Politics - Parties, Candidates
News releases, reports, statements and associated documents from politicians, candidates and interested parties - covering the U.S. political arena including state and national political parties.
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Washington Post Slams Ralph Northam for His Cluelessness on Education in Virginia
WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 -- The Republican Governors Association issued the following news release:
With just three weeks to go until Election Day in Virginia, Democrat gubernatorial candidate Ralph Northam's alarming inability to put forward policies of substance continues to take a toll on his campaign in the home stretch. Just weeks after Northam was caught running ads touting a non-existent tax plan, the Washington Post editorial board took aim at his cluelessness on the topic of education, shredding him for his "astonishing" lack of answers on minimum expectations at a recent event and calling
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 -- The Republican Governors Association issued the following news release:
With just three weeks to go until Election Day in Virginia, Democrat gubernatorial candidate Ralph Northam's alarming inability to put forward policies of substance continues to take a toll on his campaign in the home stretch. Just weeks after Northam was caught running ads touting a non-existent tax plan, the Washington Post editorial board took aim at his cluelessness on the topic of education, shredding him for his "astonishing" lack of answers on minimum expectations at a recent event and callinghis comments "part of an unfortunate trend in Virginia to pull back from rigor in assessments and accountability." While Republican Ed Gillespie has laid out ambitious proposals to reinvigorate Virginia's education system, Ralph Northam continues to demonstrate his failure to grasp the challenges facing the people of the Commonwealth.
The Washington Post writes:
"We recently revisited this history with Virginia Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam (D) during a discussion of what he would do with public education if he were elected governor next month. Mr. Northam claimed to believe in accountability but was utterly unable to explain what he means by the word. The state's Standards of Learning (SOL), which establish minimum expectations for what students should know and be able to do, aren't working, he said, and should be tossed out. What would replace them? Astonishingly, after almost four years as lieutenant governor and a month away from the election, Mr. Northam had no answer.
Particularly concerning was Mr. Northam's view that because children are diverse, 'coming from different backgrounds and different regions,' he's 'not sure that it's fair' to give them all the same test; they shouldn't be penalized, he said, for the environment they come from. The suggestion that some students should be required to pass one type of assessment, while others are given a different (presumably more rigorous) one, is disconcerting. There is no question that some children come to school handicapped by circumstances not experienced by their better-advantaged peers, but children do better when there are high expectations. Creating different expectations for children does them no favors; it just allows adults to escape responsibility. To borrow a phrase from the history we revisited with Mr. Northam, it is the 'soft bigotry of low expectations.' Once again, schools and the grown-ups who work in them will be excused and applauded as they graduate poor black students who are not prepared for work or college.
Mr. Northam's comments are part of an unfortunate trend in Virginia to pull back from rigor in assessments and accountability. Instead of adopting the muscular requirements of Common Core and its assessments, the state has stuck with assessments seen to be among the easiest in the nation. Some critical tests, such as the fifth-grade writing SOL, were recently jettisoned. And now state education officials are in the final stages of adopting regulations that would overhaul how schools are accredited. The board would widen a loophole to allow for "locally awarded verified credits" from the local school board in lieu of exam passage. Officials argue there is the need to broaden the lens by which schools are judged. We agree that student growth and closing the achievement gap should be recognized, but the proposal tilts too far toward letting schools off the hook for their failures. The emphasis appears to be not on actually improving schools but rather on approving how they appear.
Virginia once led the nation in recognizing the need for accountability and assessments; the Standards of Learning were established before annual standardized testing became a requirement of federal education law. The next governor of the state should strive to reestablish -- not repudiate -- that standing."
Vukmir And Nicholson Stand By Trump's Latest Healthcare Sabotage
MADISON, Wis., Oct. 17 -- The Wisconsin Democratic Party issued the following news:
President Trump late Thursday announced plans to further sabotage the American healthcare system by ending Affordable Care Act cost sharing reduction subsidies -- a reckless, spiteful move expected to skyrocket Wisconsinites' premiums by 36% -- and Leah Vukmir and Kevin Nicholson are cheering him on.
* State Senator Vukmir offered "praise" for Trump's cruel, purely political sabotage that will surge healthcare costs for the working families she mistakenly believes she deserves to represent.
* Kevin Nicholson
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MADISON, Wis., Oct. 17 -- The Wisconsin Democratic Party issued the following news:
President Trump late Thursday announced plans to further sabotage the American healthcare system by ending Affordable Care Act cost sharing reduction subsidies -- a reckless, spiteful move expected to skyrocket Wisconsinites' premiums by 36% -- and Leah Vukmir and Kevin Nicholson are cheering him on.
* State Senator Vukmir offered "praise" for Trump's cruel, purely political sabotage that will surge healthcare costs for the working families she mistakenly believes she deserves to represent.
* Kevin Nicholsontacitly endorsed Trump's latest sabotage by going out of his way to avoid criticizing Trump's move, then reverted back to his support for previous TrumpCare plans, reaffirming his view that "it's time for Congress to finally deliver conservative health care reforms." Essentially, Nicholson's view is that Trump's piecemeal sabotage approach to forcing through TrumpCare doesn't go far enough.
But here's the real kicker: Nicholson and Vukmir have supported ending the ACA subsidies for months by virtue of backing various TrumpCare plans.
The AHCA, Cassidy-Graham, and BCRA TrumpCare bills -- which both Nicholson and Vukmir supported in one form or another -- would all have ended the same cost-sharing reduction subsidies that Trump just ended in his latest sabotage.
"It's truly despicable that right-wing state Senator Leah Vukmir is actually praising President Trump for hoisting a 36% surge in healthcare costs on Wisconsinites, while out-of-state billionaire puppet Kevin Nicholson tacitly endorses Trump's latest cruelty," said Brad Bainum, Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokesperson for the 2018 Senate race. "At the end of the day, Vukmir is cheering Trump for making life incredibly difficult for hardworking Wisconsin families, while Nicholson complains that Trump's new sabotage didn't inflict enough damage -- and it's as clear as ever that neither is looking out for everyday Wisconsinites."
Background:
LEAH VUKMIR
AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ACT
Vukmir: "The American Health Care Act Ensures A Stable Transition Away From The Affordable Care Act." "'After more than six years of Obamacare, 28 million people remain uninsured and premiums have gone up year after year,' said Wisconsin Senator Leah Vukmir. 'The American Health Care Act ensures a stable transition away from the Affordable Care Act, and it is imperative Congress works to loosen federal requirements on states so they may have greater authority over how they deliver healthcare - only then can there be true reforms.'" [ALEC, Press Release, 3/7/17]
GRAHAM-CASSIDY
Vukmir Supported Graham-Cassidy. "Vukmir, a state senator from Brookfield, said Friday she wants to repeal Obamacare, move more decisions back to states and opposes a single-payer health care plan supported by Baldwin. 'While Graham-Cassidy isn't perfect, I do support the notion of allowing states to solve problems,' Vukmir said in a statement. 'We know what we're doing in Wisconsin, and the feds need to get out of our way.'" [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/22/17]
KEVIN NICHOLSON
AHCA/BCRA
Nicholson Supported BCRA, Saying That Hopefully The Vote To Start Debate Would Lead To Repealing Obamacare. "Some of the Republicans considering running against U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin showed support for Tuesday's move to end or scale back Obamacare. [...] Also considering a run is business consultant Kevin Nicholson, who has the support of a super PAC that has raised $3.5 million. In a statement, he said he hoped the Senate would repeal Obamacare. 'Republicans have been promising for seven years to repeal Obamacare, and it's time they deliver on that promise,' Nicholson said in his statement. 'Hopefully, today's Senate vote will be a step towards repeal, but I'm always nervous when politicians get together. Only time will tell with what they're up to in DC, but I know we need more competition and market forces in health care -- and less government.'" [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 7/25/17]
Nicholson Said That He Would Have "Absolutely" Voted For The Senate's Obamacare Repeal Bill. WAGNER: "Kevin, would you have voted to, would you have voted to repeal Obamacare this week?" NICHOLSON: "Oh, absolutely, and here's why. Obamacare has been a disaster for a lot of reasons, and it's basically limited choices and driven up premiums." [Jeff Wagner Show, 07/27/17]
New Poll: GOP's Ed Gillespie Leading Democrat Ralph Northam in Virginia's Governor's Race
WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 -- The Republican Governors Association issued the following news release:
With exactly three weeks to go until Election Day in Virginia's 2017 gubernatorial election, Republican Ed Gillespie continues to gain momentum, surging to a lead in the latest public poll. A new survey by Monmouth University shows Gillespie now leading Democrat Ralph Northam 48-47, a 6 point swing from Monmouth's last poll in September that showed Northam leading 49-44. The poll also shows that voters prefer Gillespie's handling of issues such as crime and the economy by double-digit margins over Northam.
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 -- The Republican Governors Association issued the following news release:
With exactly three weeks to go until Election Day in Virginia's 2017 gubernatorial election, Republican Ed Gillespie continues to gain momentum, surging to a lead in the latest public poll. A new survey by Monmouth University shows Gillespie now leading Democrat Ralph Northam 48-47, a 6 point swing from Monmouth's last poll in September that showed Northam leading 49-44. The poll also shows that voters prefer Gillespie's handling of issues such as crime and the economy by double-digit margins over Northam.While Democrats show clear signs of panic for Northam's lackluster campaign, Gillespie's energetic, issue-oriented campaign continues to gain clear momentum as the race enters its final weeks.
Monmouth University reports:
"The campaign for governor of Virginia remains up for grabs, with Republican Ed Gillespie and Democrat Ralph Northam locked in a one point race. The Monmouth University Poll finds the race becoming more regionally divided...
Currently, 48% of likely voters support Gillespie, the former national GOP party leader, and 47% support Northam, the Commonwealth's current lieutenant governor. Libertarian Cliff Hyra gets 3% of the vote and 3% are undecided. Last month, Northam had a 49% to 44% edge over Gillespie while the race was tied at 44% each in July.
...Gillespie, on the other hand, has built up his lead in the conservative western part of the Commonwealth, now with a 64% to 31% lead over Northam there compared with a 50% to 43% edge last month. Eastern Virginia - Northam's home region which backed Democrats in recent elections for governor and U.S. Senate - has become more competitive, now split at 48% for the Republican and 45% for the Democrat, whereas Northam had a 49%-40% lead in September. Central Virginia - which tends to be a swing region - remains tight at 47% for Gillespie and 44% for Northam, which is similar to September's close margin of 49% Northam and 48% Gillespie.
The poll found the Republican nominee has gained ground on some key campaign issues, particularly in conservative and swing areas of the state. Among all Virginia voters, Gillespie is preferred over Northam on handling jobs and the economy by a 41% to 29% margin, which is slightly better than his 38% to 33% edge on thisconcern in September. In particular, Gillespie now has a 43% to 24% advantage on the jobs issue in Eastern Virginia, reversing a 31% to 37% deficit there last month.
Gillespie also maintains his advantage on handling crime - 40% of Virginia voters prefer the Republican and 24% choose the Democrat. Gillespie had a 35%-27% edge on this issue in September. He has enjoyed big gains on this concern in Western Virginia, where he now holds a 55% to 13% advantage over Northam. Last month, Gillespie had a smaller 41%-26% advantage on the crime issue in this region."
NV Dems File Ethics Complaint Against Senator Dean Heller for Abusing Official Position to Solicit Campaign Cash
CARSON CITY, Nev., Oct. 17 -- The Nevada Democratic Party issued the following news release:
The Nevada State Democratic Party filed an ethics complaint today against Republican Senator Dean Heller with the Senate Select Committee on Ethics for soliciting and accepting campaign contributions because of specific official actions on tax reform as a member of the Senate Committee on Finance.
Last month, Senator Heller personally signed a fundraising email for his campaign highlighting his position as a "member of the Senate Finance Committee (the tax writing committee in the Senate)" and making
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CARSON CITY, Nev., Oct. 17 -- The Nevada Democratic Party issued the following news release:
The Nevada State Democratic Party filed an ethics complaint today against Republican Senator Dean Heller with the Senate Select Committee on Ethics for soliciting and accepting campaign contributions because of specific official actions on tax reform as a member of the Senate Committee on Finance.
Last month, Senator Heller personally signed a fundraising email for his campaign highlighting his position as a "member of the Senate Finance Committee (the tax writing committee in the Senate)" and makingthree separate requests for contributions to Heller for Senate "to support our tax plan." The email links directly to a campaign page soliciting contributions of up to $5,400 to Heller for Senate.
By using his position on the Senate Committee on Finance to garner financial support for his political campaign, and by implying that a contribution to Heller for Senate is a direct contribution to support a piece of official legislation, Senator Heller clearly relied on official resources to help achieve his campaign fundraising goals. By asking email recipients to "pitch in" to "support our tax plan," Senator Heller also clearly solicited campaign contributions in return for his official actions on tax legislation.
"Senator Heller is violating federal law and ethics rules by using his official position as a Senator on the Finance Committee and his official actions on tax legislation to inappropriately solicit campaign cash for his struggling re-election," said William McCurdy II, Chair of the Nevada State Democratic Party. "After spending more than a decade in Washington, Dean Heller continues to prove that he's just a self-serving career politician who will gladly use his public office for his own personal gain. We're asking the Select Committee on Ethics to immediately investigate Senator Heller's troubling political fundraising activity."
Florida Democrats Struggle To Raise Money For 2018 Gubernatorial Race
WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 -- The Republican Governors Association issued the following news release:
Stuck with a weak field of lackluster gubernatorial candidates, Florida Democrats are struggling to raise money, threatening their ability to field competitive campaigns with little over a year until Election Day. POLITICO reports that the three major Democrat candidates, Andrew Gillum, Gwen Graham, and Chris King, raised only $503,000 combined in September while two Republican candidates raised "almost four times" that amount. The news has spurred "a fresh round of bipartisan speculation that the GOP
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 -- The Republican Governors Association issued the following news release:
Stuck with a weak field of lackluster gubernatorial candidates, Florida Democrats are struggling to raise money, threatening their ability to field competitive campaigns with little over a year until Election Day. POLITICO reports that the three major Democrat candidates, Andrew Gillum, Gwen Graham, and Chris King, raised only $503,000 combined in September while two Republican candidates raised "almost four times" that amount. The news has spurred "a fresh round of bipartisan speculation that the GOPis on track to hold on to the governor's mansion," while one Democrat pollster calls it a sign that Democrats are "not excited by our candidates."
As Democrats find themselves facing an increasingly apparent enthusiasm gap in the Sunshine State, their lackluster fundraising numbers will further damage their ability to compete in what will surely be an expensive gubernatorial contest in 2018.
POLITICO reports:
"The top three Democratic candidates for governor are struggling so mightily to fundraise that they pulled in less money last month than a little-known Republican state senator in the race, stoking a fresh round of bipartisan speculation that the GOP is on track to hold on to the governor's mansion it has controlled for two decades.
Together, Gwen Graham, Andrew Gillum and Chris King hauled in $503,000 in September, while Republican state Sen. Jack Latvala raked in nearly $825,000. And the GOP's fundraising front-runner, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, blew them all away by reporting more than $1.1 million.
Putnam and Latvala raised almost four times more money than the three Democrats combined...
'There may be Democrats saying they're not excited by our candidates, while people like me are excited about John and hope he runs,' said Democratic fundraiser Ben Pollara, 'but this can't be blamed on Morgan. John isn't out there freezing money the way, say, Charlie Crist did in 2013 when he was planning to run for governor while saying he wasn't running for governor at the time.'"
DeWine Stands By As Ohioans' Health Insurance Premiums Skyrocket
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 17 -- The Ohio Democratic Party issued the following news:
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine has tried to undermine the Affordable Care Act at every turn, and now he's standing by as Donald Trump pushes an executive order that will sabotage health coverage for thousands of Ohioans, raise premiums and spike the federal deficit.
"The only way to interpret Mike DeWine's inaction is that he doesn't care that Ohio families will be forced to pay skyrocketing premiums and lose their health coverage," said Ohio Democratic Party Chairman David Pepper. "His fellow Republican, Governor
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COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 17 -- The Ohio Democratic Party issued the following news:
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine has tried to undermine the Affordable Care Act at every turn, and now he's standing by as Donald Trump pushes an executive order that will sabotage health coverage for thousands of Ohioans, raise premiums and spike the federal deficit.
"The only way to interpret Mike DeWine's inaction is that he doesn't care that Ohio families will be forced to pay skyrocketing premiums and lose their health coverage," said Ohio Democratic Party Chairman David Pepper. "His fellow Republican, GovernorJohn Kasich, is speaking out against Donald Trump's executive order. DeWine had the chance to do something to stop Trump's disgusting attack on health care, and instead of fighting for Ohio families, he's playing partisan political games. Mike DeWine should stop the posturing and join 18 states and the District of Columbia in taking legal action to protect affordable health care for millions of Americans."
Several state attorneys general are challenging the Trump administration's decision to end cost-sharing reduction payments, which nearly 94,000 Ohioans rely on to ensure they have affordable health insurance. DeWine is refusing to join that suit, but his office is touting their past -- failed -- efforts to undermine the health care law.
"Attorney General DeWine does not plan to join such litigation," DeWine spokesman Dan Tierney told the Sandusky Register. "During the Obama administration, Attorney General DeWine joined numerous legal challenges in opposition to improper Obamacare mandates."
On Sunday's Meet the Press, Kasich criticized Trump's executive order, saying, "These were payments to insurance companies to make sure that hard-working Americans, who don't make a lot of money, can have their co-payments taken care of. It's a subsidy to do that. And what this decision is leading to are higher prices."
CT Republicans Must Denounce Cockayne
HARTFORD, Conn., Oct. 17 -- The Connecticut Democratic Party issued the following news release:
Last week Connecticut Republicans feigned outrage when condemning Harvey Weinstein and insisting that the Connecticut Democratic Party and its elected officials return Weinstein's direct donations, which they had already done. With the news that Bristol Mayor Ken Cockayne has been unanimously censured by his city council (for the second time), including its GOP members, it's only fair to ask whether the Connecticut Republican Party continues to support Cockayne, and, if not, why they have not returned
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HARTFORD, Conn., Oct. 17 -- The Connecticut Democratic Party issued the following news release:
Last week Connecticut Republicans feigned outrage when condemning Harvey Weinstein and insisting that the Connecticut Democratic Party and its elected officials return Weinstein's direct donations, which they had already done. With the news that Bristol Mayor Ken Cockayne has been unanimously censured by his city council (for the second time), including its GOP members, it's only fair to ask whether the Connecticut Republican Party continues to support Cockayne, and, if not, why they have not returnedor donated the $425 the party received in donations from Cockayne and, if they plan to donate them, where the Republican elected officials will donate their contributions.
See table here (https://ctdems.org/2017/10/ct-republicans-must-denounce-cockayne/)
"Over the last several days, millions of women have bravely come forward and made public that they have been sexually harassed," said Connecticut Democratic Party Executive Director Michael Mandell. "It's clear that harassment and assault are widespread problems. These allegations against Mayor Cockayne should disqualify him for re-election on November 7. We are calling on the Connecticut Republican Party, as well as the GOP gubernatorial candidates to whom he has donated, to disavow their support of Mr. Cockayne and return his donations. While Connecticut Republicans just woke up to this problem last week, it is not a one-time issue for the Connecticut Democrats, and we must fight sexual assault and harassment regardless of where and when it occurs. One incident is too many and should be loudly condemned."
For context: Donald Trump was the single largest donor to the Connecticut Republican Party in 2018, yet Republicans have downplayed the rampant allegations of sexual assault/harassment as not "equivalent" to other allegations. Democrats have also previously questioned the CT GOP's credibility when it comes to maintaining donations from individuals who plead guilty to endangerment of a child. They have no response to these questions, but display incredible speed in order to cry wolf when it suits them.
