Jim Ellis covers the House races…
Mississippi Filings: The candidate filing deadline passed in the Magnolia State, and all four congressional incumbents appear safe for re-election. Mississippi has no US Senate election in 2016. The biggest associated story is that 2014 US Senate candidate Chris McDaniel (R), who forced veteran incumbent Thad Cochran (R) into a tight run-off, did not choose to file a primary challenge against 4th District Rep. Steve Palazzo (R-Biloxi) ending speculation that he would. Palazzo, first elected in 2010, drew no primary opposition this year, and will have an easy general election run against retired National Guard officer Michael Gladney (D). Rep. Trent Kelly (R-Saltillo/Tupelo), elected in a 2015 special election after the death of Rep. Alan Nunnelee (R), drew minimal primary opposition and will coast in the general election to his first full term in office. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Bolton/Jackson) will have an easy run for a 13th term against former local office candidate John Boule II (R). Rep. Gregg Harper (R-Pearl/Jackson) draws a nuisance primary challenge and will likely battle former Magnolia city Alderman Dennis Quinn (D) in the general election.
FL-23: Rumors have abounded about a Democratic primary challenge to DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz for months, and the six-term Representative has now drawn one. Former US Senate aide and college professor Tim Canova (D) officially announced his candidacy and promises a hard fought race against the national party chair. Wasserman Schultz has endured her share of controversy in the preceding year, including behind-the-scenes maneuvering from many in the Obama Administration to remove her from the party leadership post. Though the Congresswoman is the clear favorite, this is more than a nominal primary challenge.
FL-26: Rejecting Democratic Party pleas to allow businesswoman Annette Taddeo (D) to have a free shot at unseating freshman Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-Miami) in a more friendly (to Democrats) post-redistricting seat, businessman Andrew Korge (D), son of major Democratic fundraising bundler Chris Korge, announced that he will enter the campaign. Taddeo, a darling of the Washington, DC Democratic establishment and leadership, has fared poorly in a previous congressional race, and one for Lt. Governor in 2014. Former one-term Rep. Joe Garcia (D-Miami) continues to maintain that he has not ruled out a comeback attempt this year, either.
MI-1: Former state Sen. Jason Allen (R), who lost to Dr. Dan Benishek (R) in the 2010 open Republican primary by just 15 votes, announced that he will run again. The seat will once again be open since Rep. Benishek has chosen not to seek re-election. Already in the GOP race is state Sen. Tom Casperson, who the Congressman has already endorsed. Democrats Jerry Cannon, the retired Sheriff and military officer who was the 2012 party nominee, and Lon Johnson, the state Democratic Party chairman, are vying for their party’s nomination. This seat is politically marginal, so we could see an eventual toss-up situation emerge.
NY-19: Assemblyman Pete Lopez (R), who was the first candidate to jump into the open seat race after Rep. Chris Gibson (R-Kinderhook) announced he would not seek re-election in November, has dropped out of the race. Mr. Lopez cited his father’s just-discovered battle against cancer as his reasoning. He will seek re-election to the state legislature. The development helps favored candidate John Faso (R), a former Assemblyman and state gubernatorial nominee.
OH-8: Though 16 Republicans are running in the special election to replace resigned Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-West Chester), the race appeared to be among two top contenders, state Sen. Bill Beagle and state Rep. Tim Derickson. The campaign may be changing a bit because businessman and Army veteran Warren Davidson just attracted the endorsement and support from the Club for Growth organization. The financial backing from the group’s members certainly will help propel Davidson into the top tier. The special primary election will be held concurrently with the Ohio presidential and congressional regular primary on March 15th, with a partisan run-off scheduled for June 7th.
VA-2: Another surprise congressional retirement announcement came at the end of the week, this time in southeastern Virginia. Three-term Rep. Scott Rigell (R-Virginia Beach) says he will not run for re-election later this year. With Virginia redistricting still not finalized, the 2nd District could be a toss-up seat or a reliably Republican one, depending upon which map is finally enacted for the 2016 election. Much more on this story to come.
WV-2: Former state Delegate Mark Hunt (D), who was in the race for state Attorney General, has now changed focus. Hunt is leaving the AG’s race to challenge freshman Rep. Alex Mooney (R-Charles Town) who scored an underwhelming 47-44% open seat victory in 2014. Up until recently, Rep. Mooney also had a primary challenger, in the person of second-time candidate Ken Reed, an area pharmacist, but he has since ended his campaign. The 2nd District, home to the state’s largest city of Charleston, is marginal so this contest will be one to watch. Former West Virginia Democratic Party chairman Nick Casey, the party nominee against Mooney two years ago, has not ruled out seeking a re-match.
AAN Staff
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