Friday, October 05, 2007
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MA-5: "There is real concern here."
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Posted by:
Patrick Ruffini at
10:49 AM
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Could MA-5 really be the perfect storm? Yes: - The pre-election FEC reports are out and Niki Tsongas (who’s raised $1.89 million!) now has only $20,000 more in cash-on-hand that Jim Ogonowski. And that’s only because Tsongas was forced to give herself a $50,000 loan.
- Stoller talks with Democratic insiders and reports on the widespread belief that this race is inside of 10 points, writing, ominously, that “There is real concern here.”
- John Kerry has sent a fundraising e-mail to his 2004 list to prop up Tsongas in what should be a slam dunk seat. UPDATE: In fact, John Kerry, the only Democrat who failed to carry MA-5 in the last 36 years, singles out this blogger and Rightroots in his desperate appeal for T$onga$:
Patrick Ruffini, Bush-Cheney 04 Internet Director, has begun to try to rally the “right roots,” as they like to call themselves, to the cause of Niki’s opponent. They want to create a moment for Republicans like you have created for Democrats a number of times: a surprise showing (even a surprisingly close loss) that can energize the national Republicans and give that party some small spark of hope. Don’t let them - instead, please help Niki remind them that they are on the wrong side of history. Remember what I learned in Lowell - no race is in the bag till the votes are counted, and we can’t give the right and their favorite mouthpieces any room to find vindication anywhere, especially not in Massachusetts.
It probably says something about Kerry that this went un-noticed for 24 hours. - Finally, Tsongas is going negative on Ogonowski. You don’t run ads like this if you’re comfortably ahead.
(By the way, why is she using a Tennessee flag in an ad about Massachusetts?) Ogonowski may not be a perfect Republican, but just imagine the shockwave a victory or razor-tight finish in MA-5 would send. Imagine the impact it would have on the landscape in the battle for the House in 2008. Imagine what it would do for candidate recruitment. In 1995, Republicans were optimistic about another romp in ‘96. I remember going to D.C. that summer and being told by a high-ranking GOP Congressman that we would gain another 30 seats in 1996. The GOP was a lock for a repeat performance, until they stumbled and the government shutdown ended the election a year early. MA-5 may not be quite as big, but it would signal the beginning of a real reversal of fortune, and give Republicans confidence to go after purple and blue districts again after a long time in the doldrums. Can we do 200 donors before next Friday, the Friday before the election? And if you live in New England, volunteer. Even $5 or $10 counts towards the goal. This election matters and Democrats are running scared.
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Wait: wasn't Lowell where Cameron Kerry was arrested for breaking into John F.'s opponents office during St. John's run for Congress in 1972? It sure was! [I wish I could post the article from the NYT about that little infraction here, but those with Lex-Nex access can find it. It's one of my favorite Kerry moments, though it got exactly zero coverage in 2004.] |
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Whenever you give, you get on all these mailing lists and they snail mail spam you. I can only give 10 or 20 dollars, and they will spend more then that on postage, soliciting more funds. If I could give, and opt out of getting spammed, I would. If you ever talk to the candidates, please ask them about putting an opt-out button on their web sites. |
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Is the GOP the party of Larry Craig? Let me know when he finally hangs it up (his career, that is), then ask me. As you see, not a lot of interest in this post, just as there is little for Republicans in general. |
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have to do with giving to Ogonowski's campaign? The GOP can't force Craig to resign. They can pressure him, and they are. That in itself is a 180 from the Democrat standard playbook. |
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Well, a big part of the GOP defeat in Nov we Foley and the pages. Now we have Craig. Yes, its unfair to pin him on Ogonowski, but Republican is a brand name, and it being branded by its financial and sexual scandals. The GOP used to represent morality, but not longer, in my book. |
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why a bunch of fence-sitters and swing voters decided to vote (D) in 2006. We are talking about why you would choose not to send money to Ogonowski. I doubt any political junkies sat out 2006 or voted (D) in 2006 because of Foley. I doubt that any Republican will decline to support Ogonowski due to a feeling of outrage over Craig. |
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The use of the term "perfect storm" has been banned until further notice. I guess you didn't get the memo. |
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Some strangeness on his site. Looks like it attempts to generate email recording amount and ccard. But it appears pre-wired to select both single instance and recurring contributions of $250.
Am happy to help, but this needs to be fixed. |
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Jasus, Pat, you do pick up the losing causes, boy. Ogonowski should be Goawaynowski. He doesn't represent anything in Massachusetts. Nicki wasn't my first choice, but now she looks like a good angel. |
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