84, 2015: 88, 2017: 98).
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An average of 55 seats were filled through special elections in each of the past five even years (2010: 26, 2012: 45, 2014: 40, 2016: 65, 2018: 99).
Upcoming special elections include:
July 30
States in session
Five states—Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, and Wisconsin—are in regular session. Alaska and Kentucky are in special session. California, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia are in recess. Thirty-eight states have adjourned their 2019 legislative sessions.
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