NEBRASKA  

Republican Governors Association

RGA Congratulates Pete Ricketts On Nebraska Gubernatorial Primary Victory

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Republican Governors Association Chairman Chris Christie issued the following statement regarding the outcome of tonight’s gubernatorial primary election in Nebraska:

“From among a strong field of candidates, Nebraska Republicans tonight placed their confidence in a natural leader and true fiscal conservative, Pete Ricketts. With years of private sector business experience under his belt and a deep-seated drive to uphold Nebraska values, Ricketts will bring unmatched perspective and savvy to the governor’s office. Ricketts will lead Nebraska with passion and purpose, building upon Governor Heineman’s commitment to limited, efficient government and preserving the state’s proud tradition as a great place to live, work, start a business and raise a family. The Republican Governors Association is proud to support Pete Ricketts’ campaign and congratulates him on his victory tonight.”

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee

DCCC Statement on Congressman Lee Terry’s Shockingly Narrow Primary Election in NE-02

From Brandon Lorenz of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee:

“Congressman Terry managed an underwhelming win by massively outspending his primary opponent and running a campaign that was again called onto the carpet by fact checkers for his misleading rhetoric. Congressman Terry has made it clear he’s going to engage in the exact same kind of false attacks and mudslinging that turned off voters and local editorial boards in his last campaign. No matter how hard he tries to distort his record, he can’t run away from his record of pushing to raise the retirement age, end the guarantee of Medicare and privatize Social Security.”

  WEST VIRGINIA 

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee

MEMO: WV Dems Poised to Run Winning Races In Every Congressional District

TO: Interested Parties

FR: DCCC Communications

DT: May 13, 2014

RE: WV Dems Poised to Run Winning Races In Every Congressional District 

For the first time in years, West Virginia Democrats are entering the general election season poised to run winning races in every district in the state.  

These West Virginia Democrats are running on a brand of commonsense independence, a commitment to growing the economy for everyone and proven records of standing up for West Virginia’s way of life. In contrast, their opponents have already shown they are not on the side of West Virginia’s working families – pushing a reckless agenda that prioritizes billionaires, corporations that ship jobs overseas and shadowy special interests at the expense of hardworking West Virginia families.

Entering the general election, here’s the state of the races in West Virginia.

WV-03: West Virginians Sticking With Representative Nick Rahall

Representative Nick Rahall is beloved by West Virginians for his consistent record of fighting for West Virginia’s way of life: standing up for coal workers, protecting Social Security and Medicare, and standing up to anyone in Washington who would hurt working families.  

While out-of-state billionaires have wasted more than $1 million dollars targeting Representative Rahall with deceptive ads, West Virginians aren’t buying the lies these New York City billionaires are peddling – with two recent polls showing Representative Rahall leading Jenkins by 9 points and 12 points. The Charleston Gazette said it best: “The big money players trying to defeat Rahall don’t care about the lives and health of West Virginians. Congressman Rahall does.”

There’s a simple explanation why these out-of state billionaires are propping up Evan Jenkins – they know he’ll push their reckless agenda in Washington and help them profit off West Virginia workers. Jenkins has already made it clear he’d be a perfect, spineless puppet: he was for the Affordable Care Act before he was against it, voted against raising the minimum wage and would even make it harder for miners and their survivors to get black lung benefits.

Meanwhile, everyday West Virginians are making their feelings heard loud and clear: holding “Stand with Nick” rallies across the district in an early signal of the campaign’s grassroots strength.  

WV-02: Vicious Republican Primary Sets Stage for Democratic Victory

Congresswoman Capito’s Senate run created “chaos and uncertainty,” as a field of seven “underwhelming” candidates fought it out in a divisive and expensive primary. The Intelligencer wrote that Republican infighting delivered “a self-inflicted shot in the foot in the Second District,” while Roll Call wrote that “Observers from both parties agreed: This seat is in play for Democrats, and it shouldn’t be.”

Republicans have now nominated their worst possible candidate: Alex “Maryland” Mooney. An out-of-state carpetbagger whose campaign is being funded by D.C. special interests, Mooney has already taken heat in the primary for callously district-shopping to advance his political ambitions.

The primary has dragged Maryland Mooney far out of step from mainstream West Virginia values. Maryland Mooney admitted he supports privatizing Social Security and Medicare, forcing seniors to gamble with their retirement on the stock market. And Maryland Mooney even endorsed the Republican budget that would end the Medicare guarantee for seniors, raise taxes on working families and make it harder for miners to receive black lung benefits – all to give more money to the wealthiest few and mega-corporations that ship jobs overseas.

Democrats are united behind native West Virginian Nick Casey – a CPA who’s known for being tight with a buck and is running on a record of commonsense independence and a commitment to bringing folks together to solve problems.

WV-01: Auditor Glen Gainer, A Strong Candidate With Record of Cutting Wasteful Spending

After two terms too long in Washington, Congressman David McKinley is doing nothing but contributing to the gridlock that is hurting West Virginians. McKinley’s actions in Washington speak louder than his words at home. He voted 16 times to keep the government shut down and take billions out of the economy while jeopardizing West Virginia seniors’ Social Security checks, military pay and care for miners suffering from black lung. Congressman McKinley also sided with special interests instead of West Virginia middle class families when he voted against raising the minimum wage for hardworking West Virginians.  

Congressman McKinley’s record of dysfunction stands in stark contrast to trusted fiscal watchdog Glen Gainer, who has devoted his career to cutting wasteful spending and making government do more with less. Auditor Gainer will bring West Virginia’s values of commonsense, results-oriented leadership to Washington.

National Republican Congressional Committee

NRCC Memo: West Virginia Primary Results

TO: Interested Parties
FROM: NRCC Political and NRCC Communications
DATE: MAY 13, 2014
SUBJECT: West Virginia Primary Results
 
With President Obama’s approval ratings continuing to tank nationwide, Republicans candidates in the 2nd and 3rd District of West Virginia are on the brink of turning West Virginia red. In both districts, Mitt Romney trounced Barack Obama in 2012 – in the 2nd District Romney defeated Obama 60% to 38% and in the 3rd District Romney won 65% to 33%. That was a clear referendum on Obama’s War on Coal which threatens to end West Virginia’s economy as we know it.
 
Since the 2012 election, Obama has become even more unpopular both nationally and in West Virginia. ObamaCare resulted in thousands of West Virginians being kicked off their health care plan, and a recent report shows that the Mountain State may feel the negative effects of ObamaCare more than the rest of the country. Add in Obama’s push for even more stringent emissions standards, the recipe spells disaster for Democrats this November.
  
When all is said and done on election day this November, Democrat challengers will be unable to mount serious challenges in the 1st and 2nd District, and Nick Rahall’s support of cap-and-trade, a carbon tax, and ObamaCare will result in Rahall’s defeat.
  
WV-02: Alex Mooney, R vs. Nick Casey, Jr., D
 
The son of Cuban refugees, Alex Mooney grew up to experience all that America has to offer for those who come to this country to work hard.  As a young man, Alex worked as an aide on Capitol Hill and saw Washington’s wasteful ways firsthand. Alex is committed to fighting back against Obama’s War on Coal, ObamaCare, and a destructive agenda that is stifling West Virginia’s economy.
 
Nick Casey Jr. is the ultimate Obama Democrat. As chair of the West Virginia Democratic Party, he not only campaigned for Obama over John McCain, but even supported Obama over Hillary Clinton. Casey called Obama “inspirational” and lauded Obama as the most “bipartisan president” ever. Furthermore, Casey showed his enthusiasm for the president’s health care plan by sponsoring a 2009 ObamaCare bus tour with Obama’s Super PAC and supporting a nationalized health care system.
 
In what is now an infamous speech, Casey said that “John McCain is confident that ignorant, redneck racists are not going to vote for Barack Obama, because Barack Obama is black.” McCain ultimately won 55% of the vote in West Virginia’s 2nd District. Casey Jr. will have to spend the next several months running from his hateful rhetoric and his unabashed support of President Obama
 
Geography: PVI: R+11; Romney 60%; Obama 38%. The 2nd District stretches from the Ohio River on the border of Ohio to the Potomac River on the border of Maryland. The district includes West Virginia’s capital city of Charleston, as well as the Eastern Panhandle and the Potomac Highlands region. Since 2001, the district has been represented by Republican Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito and has voted for the Republican nominee for President the past four presidential elections. Both the Cook Political Report and the Rothenberg Report rate it as Lean Republican.  
  
WV-03: Rep. Evan Jenkins, R v. Nick Rahall, D
 
Like most West Virginians, Evan Jenkins was unwilling to sit back as President Obama declared a War on Coal and the very lifeblood of West Virginia’s economy. Choosing to fight against President Obama’s destructive agenda, Jenkins switched parties and is running for Congress as a Republican. Jenkins has a strong record of standing up for the coal industry and the health of hard working coal miners and he will continue to do so in Washington.
 
Jenkins is running against 37-year Congressman Nick Rahall. Rahall has proven himself to be the ultimate Washington insider, cutting beltway deals that may help his political career, but most certainly hurt hard working families in West Virginia. Whether Rahall is supporting cap-and-trade, voting for a carbon tax, or repeating President Obama’s Lie of the Year on ObamaCare, Rahall has been called a “creature of Washington” whose voting record against his state's economic interests is astounding.
 
Even Rahall’s supposed support has highlighted his two-faced nature. A recent ad aired by the anti-coal House Majority PAC unwittingly put a spotlight on the fact that Rahall was a significant investor in Massey Energy and quietly sold his interest the day after the Upper Big Branch tragedy.
 
Geography: PVI: R+14; Romney 65%; Obama 33%. The 3rd District encompasses the southern third of West Virginia and includes the state second largest city Huntington, as well as Beckley, Bluefield, and Princeton. Both Cook Political Report and Rothenberg rate this race as a tossup. 
 
STATEWIDE ROUNDUP
 
The following are the unofficial results from Tuesday’s primary election in West Virginia.  These results are unofficial and incomplete.
 
*Indicates Winner determined by AP
 
WV-02 – REP Primary    
 
349 of 558 Precincts Reporting - 63%      
               
Alex Mooney*                  32%
Charlotte Lane                  21%
Ken Reed                            17%
Steve Harrison                  15%
Ron Walters Jr.                  8%
Jim Moss                             5%
Robert Fluharty                1%
 
WV-02 – DEM Primary  
 
349 of 558 Precincts Reporting - 63%
               
Nick Casey Jr.*                  59%
Meshea Poore                  41%
               
WV-03 – DEM Primary  
 
409 of 662 Precincts Reporting - 66%
               
Nick Rahall*                        65%
Richard Ojeda                    35%

Senate Conservatives Fund

May 13, 2014

Ben Sasse Wins Nebraska Senate Race

ALEXANDRIA, VA — The Senate Conservatives Fund (SCF) issued the following statement after Midland University President Ben Sasse (R-NE) was declared the winner of the Republican primary election for U.S. Senate in Nebraska.

"Ben Sasse won this race because he never stopped fighting for conservative principles," said SCF Executive Director Matt Hoskins. "Ben Sasse will lead the fight to repeal Obamacare and enact reforms that give patients greater control over their own health care decisions. He will fight to stop wasteful taxpayer spending and balance the budget."

SCF invested $1.1 million supporting Ben Sasse in this race. SCF raised $378,000 in direct contributions for the Sasse campaign and spent $722,000 on independent expenditures, including two statewide television ads.

Watch "Rock Solid" and "Message"

Senate Conservatives Fund is a grassroots organization that works to elect principled leaders to the U.S. Senate. SCF has helped elect several rising Republican stars such as Ted Cruz (R-TX), Mike Lee (R-UT), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Marco Rubio (R-FL).

Club for Growth PAC

May 13, 2014

Club for Growth PAC Congratulates Ben Sasse

Club for Growth President Chris Chocola: “Congratulations to Ben Sasse, who won a hard-fought primary by building his campaign on the simple idea that ObamaCare is a disaster that needs to be repealed.” 

Washington, DC - Tonight, the Club for Growth PAC congratulated Ben Sasse on his victory in the Republican primary for Nebraska’s U.S. Senate seat. 

Club members contributed $363,018 directly to Sasse's campaign through the Club for Growth PAC. The Club’s Super-PAC, Club for Growth Action, spent nearly $500,000 in support of Sasse’s candidacy. The Club’s PAC endorsed Sasse for the Senate in November of 2013. 

“Congratulations to Ben Sasse, who won a hard-fought primary by building his campaign on the simple idea that ObamaCare is a disaster that needs to be repealed,” said Club for Growth President Chris Chocola. “Ben clearly articulated a conservative vision to Nebraska voters who rewarded him with their votes. Club members strongly responded to our appeal for support for Sasse and we’re confident that he’ll be a champion of economic freedom when he is elected to the Senate in November.”

Tea Party Express

posted on May 14, 2014

Tea Party Roars Forward After Sweeping Election Night

Sacramento, CA – Tea Party Express, the nation’s largest Tea Party political action committee, congratulates Tea Party-backed candidates Ben Sasse (NE-Senate) and Alex Mooney (WV-2) for their primary victories tonight.

 Tea Party Express’ Executive Director Taylor Budowich said, “Political pundits love to role-play as coroners, but they aren’t very good at it. For the past week the mainstream media has been pushing the recycled ‘Tea Party is Dead’ headlines, but tonight’s results show how again they’ve got it wrong. What these pundits don’t understand is the power of the grassroots and the broad appeal of the Tea Party’s message of fiscal responsibility and economic growth.

 “The victories of Ben Sasse and Alex Mooney tonight, coupled with the victory of Curt Clawson in Florida in late April, prove the Tea Party’s momentum is continuing to roar forward. Just look at the races where the Tea Party movement is united and we’re winning. Our goal is to stop the Democrats and their liberal, big government policies that are eroding America’s fiscal solvency, limiting job growth, and infringing on our liberties, and we’re looking toward the real test in November, during the General Election, as we fight to take control of the Senate and expand our influence in the House by defeating Democrats with bold, Tea Party conservatives,” Budowich concluded.
FRC Action PAC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 14, 2014
CONTACT: J.P. Duffy or Darin Miller

FRC Action PAC Applauds Ben Sasse, Alex Mooney, Lee Terry Election Victories

May 14, 2014

WASHINGTON, D.C. - FRC Action PAC, the political action committee associated with the Family Research Council (FRC), congratulated Nebraska senate candidate Ben Sasse, West Virginia congressional candidate Alex Mooney, and U.S. Rep. Lee Terry (R-Neb.) on their primary wins last night.

FRC Action PAC President Connie Mackey made the following comments:

"FRC Action PAC was proud to offer an early endorsement to Ben Sasse in his race for the U.S. Senate. His strong record while serving in both the public and private sectors clearly resonates with voters. Many FRC Action PAC supporters across the state are impressed by his dedication to protecting mothers and their unborn children as well as preserving marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

"Alex Mooney will provide strong pro-family leadership in Congress. He is devoted to promoting policies that value human life, protect religious liberty, and uphold the institutions of marriage and the family. We look forward to working closely with him in the House of Representatives.

"I commend both Ben Sasse and Alex Mooney for running principled campaigns and laying out a vision for putting our country back on track. We also congratulate Congressman Lee Terry, a strong pro-family ally in Congress, on his victory, " concluded Mackey.

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