Archive for the ‘Lieutenant Governor News’ Category

If you want to be Lt. Governor – it’ll cost you $1 million….mmmm.

Bob Unger of Henderson, the
Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor, is spending almost $1 million (of
his own money) in a statewide TV ad blitz
during the last month of the campaign, records show.

Records
from Reno and Las Vegas television stations show that Unger has contracted to
spend at least $892,000 before the Nov. 7 election, prompting Republican
challenger Brian Krolicki to charge
that Unger is trying to buy the election.

“I
don't know what else you would call it,” Krolicki said. “He has not
been able to raise money, so he's decided to use his development fortune to run
his campaign. So yeah, he's definitely trying to buy an election.”

Unger
said he is putting in twice as much personal money as campaign contributions
into his ad blitz, but would not be more specific.

Read on
here…groovy baby…

Casey
Cagle's first appearance on the public stage was as a football standout at
Johnson High School in the early 1980s.

His
athletic ability drew the attention of coaches at Georgia Southern College,
where his football career came to an end with an injury.

A
decade later, he tried his hand at politics and won a seat in the Georgia
General Assembly as a long-shot Republican candidate against Democratic State
Sen. Jane Hemmer.

The Gainesville Times picks up the story
here. 

Probably two of the most popular figures in the Republican Party head
down to sweet home Alabama to help Big
Luther Strange.

Casey Cagle (R) – 42%

Jim Martin (D) – 32%

Allen Buckley (L) – 2%

Undecided – 24%

Full
story here. 

Republican State Senator Tom McClintock
appears to be building up some serious momentum in his quest of being elected
California’s next Lieutenant Governor.

Garamendi,
a two-term state insurance commissioner, appears to have lost traction with
voters while support for McClintock, a state senator known for his fiscal
conservatism, has held steady. The latest survey shows 41 percent of likely
voters supporting Garamendi, and 39 percent favoring McClintock.

In
July, the same survey showed Garamendi had 48 percent support, compared to 38
percent for McClintock.

The
numbers suggest that California's ever-growing camp of voters who decline to
state a political party will play a pivotal role in deciding who becomes the
next lieutenant governor — a largely ceremonial job but one candidates often
hope to use as a springboard for gubernatorial bids. While Democrats and
Republicans largely fell in line with their party candidate, 23 percent of
nonpartisan voters remained undecided.

McClintock’s all
class approach to the 2003 recall election might be paying off big time for him
this year.

Read on here. 

And if that wasn't good enough news, the Los Angeles Times is showing McClintock with a 1% lead over Garamendi.

Read that one here.   

BOISE — Idaho has a most unusual campaign going this year for lieutenant governor, with the sitting governor facing a former congressman whom the governor has been doing his best to ignore.

Idaho Governor Jim Risch, used to be Idaho Lieutenant Governor Jim Risch, is running for re-election…for Lieutenant Governor against former Democrat Congressman Larry Larocco.  He’s not the only former Lt. Governor running for his old post, but he’s the only one who’s running for the state’s second chair from the first!

(Risch) said his record in office as governor — he will go down in history as the state's shortest-serving governor, with a seven-month term — shows he can serve the state. Indeed, he's been a whirlwind of activity as governor, personally working out a complex plan for management of roadless forests, replacing several high-profile department heads, opening offices in Coeur d'Alene and Idaho Falls, and calling lawmakers back to town for a one-day special session to pass his far-reaching tax reform legislation, which lowers property taxes while raising the sales tax.

Risch's hard-charging approach has prompted many supporters to say they wish he were running for governor — but he's not. The widely expected GOP primary matchup between Risch and current Congressman Butch Otter for governor never happened, as Otter jumped into the gubernatorial race two years early and began piling up campaign cash, and Risch decided in March to seek a second term as lieutenant governor instead.

Read on here. 

In
Georgia – Republican Casey Cagle
vs. Democrat Jim Martin vs. Libertarian Allen Buckley

Casey Cagle: 43%

Jim Martin: 37%

Allen Buckley: 5%

Undecided: 15%

In
Nevada – Republican Brian Krolicki
vs. Democrat Bob Unger

Brian Krolicki:  38%

Bob Unger:  22%

Undecided:  40%

In South Carolina
– Republican Lt. Governor Andre
Bauer vs. Democrat Robert Barber

Andre Bauer:  49%

Robert Barber:  48%

Undecided:  3%

A follow up on our posting
earlier on the future of Kentucky Lt. Governor Steve Pence and his future
political aspirations.

Some
leading Northern Kentucky Republicans are encouraging Lt. Gov. Steve Pence to
drop his flirtation with running for governor and seek the attorney
general’s office next year.

Pence,
a Louisville Republican and former federal prosecutor, said he has not made a
decision. But he is listening to advice and observations from, among others,
state Sen. Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown.

The
implication regarding Pence is clear: spare the party a messy primary and try
to win a key constitutional office for the GOP. Gov. Ernie Fletcher is seeking
re-election.

Read the full
article here.

Earlier we spoke about Republican
Lieutenant Governor Steve Pence’s future political aspirations. 
To get up to speed read below:

Kentucky
GOP L.G. to Run for the Top Job?

News out
of Frankfort, KY: 

Citing
continuing concern among Republicans about the political strength of the
governor, Lt. Gov. Steve Pence said he's now “very seriously
considering” challenging his boss and former running mate, Ernie Fletcher,
next year.

“I
think people in the party are looking for an alternative if the governor
continues to run” for re-election, Pence said in an interview with the
Herald-Leader. “That's why I'm going to give serious consideration to
being that alternative.”

For a little background
– check out our earlier
posting here.

Now – the GOP L.G…
“…said he probably
won’t make a decision on running in next year’s gubernatorial race
until this year’s elections are decided.  Pence, a first-term
Louisville Republican, is not seeking re-election with Gov. Ernie Fletcher.
Instead, Pence has said he may challenge Fletcher in next year’s GOP primary.”

Which is all very well and
good. 

Pence broke with Fletcher earlier
this year when the governor was embroiled in a criminal investigation into his
administration’s hiring practices.

Pence was not implicated in the
probe by Attorney General Greg Stumbo, a Democrat who also may run for governor.

And as an added bonus – apparently Pence is taking a hard look at
the A.G. slot as well – wonder if that’s against the incumbent
Democrat Stumbo, or for an open seat. 

Read the entire
article here and stay tuned.

Republican Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele has a
good sense of humor.

Check out his
latest ad from his U.S. Senate Campaign.