The 2010 U.S. Midterm Elections (Primaries Ongoing)

[Netto Azure]

Edit: That's the wrong Smiley, it's supposed to show a Question Mark. XD

Continuing our little chat here: https://www.pokecommunity.com/showthread.php?t=214656&highlight=MidTerm+2010

US primaries: Voters across states picking candidates

Two-term senator Blanche Lincoln faces a tough fight in Arkansas
​

Voters in 11 US states are choosing party candidates on Tuesday for the nation's mid-term general elections.
The elections in November are expected to trim the majorities in Congress held by President Barack Obama's Democratic Party.
Several incumbents face tough contests including Senator Blanche Lincoln in Arkansas.
Californians will also select their candidates for governor to replace the outgoing Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The busiest night of the primary calendar will see candidates chosen for seats in the US Senate, the House of Representatives and a number of governorships.
Polls suggest an unusually strong level of dissatisfaction with incumbents in 2010, and the results will be scrutinised for further indication of anti-Washington sentiment among voters.
The performance of candidates backed by the grassroots conservative Tea Party movement will also be closely watched.
The key contests include:

• Arkansas, where two-term Democratic senator Blanche Lincoln faces a tight run-off against Lt Gov Bill Halter
• California, where former Ebay CEO Meg Whitman is expected to be chosen as the Republican candidate to succeed Arnold Schwarzenegger as governor
• Nevada, where Tea Party favourite Sharron Angle heads fellow Republicans in a bruising fight for the chance to face Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
• South Carolina, where state Representative Nikki Hayley is hoping to become the first female governor, despite a campaign hit by allegations of infidelity

8 JUNE PRIMARY CONTESTS

• California
• Iowa
• Maine
• Montana
• Nevada
• New Jersey
• North Dakota
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Virginia
• Arkansas (run-off election)

Sadly I cannot vote in this Primary, but will be able in the November 2010 General Elections. As I've posted in the older thread:

My opinions California ballot initiatives in the

June 8, 2010 ballot:
https://www.ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/California_2010_ballot_propositions

Prop 13 (Yes): Seismic retrofitting should not add to property's tax assessed value
Prop 14 (No): Top two primary vote getters move to general regardless of party affiliation
Prop 15 (Yes): Public funding of politician's campaigns
Prop 16 (No): New two-thirds vote requirement for local public electricity providers
Prop 17 (No): Discount for those who have had continuous auto insurance coverage

November 2 Ballot:

Water Bonds (Yes): $11.1 billion bond to upgrade California's water system
Marijana Tax (Yes): Legalize and tax marijuana
Congressional Redistricting (Yes): Congressional district lines to be re-drawn by a committee

As for the 36th California District Democratic Primary: Marcy Winograd (PD)

 

[Esper]

I don't get to participate in all that primaries fun, but because I'm still a Green and it doesn't really matter since you're never going to see a Green win a senate seat.

Prop 13 (Yes): Seismic retrofitting should not add to property's tax assessed value
Prop 14 (No): Top two primary vote getters move to general regardless of party affiliation
Prop 15 (Yes): Public funding of politician's campaigns
Prop 16 (No): New two-thirds vote requirement for local public electricity providers
Prop 17 (No): Discount for those who have had continuous auto insurance coverage

I'm with you on all these. 16 and 17 are blatant attempts to skew things in favor of a few select companies. 14 has a good aim - reducing the influence of political parties on elections - but it's approach is all wrong and too risky and doesn't feel very fair.

 

[Netto Azure]

I don't get to participate in all that primaries fun, but because I'm still a Green and it doesn't really matter since you're never going to see a Green win a senate seat.

I'm with you on all these. 16 and 17 are blatant attempts to skew things in favor of a few select companies. 14 has a good aim - reducing the influence of political parties on elections - but it's approach is all wrong and too risky and doesn't feel very fair.

As I've said somewhere else, I would vote Green, but that would be futile outside of a US Congressional Race or State Legislature. D:

Results for the California Primary Yesterday:

Prop 13 (Passed): Seismic retrofitting should not add to property's tax assessed value
Prop 14 (Passed): Top two primary vote getters move to general regardless of party affiliation
Prop 15 (No): Public funding of politician's campaigns
Prop 16 (No): New two-thirds vote requirement for local public electricity providers
Prop 17 (No): Discount for those who have had continuous auto insurance coverage

I'm quite disappointed with the results on the Election Reform front. The so called Open Primary reform pretty much shuts out the 3rd Party candidates. And the voting down of Proposition 15 signifies that there is no stomach to counteract the US Supreme Court's disastrous FCC vs. Citizens United Case.

 

[Aggron1991]

Bill Halter lost in Arkansas. I'm not happy about that at all...I have good reason to believe that Blanche Lincoln stole that election--During the main primary, 42 polling stations were open in Halter stronghold Garland County, while only two were open for the runoff.

I don't live in Arkansas, but I paid attention to the Ark. race because Blanche Lincoln's re-nomination has national implications. 1) She isn't a real Democrat: She opposes Obama on much of his legislative agenda and has taken a hard line against labor unions and 2) There's no way she can win the general in November; Bill Halter actually had a shot. Thus, the reactionary-far-right GOP is one seat closer to taking back the Senate. God forbid...

As for me, I live in New Mexico, specifically the 1st Congressional District (Albuquerque), whose representative, Martin Heinrich (D) isn't in trouble and, barring a serious scandal, should be re-elected easily. There aren't any senate races in NM this year, but there is a Governor's race that is shaping up to be really competitive. As I understand it, Susanna Martinez (R) is running neck-and-neck with Lt. Gov Diane Denish (D). My vote's for Denish, but I'm worried that Martinez will be able to successfully tie Denish to the corruption of the administration of the current Democratic Governor (and former 2008 Presidential candidate), Bill Richardson.

tl;dr, GOP will probably pick up the Governor's seat in New Mexico.

 

[FreakyLocz14]

Meg Whitman is who I'm suporting for Governor. I was planning on supporting the GOP candidate no matter who it is since Jerry Brown was destined to be the Dem candidate and I would rather be beheaded than vote for Brown.

This is how I voted:
Prop 13 (Yes): Seismic retrofitting should not add to property's tax assessed value
Prop 14 (No): Top two primary vote getters move to general regardless of party affiliation
Prop 15 (Yes): Public funding of politician's campaigns
Prop 16 (No): New two-thirds vote requirement for local public electricity providers
Prop 17 (Hestitated, then voted No): Discount for those who have had continuous auto insurance coverage

My plans for November:
Water Bonds (Undecied, leaning No at this time): $11.1 billion bond to upgrade California's water system
Marijana Tax (Yes): Legalize and tax marijuana
Congressional Redistricting (Yes): Congressional district lines to be re-drawn by a committee]

Also, in my county, Sheriff Laurie Smith and District Attorney Dolores Carr were re-elected. Although they are the same politcal party as me, I disliked Carr's handling of the Phuong Ho case and Sheriff Smith as well as Carr's handling of the recent rape investigation at DeAnza College.

 

[Esper]

Meg Whitman is who I'm suporting for Governor. I was planning on supporting the GOP candidate no matter who it is since Jerry Brown was destined to be the Dem candidate and I would rather be beheaded than vote for Brown.

I won't be voting for Meg Whitman, but Jerry Brown doesn't thrill me either. Oh, how *wonderful* it is to have only two candidates with any real chance of winning and to dislike them both. I'm quite disappointed Prop 14 passed, but not surprised given the anti-establishment wave washing over people.