Disclosure: I worked for the Lamont campaign doing web design and production and some writing for the official blog (from 9/5/06 to 11/07/06).
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
"Throw The Bums Out"
That was the sentiment in Pennsylvania yesterday, where primary voters threw out 10 sitting state legislators, including the state senate Republican leadership, and gave sex-scandal-plagued Rep. Don Sherwood (R) a huge scare versus a relatively unknown challenger.
While these results were mainly due to a local issue (the legislature voted themselves a middle-of-the-night pay raise last year), such anti-incumbent feeling isn't limited to any one party in any one state. In Hawaii, a surprising poll shows 16-year incumbent Sen. Daniel Akaka (D) only 2 points ahead of challenger Rep. Ed Case (D) in the Democratic primary. In Rhode Island, Steve Laffey (R) continues to close in on Sen. Lincoln Chafee. And almost 70 percent of the country thinks we're on the "wrong track."
This can't be good news for incumbents anywhere. Including George Bush's Favorite Incumbent Democrat.
While these results were mainly due to a local issue (the legislature voted themselves a middle-of-the-night pay raise last year), such anti-incumbent feeling isn't limited to any one party in any one state. In Hawaii, a surprising poll shows 16-year incumbent Sen. Daniel Akaka (D) only 2 points ahead of challenger Rep. Ed Case (D) in the Democratic primary. In Rhode Island, Steve Laffey (R) continues to close in on Sen. Lincoln Chafee. And almost 70 percent of the country thinks we're on the "wrong track."
This can't be good news for incumbents anywhere. Including George Bush's Favorite Incumbent Democrat.