News of the Week for August 17th<\/sup>, 2014<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n A Look at the 2014 Gubernatorial Landscape<\/a> 2006 Charlie Crist viciously attacks 2014 Charlie Crist in new attack ad!<\/a> California campaign finance measure booted off ballot<\/a> Dems\u2019 feud deepens with Hawaii re-vote set<\/a> Hollywood turns out big to rescue Reid, Senate Dems<\/a> The Dude Will Not Abide in the US Senate<\/a> How Democrats Sound When They Are Losing Badly<\/a> Sen. Mary Landrieu’s campaign flight was charged to taxpayers<\/a> Is Minnesota\u2019s Senate Seat In Play?<\/a>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/impeachreno.org\/politicalhat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Newsboy.jpg\" "\\"News")
<\/a>
\n<\/p>\n\n
<\/a>Election 2014<\/h1>\n
\nThirty-six statehouses are up for grabs, with a baker’s dozen very competitive.<\/p>\n
\nThis was, of course, inevitable.<\/p>\n
\nThe California Supreme Court on Monday effectively blocked a November advisory ballot measure on the merits of unlimited independent campaign spending, dashing some Democrats\u2019 hopes that the measure would boost voter turnout in what could be an otherwise staid election.<\/p>\n
\nSen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, remains in peril today as Hawaii elections officials have called for a re-vote in some precincts that were closed due to a tropical storm during Saturday\u2019s primary. Schatz, backed by President Obama in a bitter primary battle with Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, leads by just 1,635 votes. Worse still for the incumbent Democrat, Hanabusa said the re-vote may not be enough to keep her from mounting a legal challenge over the contested returns. Unlike the disputed GOP Senate primary in Mississippi, the result in Hawaii is close enough that, depending on how Friday\u2019s results turn out, contested ballots and other challenges might reverse the initial outcome. With Hanabusa talking openly of \u201c\u201cirregularities,\u201d it\u2019s clear that this race isn\u2019t over yet.<\/p>\n
\nAshley Judd didn\u2019t run for a Senate seat in Kentucky, but that doesn\u2019t mean that Hollywood hasn\u2019t propped up a candidate in the race. The Dude may not be abiding in Montana\u2019s Senate race, but The Babs is abiding in Oregon, Colorado, New Hampshire, and even Alaska. Hollywood has provided Democrats with a ton of cash for the midterm elections in an attempt to keep control of the Senate, and Alison Lundergan Grimes has been their biggest beneficiary<\/p>\n
\nSome Montana-based Jeff Bridges fans recently launched a petition to get the Big Lebowski star to run for the U.S. Senate. But Bridges doesn\u2019t think he\u2019s the man for the job\u2014or at least, his wife doesn\u2019t think he is.<\/p>\n
\n“Losing badly” was the subject line on yesterday\u2019s email from MoveOn.org. It\u2019s a real day-brightener, if you\u2019re a Republican<\/p>\n
\nSen. Mary Landrieu made headlines last November when she hitched a ride home on Air Force One with President Obama, but chose not to attend his event in New Orleans. Another lesser-known flight Landrieu took that same day mistakenly cost taxpayers more than $3,000.<\/p>\n
\nOn paper, Al Franken is a vulnerable incumbent: he has served one undistinguished term in the Senate, trying mostly to stay out of trouble; his re-elect percentage is under 50; and President Obama is unpopular in Minnesota. So some observers are optimistic that Minnesota can be added to the list of potential GOP takeaways. Earlier today, I discussed the Minnesota Senate race on Wall Street Journal Live with host Mary Kissel. <\/p>\n