- Calendar « 2014 Mid-term Elections « Statements on August 26, 2014 Primary Results - AZ, FL, VT
[statements from evening of August 26 except DGA and NRCC statements on AZ which are from August 27]
RGA Congratulates Doug Ducey on Arizona Gubernatorial Primary Victory
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Republican Governors Association issued the following statement on the outcome of the Arizona gubernatorial primary election:
“Arizona has long been a state that gains its strength from common-sense state capital leadership, and Doug Ducey is the right candidate to continue that tradition as governor,” said RGA Chairman Chris Christie. “Ducey is a successful businessman, a job creator and a committed Arizonan, and most of all, he has a reformed-based plan to stimulate even more economic growth and opportunity in the state. The Republican Governors Association is proud to support Doug Ducey to be Arizona’s next governor.”
“This election is a choice between Doug Ducey, a principled leader who will do what’s best for Arizona’s future, and Fred DuVal, a far-left Democrat whose policies would reverse Arizona’s progress,” said RGA Executive Director Phil Cox. “Arizona has come too far to turn back now. Liberal lobbyist Fred DuVal can’t be counted on to do what’s right for Arizona.”
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Democratic Governors Association
August 27, 2014
DGA Statement on Primary Results in Arizona
“With Arizona Republicans finally finished with their extreme race to the far right, Fred DuVal enters the general election with the momentum required to become Arizona’s next governor. Fred has a real track record of delivering bipartisan results for the middle class and offers a clear vision for an economy that works for everyone. He created jobs as the leader of Clean Energy Fuels and helped lead Arizona’s universities during a period of deep budget cuts. Perhaps most importantly, Fred would bring honest leadership and the highest standard of integrity back to state government.
“In stark contrast, Republican Doug Ducey is a right-wing politician who made millions off failing businesses and left taxpayers with the tab for defaulted loans. While Fred was fighting to protect schools and secure a brighter economic future for students, Ducey and the legislature were massively underfunding K-12 education. Arizona’s middle-class families need a governor who will fight for a stronger and fairer economy, and that’s what they’d get in Fred DuVal.”
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National Republican Congressional Committee
TO: INTERESTED PARTIES
FROM: NRCC POLITICAL AND NRCC COMMUNICATIONS
DATE: AUGUST 27, 2014
SUBJECT: ARIZONA PRIMARY RESULTS
Arizona’s three vulnerable Democrats share one thing in common: They fundamentally don’t fit the districts they represent. Ann Kirkpatrick, Ron Barber and Kyrsten Sinema narrowly won their races in 2012 – two of them with under 50 percent of the vote – by telling voters they’d be independent. But over the last two years they’ve been anything but. With President Obama’s numbers plummeting in Arizona, and the border security crisis a real-life issue in this state, all three will have to answer for their loyal support for the president and opposition to common-sense solutions in Congress.
AZ-01: Andy Tobin OR Gary Kiehne, R v. Ann Kirkpatrick, D
As of this morning, the Associated Press has yet to call this close race.
The winner will face Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, who is one of the most vulnerable Democrat incumbents in the country. After getting ousted by voters in 2010 for voting for ObamaCare, Kirkpatrick has consistently voted against bipartisan fixes to this broken law since she’s been back in Congress. She even called ObamaCare her proudest vote. Kirkpatrick is abusive with taxpayer dollars – getting caught for paying campaign staff with her official congressional office budget. And on border security she has a long record of opposing efforts to keep Arizonans safe. In the Arizona Legislature, she voted against National Guard at the border, and she reaffirmed that vote again recently in Congress, voting against a common-sense border security package.
Geography: PVI: R+4; Romney 50.4% - Obama 47.9%. This massive congressional district stretches from metropolitan Tucson to the Grand Canyon, taking in dozens of rural towns and several Native American communities. The Obama administration’s regulatory overreach is playing out here for Arizonans in real time. Both Cook and Rothenberg rate this race as a Toss-Up.
AZ-02: Martha McSally, R v. Ron Barber, D
Ron Barber is more of a bystander in Washington than a congressman, and that’s having a devastating impact on Southern Arizona. For example, he ignored the threat to the A-10 for months, a critical economic issue in this district. Most recently, he voted against a common-sense border security package that would have provided desperately needed resources for Border Patrol and National Guard. He’s so out-of-touch, Barber praised the cuts ObamaCare made to Medicare Advantage. And often he won’t just be honest with Southern Arizonans – he wouldn’t even admit he was supporting President Obama in 2012 until the national media shamed him into fessing up. Southern Arizona is ready to move on and elect a representative who will put partisanship aside and do what’s right for the community.
Martha McSally has spent her life defending our country in uniform, fighting for women’s rights in the military and breaking glass ceilings. Now, she’s ready to advocate for Southern Arizonans in Congress. The first woman to fly in combat, McSally has a history of bucking her own party. She sued Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and successfully overturned a policy that treated women in the military as second-class citizens by requiring them to wear Muslim garb. McSally defied the odds in 2012, nearly defeating Barber in a campaign that no one in the country considered in play. Why? Because McSally’s message of independence resonates in Southern Arizona, which has a history of dynamic representatives in Congress.
Geography: PVI: R+3; Romney 50% - Obama 48%. This Southern Arizona district takes in much of metropolitan Tucson and Cochise County, to the south. With two major military installations in the district, and the University of Arizona a major economic engine, policies coming out of Washington have a significant effect on jobs and industry here. The border crisis is real-life for Southern Arizonans, and ensuring the border is secured is an issue that crosses party lines for voters. Both Cook and Rothenberg rate this race as a Toss-Up.
AZ-09: Wendy Rogers, R v. Kyrsten Sinema, D
Kyrsten Sinema just can’t be trusted. As Arizonans struggle with the impacts of ObamaCare, they’re going to be reminded that Sinema was personally selected by the White House to craft ObamaCare. While selling the law to voters, she repeated President Obama’s 2013 Lie of the Year: “if you like you’re healthcare plan, you can keep it.” She also proudly attended the bill signing and said “the fundamentals of the law are good.” The law’s unpopularity has reached record levels. Why would Arizonans reelect someone who helped craft it? When it comes to the recent VA scandal, Sinema’s leadership has been nonexistent. Remember, she advocated for an ObamaCare plan identical to that of the VA. She was even caught red-handed fundraising off this horrible crisis. For Arizona veterans, it was personal. For Sinema, it was an opportunity to raise campaign cash.
Wendy Rogers is ready to hold Kyrsten Sinema accountable for her broken promises. Unlike Sinema, Wendy hasn’t spent her life in politics. In fact, she spent her life in service to this country as one of the first 100 female pilots in the Air Force. That’s the type of leadership we need in Washington. The choice for Arizona couldn’t be clearer: a leader who has spent her life in service to our nation or a career politician.
Geography: PVI: R+1; Obama 51% - Romney 46.6%. This Phoenix-area, urban/suburban district is home to Arizona State University. Cook rates this race as Lean Democrat.
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
DCCC Chairman Steve Israel Statement on AZ-02 Primary
DCCC Chairman Steve Israel released the following statement on the AZ-02 primary:
“Representative Ron Barber has focused on creating jobs, fighting to
save the A-10 at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, securing the border and
putting the needs of Southern Arizona’s families first. In contrast,
Martha McSally is the Koch brothers’ hand-picked candidate for Congress
whose dangerous agenda of supporting Social Security privatization,
eliminating the Federal student loan program and cutting taxes for the
wealthy at the expense of the middle class would take Southern
Arizonans backwards.”
DCCC Chairman Steve Israel Statement on AZ-09 Primary
DCCC Chairman Steve Israel released the following statement on the AZ-09 primary:
“Representative Kyrsten Sinema has achieved a bipartisan record of
results in Washington: working to reduce the VA backlog, grow the
middle class, and place partnerships over political gamesmanship. In
contrast, Wendy Rogers would hurt Arizona families with her belief that
Social Security is “unconstitutional,” her support of tax cuts for
large corporations at the expense of the middle class, and her plan to
eliminate the Department of Education.”
DCCC Chairman Steve Israel Statement on AZ-07 Primary
DCCC Chairman Steve Israel released the following statement on the AZ-07 primary:
“Congratulations to Ruben Gallego on his victory tonight. As a
veteran and a community leader, Ruben Gallego is committed to working
together to grow the region’s economy, create new jobs and grow the
middle class. Voters in this overwhelmingly Democratic district are
eager to send Ruben Gallego to Congress because they know he will put
Arizona families first and will be a tireless advocate for the middle
class and seniors.”
RGA Statement on the Florida Gubernatorial Primary
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Republican Governors Association issued the following statement on the outcome of the Florida gubernatorial primary election:
“Florida is working again, and the state’s recent successes are a direct result of Governor Rick Scott’s results-driven leadership,” said RGA Chairman Chris Christie. “Governor Scott seized the opportunity to deliver real results and improve the way of life for all Floridians. Under Governor Scott, Florida’s unemployment rate has plummeted nearly 5 percent, taxes have been cut over 40 times, and the state has seen a jobs boom to the tune of over 600,000 new private sector jobs. Governor Scott has an outstanding record of achievement, and the Republican Governors Association is proud to support his re-election.”
“Political opportunist Charlie Crist is running for governor on flip-flops and ambiguous issue stances to cover up the fact that his last stint in the statehouse left Florida worse off,” said RGA Executive Director Phil Cox. “When Crist was governor, Florida lost over 800,000 jobs, unemployment rose to over 11 percent, and the state added $5 billion in debt. Charlie Crist failed Florida once and will say or do anything to mislead voters. He can’t be trusted to do any different this time around.”
Democratic Governors Association
DGA Statement on the Florida Gubernatorial Primaries
“Rick Scott just can’t be trusted to fight for the people of Florida. As a corporate executive, he oversaw massive Medicare fraud that resulted in the largest fine in the history of the country at the time and pled the Fifth 75 times to avoid incriminating himself. As governor, he slashed K-12 education by $1.3 billion in his first year in office, reduced funding for colleges and universities by $300 million, cut Bright Futures Scholarships in half, and raised property taxes on seniors. And he did it all to pay for tax breaks for special interests, the super-wealthy, and major corporations.
“When he wins in November, Charlie Crist will build an economy that works for everyone, not just the wealthiest. He’ll restore the Scott education cuts, reduce property taxes, raise the minimum wage, and demand equal pay for equal work. He’ll put the people of Florida first, like he’s done his entire career. We are proud to support his campaign and look forward to his victory in the fall.”
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Statement on Charlie Crist’s Victory in the Democratic Primary
DNC Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s Statement on Tonight’s Primary Results
Washington, DC – DNC Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz released the following statement on tonight’s primary results:“I would like to congratulate all of the Democratic candidates who won their primary contest tonight, including the next governor of Florida, Charlie Crist, and the next lieutenant governor of Florida, Annette Taddeo. Over the course of this campaign, Charlie and Annette have embraced policies that will help Florida’s middle class families, a stark contrast to the current governor, Republican Rick Scott, who is beholden to special interests and radical Tea Party ideology.
“After overseeing the largest Medicare fraud in history, it is ironic that as governor, Scott has notably failed to secure federal funding for Medicaid expansion. He has cut over $1 billion from Florida’s public schools, and oversaw tuition hikes at Florida’s colleges and universities while making cuts to the Bright Futures scholarship program. His climate change denialism ignores the serious risks that rising sea levels and severe weather pose to Florida’s communities and our economy. Scott has offered the Hispanic community little more than platitudes and pandering. To add insult to injury, he refuses to answer the most basic questions, let alone face Florida’s toughest challenges.
“Charlie and Annette join Democratic candidates throughout Florida and across the country who are committed to expanding opportunity for all Americans. Republicans, especially those like Scott, have demonstrated that their priorities are instead focused on the select few. Come November, Florida voters will reject the failed policies of Rick Scott and welcome a new day for the Sunshine State.”
National Republican Congressional Committee
TO: INTERESTED PARTIES
FROM: NRCC POLITICAL AND NRCC COMMUNICATIONS
DATE: AUGUST 26, 2014
SUBJECT: FLORIDA PRIMARY RESULTS
As a swing state in presidential elections, Florida is perpetually in the spotlight for both parties and this year is once again no exception. What started out as a busy year for congressional races only gained more attention with the special election held for the 13th District seat after the unfortunate passing of Congressman Bill Young.
With millions being spent by both parties, the 13th District special election became the epicenter for reading the tea leaves in regards to the 2014 fall elections. Republican David Jolly was victorious and with a new ground game initiated by national Republicans, Democrats were left scratching their heads as to how they lost a district Obama carried twice.
After the huge loss of the special election, Democrats locally and nationally faced giant embarrassments when their recruit to run against Jolly in the general election this fall failed to qualify as a Democrat on the ballot and then, a week later, decided against running. This left one of the most competitive swing districts in the state without a Democrat challenger heading into the fall elections and was seen as a huge failure for Democrats.
The less than stellar political operation highlighted in the 13th District race will set the tone for Democrats in the Sunshine State this fall. When you combine the national climate towards Democrats thanks to President Obama’s toxic agenda with the lackluster top of the ticket draw of Charlie Crist, Republicans are in a place to expand the GOP majority in November.
INCUMBENTS
FL-02: Rep. Steve Southerland, R vs. Gwen Graham, D
The Democrats know they have two simple goals in this race – don’t talk about Gwen’s liberal political agenda and mention Graham’s father’s name as often as possible. Up until this week Gwen has been able to fly under the radar and not address her previous work for both John Kerry and Howard Dean. This week however, Graham was caught on camera agreeing that ObamaCare was a good thing and that it won’t be an issue this November. This comes after Gwen announced that she would not repeal the dysfunctional law if elected. This message will hurt Graham in a district that Romney won 52% to Obama’s 47% and is contradictory of every effort by her political team to present her as a moderate Republican candidate.
On the other hand, Steve Southerland has put himself in a strong position to win reelection. With large fundraising totals and exceptional constituent services, even in his short time in office, Southerland has earned the reputation of being a leader for North Florida families.
Geography: PVI R+6, Romney 52.4% - Obama 46.5%. This district encompasses the central panhandle including the cities of Tallahassee and Panama City. The Cook Political Report rates this race as a Republican Toss-Up. The Rothenberg Political Report rates this race as a Toss-Up/Tilt Republican.
FL-18: Carl Domino, R vs. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D
Congressman Patrick Murphy has been a top-target of both local and national Republicans since being elected in 2012. While Murphy has been forced to walk the line with his voting record, Florida families won’t be able to overlook his vote for Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House and his vote to keep ObamaCare the law of the land.
With the primary election of Carl Domino, Republicans go into the final months of the campaign with a strong competitor who will force Murphy to spend his millions and will ultimately flip the seat back into the GOP’s hands.
Geography: PVI R+3, Romney 51.7% - Obama 47.6%. This district includes Port St. Lucie and Jupiter of Florida’s Treasure Coast. The Cook Political Report rates this race as Lean Democrat. The Rothenberg Political Report rates this race as Democrat Favored.
FL-26: Carlos Curbelo, R vs. Joe Garcia, D
Florida’s 26th District is one of the best pickup opportunities for Republicans this fall. While this district voted overwhelmingly for Barack Obama in 2012, Joe Garcia’s dismal first year in office solidified this race as one to watch.
Starting early into his first term, Garcia was mired in scandal thanks to his absentee voter fraud plot that caused two of his staffers, one who was his longtime political aide and best friend, to lose their jobs. The former longtime political aide who also served as Garcia’s chief of staff was also sent to jail for 90 days thanks to the bone-headed voter fraud plot. Not only is Garcia still under investigation for the voter fraud scheme, but his 2010 campaign is also under federal investigation thanks to a possible straw candidate plot.
Voters of South Florida are sick and tired of the corrupt politics of days past and Garcia’s time is about to expire. Carlos Curbelo is a fresh-faced young businessman who has served his community on the school board and offers voters a clear contrast against Garcia’s ethically challenged ways. Curbelo has been on the air running TV ads and has worked tirelessly on the campaign trail which makes this seat a great pickup opportunity for the GOP.
National Democrats should be worried that a seat they need to keep, which Obama won by a large margin, is up for grabs thanks to the ill-advised wrong doings of their candidate.
Geography: PVI R+1, Obama 53.1% - Romney 46.4%.This district includes Miami, the Everglades, and the Keys. The Cook Political Report rates this race as a Democrat Toss-Up. The Rothenberg Political Report rates this races as Toss-Up/Tilt Democrat.
STATEWIDE ROUNDUP
The following are the unofficial results from Tuesday’s primary election in Florida. These results are unofficial and incomplete.
*Indicates Winner determined by AP
| FL-26 - GOP Primary | |
| 57 of 220 Precincts Reporting - 26% | |
| Carlos Curbelo* | 48% |
| Ed MacDougall | 25% |
| Joe Martinez | 17% |
| David Rivera | 8% |
| Lorenzo Palomares-Starbuck | 3% |
| FL-18 - GOP Primary | |
| 228 of 302 Precincts Reporting - 75% | |
| Carl Domino* | 38% |
| Beverly Hires | 14% |
| Brian Lara | 13% |
| Alan Schlesinger | 25% |
| Calvin Turnquest | 7% |
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
MEMO: Florida Democrats On Offense in Congressional Races
TO: Interested Parties
FR: DCCC Communications
DT: August 26, 2014
RE: Florida Democrats On Offense in Congressional Races
Democrats are entering Florida’s general election season on offense in both challenger and incumbent races, setting the stage for victories in November from the Keys to Panama City. In contrast, Florida Republicans are hamstrung by scandals, recruitment failures and a message of self-interested, partisan politics that represents exactly what Floridians don’t like about Washington. Following the primary, here’s the state of the races in the Sunshine State:
FL 02: Gwen Graham vs. Congressman Steve Southerland
Congressman Steve Southerland is entering the second week of a developing scandal surrounding his visit to King Ranch – where his sugar lobbyist backers hosted at least one secret meeting with Florida lawmakers. The trip came to light when Congressman Southerland was touting his Sugar Industry-backed bill targeting Florida’s wetlands.
Columns and editorials from the Pensacola News Journal, The Tampa Bay Times, The Orlando Sentinel and Context Florida have slammed Congressman Southerland for “dodging questions” entering “the cone of silence,” and pushing a special interest backed bill representing “’big government’ of the worst kind.”
Even before he became embroiled in this latest scandal, Congressman Southerland’s partisan and self-interested politics were turning off voters, whether it was his complaint that his $174,000 taxpayer funded salary isn’t enough, his role as the lawmaker who “killed reauthorization of the farm bill,” his vote against ending his government shutdown, and even his defense of his taxpayer-funded perks like the gym during the shutdown.
On the other hand, Gwen Graham is running to bring the North Florida Way back to Washington. She barnstormed the district on her 8-day, 14-county “Grilling With The Grahams Tour,” and she’s highlighting her commitment to growing the economy for the middle class by continuing her father’s iconic tradition of Work Days. The Rothenberg and Cook political reports and Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball recently shifted the race to a “Toss-Up” and public polling shows Graham ahead.
FL 18: Representative Patrick Murphy vs. Carl Domino
Representative Patrick Murphy has distinguished himself for his independence, results-oriented approach to cutting Washington’s wasteful spending, and relentless focus on the local issues that matter most to his constituents. The appeal of his agenda – coupled with his fundraising dominance – has led to one of the Republican’s greatest recruitment failures of the cycle.
After suffering through a divisive intra-party fight, Republicans are now left with Carl Domino, a Tallahassee politician with a record of prioritizing himself and his special interest backers over Florida’s families. Domino’s flaws are already coming to light: he was exposed for plagiarizing his “plan” to fix Congress, claimed he didn’t know if he was pro-choice or pro-life (while running TV ads attacking women’s healthcare choices) and has only posted weak fundraising numbers. Coupled with his failure to garner even 50 percent of the primary vote after dramatically outspending his opponents, signs are clear that even Republicans aren’t excited about Domino’s campaign.
The Cook and Rothenberg Political Reports recently moved this race to favor Murphy, although we fully expect the same kind of shadowy special interests that Domino looked out for in Tallahassee will do all they can to prop him up in the fall.
FL 26: Representative Joe Garcia vs. Carlos Curbelo
For the last two weeks, Carlos Curbelo has limped through his primary refusing to answer a simple question: will you disclose your lobbying clients? He’s been hounded on local media appearances, slammed by his Republican opponents and called out by a local political commentator for refusing to reveal any potential conflicts of interest with his work on the School Board. Curbelo even went so far as to challenge his opponents to “file a complaint” against him.
The questions surrounding Curbelo’s lobbying work follow a Miami New Times report revealing that Curbelo “has a history of approving contracts for campaign donors” on the School Board, funneling millions of tax dollars to his political cronies.
But Curbelo’s lobbying scandal is just one example of how he’s putting himself and his political ambitions over South Florida’s values: Curbelo has pandered to the far right-wing by calling for the indiscriminate deportation of immigrant children caught in the border crisis, supports the Republican budget ending the Medicare guarantee (even though he admits he didn’t read it), and helped devise Rick Scott’s education proposals that slashed support for public schools.
Representative Joe Garcia has already earned a reputation for
putting South Florida first in Washington. He’s quickly
distinguished
himself as a leading
champion for comprehensive immigration reform, led the charge to pass a
bipartisan bill capping flood insurance rates, and has been a proven advocate
for local businesses and job creation.
DCCC Chairman Steve Israel Statement on FL-02
DCCC Chairman Steve Israel released the following statement on the FL-02 election:
“Congressman Steve Southerland’s self-interested, partisan politics
are exactly what North Floridians hate about Congress – and the latest
scandal surrounding his special interest backers is just the latest
proof. Congressman Southerland voted against reopening the government –
even when both parties came together to end the shutdown – and
complained that his own taxpayer funded salary wasn’t enough while
Florida families struggled to get by. Those two examples alone explain
why so many North Floridians are rejecting Congressman Southerland, and
why Gwen Graham’s plan to bring the North Florida Way back to
Washington is resonating so strongly across the district.”
DCCC Chairman Steve Israel Statement on FL-26 Primary
DCCC Chairman Steve Israel released the following statement on the FL-26 primary:
“Representative Joe Garcia is a proven champion who puts South
Florida’s values first – but Carlos Curbelo has proven he’s looking out
for no one but his paying lobbying clients, his partisan allies in
Washington and his own political ambitions. From pandering to the far
right-wing to refusing to disclose his lobbying clients, Carlos Curbelo
represents exactly the sort of self-interested and dysfunctional
politics South Floridians are rejecting from this Republican Congress.”
DCCC Chairman Steve Israel Statement on FL-18 Primary
DCCC Chairman Steve Israel released the following statement on the FL-18 primary:
“Carl Domino is a self-interested Tallahassee politician who won this nomination after Republicans suffered one of their greatest recruitment failures of the cycle. We fully expect the same kind of shadowy special interests that Domino looked out for in Tallahassee will do all they can to prop him up now – but Representative Patrick Murphy has already distinguished himself for his independence, his results-oriented approach to cutting Washington’s wasteful spending, and his relentless focus on the local issues that matter to his constituents.”
VERMONT
RGA Congratulates Scott Milne On Vermont Gubernatorial Primary Victory
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Republican Governors Association issued the following statement on the outcome of the Vermont gubernatorial primary election:
“This election is about setting a new course for Vermont, and Scott Milne is just the candidate the state needs to secure a brighter future,” said RGA Chairman Chris Christie. “As governor, Milne would bring to the table the kind of leadership Vermont is desperate for: practical, measured, and focused results. The Republican Governors Association is proud to support Scott Milne to be Vermont’s next governor.”
“Governor Peter Shumlin has lulled Vermont into a sleepy state of mediocrity,” said RGA Executive Director Phil Cox. “The state can do better than Shumlin’s hyper-progressive approach, and putting a strong Republican leader in the statehouse would allow Vermont to join the ranks of red states growing and flourishing nationwide. Without a doubt, Scott Milne is the right choice in this race for governor.”
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