USApp Managing Editor, Chris Gilson, looks at the week in U.S. state blogging

Gilson, Chris

LSE Research Online

blogs.lse.ac.ukhttp://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2014/10/25/coakley-struggling-in-massachusetts-walker-on-the-ropes-in-wisconsin-and-montanas-mailergate-us-state-blog-round-up-for-18-24-october/New Jersey Governor Chris Christie Credit: Gage Skidmore (CC-BY-SA-2.0)Coakley struggling in Massachusetts, Walker on the ropes inWisconsin, and Montana’s Mailergate: US state blog round upfor 18 – 24 OctoberUSApp Managing Editor, Chris Gilson, looks at the week in U.S. state blogging. Click here for our weeklyroundup of national blogs.NortheastOn Wednesday, New Hampshire’s NHJournal writes that in the wake of the first televised debate betweenSenator Jeanne Shaheen and her Republican midterm challenger, Scott Brown, both sides have accused theother of lying. The GOP says that Shaheen lied about her opposition to a nuclear plant, while the Shaheen campsays that Brown lied in his denial of ever voting to help U.S. companies outsource American jobs overseas.Many commentators across the country regard Vermont’s recent gubernatorial debate as a national joke, writesGreen Mountain Daily this week. They say that while there were some funny moments in the debate whichfeatured seven candidates, they are proud that Vermont has an inclusive election process which allows anyconcerned citizen to run for high office, and gives them a chance to be heard.Heading south to Massachusetts, Outside the Beltway writes this week that Democrat Marha Coakley looks likelyto fail in another election bid in the state. They say after losing the state’s Senate race in 2010 to Scott Brown,she is now down by nine points against her Republican challenger for the state’s Governorship, Charlie Baker.This week WPRI.com looks at Rhode Island’s tight gubernatorial race. They say that this week groups with noprevious history in the state have dropped over $800,000 on TV ads attacking the top two candidates, DemocratGina Raimondo and Republican Allan Fung. They say that this is nearly as much cash as Fung had on hand untilnow, and more than two times Raimondo’s.Going west to the Empire State, State of Politics writes this week that Democratic Governor, Andrew Cuomo haspicked up another GOP endorsement, this time from Anthony Picente, a Republican County Executive. They saythat the endorsement is based on Cuomo’s help strengthening the state’s tourism and yoghurt industries.On Monday this week, Save Jersey writes thatthis year’s midterm election may be the mostimportant for New Jersey Governor, ChrisChristie. They write that as Chairman of theRepublican Governor’s Association, and givenhis likely 2016 presidential ambitions, Christieneeds to prove that he can win for the party inblue states.SouthOn Monday, Fitsnews writes that a NorthCarolina Congressional candidate, JimClyburn, has compared gay couples to‘Gremlins’ in a Facebook post. They say thatthe Democrat is virtually unbeatable due to thegerrymandering of his ‘dirt poor’ district. Georgia’s Senate race had a number of interesting developments this week. On Friday, National Review’s TheCampaign Spot writes that a poll has put Republican David Purdue ahead of Democrat Michelle Nunn by 2points. They say that while the poll is good news for the GOP, the five previous polls had Nunn narrowly ahead.The race is likely to go to a runoff if neither of the candidates reaches the 50 percent threshold on November 4th,which looks increasingly likely due to the influence of a Libertarian candidate in the race.In Alabama this week, Yellowhammer reports that the state’s House Speaker, Mike Hubbard, has been indictedon corruption charges stemming from an ongoing Grand Jury investigation. The charges include using hisposition in the GOP for personal gain, voting for legislation with a conflict of interest and using state equipmentand his office for personal gain.Heading south to the Sunshine State, Daily Kos writes this week that Florida Governor Rick Scott may have hada death row inmate’s execution delayed to accommodate a fundraiser for the state’s Attorney General, PamBondi. They say that Scott, who is in a close re-election race against former Governor Charlie Crist, dodgedquestions over the matter at a debate this week. Staying in Florida, Roll Call’s At the Races reports on Thursdaythat a case challenging the state’s congressional map is set to head to the Supreme Court next year. They writethat the case unfolded over the summer after a coalition charged that the state’s congressional map violated thestate’s Fair District amendments.This week Burnt Orange Report has a helpful guide to voting in Texas, including the voter ID law that was found tobe unconstitutional by a District Judge, a ruling that was then overturned by the Supreme Court. In an effort topush back against the ‘confusing design’ of the state’s voter ID regulation, they give an overview of what a Texanneeds to be able to vote.MidwestThis week in Ohio, Plunderbund writes that the state’s Republican Governor, John Kasich, has recently reaffirmedhis belief that Obamacare is not working, and that it needs to be repealed and replaced. They say that at thesame time, Kasich stated that he liked the expansion of Medicaid – which is tied to Obamacare.Moving up to Michigan, on Friday, eclectablog writes that the state’s Governor, Republican Rick Snyder, has nottaken $1 billion out of the state’s K-12 education program, he has taken billions since he took office.  They saythat when Governor Snyder talks about how his budget has money for education, he is lying, and actually suckingmoney out of the system to diver to ‘his business pals’. Staying in Michigan, The Atlantic reports this week thatone fifth of the population of Detroit may lose their homes because they owe thousands in property taxes to thecity.In Wisconsin, Republican Governor, Scott Walker is facing a difficult reelection fight. On Friday, PoliticusUSAwrites that he is on the ropes against his challenger, as both former President Bill Clinton, and, President Obama,are coming to the state to support his challenger, Mary Burke.This week, Daily Kos gives a running tally of the denials of leaks made by offices in St Louis in the wake of theshooting of Michael Brown in August in Ferguson, Missouri. These leaks include Brown’s autopsy report, andtestimony from the Grand Jury.The past two weeks have seen increased interest in South Dakota’s Senate race, with the Independentcandidate, Larry Pressler, seemingly gaining ground against GOP candidate, Mike Rounds, for a time.Caffeinated Politics writes that we can stop wondering about the election, as a Rounds is now up by 24 pointsagainst his Democratic challenger, Rick Weiland and 32 over Pressler. They say the sudden threat of losing thestate is likely to have galvanized Republican voters, generating more volunteers.West and Pacific On Friday, Montana’s Cowgirl Blog updates a developing story this week in the state. She writes that researchersat Stanford University and Dartmouth College have sent 100,000 fake ‘voter guides’ into Montana with the lookand feel of official state guides. They say that while Stanford claims that the study is an innocent one, there are aWisconsin Governor Scott Walker Credit: GatewayTechnical College (CC-BY-NC-ND-2.0)few strange circumstances that need answers, such as whether or not the university researchers got outsidefunds for the research.Heading south to Wyoming, Wyofile writes on Tuesday that whilegay men and women now have the freedom to marry the person thatthey love in the state, the fight isn’t over. They write that marriageinequality does not mean that their neighbors, fellow churchmembers or complete strangers will suddenly openly accept them.In Colorado this week, The Spot is surprised to see a new TV adfrom Senator Mark Udall that features him smiling. Over the courseof the campaign Udalls dourness has been discussed alongside hisGOP challenger Cory Gardner’s ‘perpetual smile’. Remaining in theCentennial State, Daily Kos writes on Friday that the state is actuallya 100 percent vote by mail state. The fact that people do not have togo to the polls, and can send their ballots via the mail makespredicting the final result much harder. The polls currently haveUdall narrowly trailing in the Senate race.Heading west to the Golden State, Hit & Run writes that executivesfrom the California Public Employees’ Retirement System arepuzzled why people are upset with them after they began declaringthat public employees bonuses were part of their base pay in orderto avoid a reform that sought to prevent ‘pension spiking’ by requiring pensions to be calculated from base pay,and not bonuses. Staying in California, Fox & Hounds looks at whether the state’s Democrats will be able to keeptheir supermajority in the state legislature.   Featured image: Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley answers questions from the media at theMassachusetts Fallen Heroes Memorial Groundbreaking in South Boston. (Photo: Sydney Altschuler / Governor’sOffice) (Flickr, CC-BY-NC-SA-2.0)Please read our comments policy before commenting .Note:  This article gives the views of the author, and not the position of USApp– American Politics and Policy, norof the London School of Economics.Shortened URL for this post: http://bitly.com/ZOeQgwCC BY-NC-ND 3.0 2014 LSE USAPP

Coakley struggling in Massachusetts, Walker on the ropes inWisconsin, and Montana’s Mailergate: US state blog round upfor 18 – 24 October

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