Campaigns & Elections articles from April 2007

Campaigns & Elections archives from April 2007

Editor's note.
April 1, 2007... Political consulting is an oft-misunderstood profession where the major players often operate behind the scenes and unbeknownst to the average voter. Although the voters don't know the faces of the consultants, they certainly know their work;...

Letters to the editor.(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2007... To the Editor: Thank you for giving me the opportunity to respond to the recent misleading advertisement from Aristotle, in which they argued that their software helps campaigns raise more money. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In their...

Cue the music.(INSIDE POLITICS)
April 1, 2007... The nation has been flooded by the buzz of candidates jumping into the 2008 presidential race and the clatter sounds an awful lot like... rock music? At the winter meeting of the Democratic National Committee, potential nominees stepped onto...

By the numbers.(INSIDE POLITICS)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... EARLY BIRDS 26 The number of states that could hold their primaries or caucuses on Feb. 5, 2008, representing 70 percent of the U.S. population 40 The number of state primaries that could be held before March 2008. That's...

Where are they now? A look at the architects of the 2004 presidential races.(INSIDE POLITICS)
April 1, 2007... In 2004, these stalwarts stood at the helm of the presidential campaigns. Here's a look at where they are now. Mary Beth Cahill replaced Jim Jordan as the campaign manager for presidential candidate John Kerry in 2004. Following the...

The things they'll do for a beer.(INSIDE POLITICS)
April 1, 2007... Want a surefire method to get votes? Buy them. (Trust us, it's not even that expensive.) That's what former Appalachia, Va. Mayor Ben Cooper, who resigned when he was indicted in 2006, did in this town of less than 2,000 voters in 2004. He...

Alabama.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(legislator pay raise)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Several efforts are underway to increase legislator pay. In the statehouse, legislators currently make about $30,700, leading some state senators to complain they can't take their families out to eat in Montgomery unless a lobbyist foots the...

Alaska.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(protection of caribou herd in the Bristol Bay area)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Refuge proposals are proliferating this year, with new efforts to create a 5 million to 7 million-acre game refuge in Bristol Bay's headwaters and a similar refuge in the Tangle Lakes region to help protect its large Nelchina caribou herd....

Arizona.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The state Republican majority is making its first major move on immigration. The House of Representatives has authorized the governor to deploy the Arizona National Guard to the border, setting aside $10 million to pay for it. Legislators also...

Arkansas.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The state legislative session has focused on a bill by Sen. Shawn Womack (R) that would ban gays, lesbians and unmarried couples--even a child's blood relatives--from adopting or being foster parents. Arkansas Supreme Court justices struck down...

California.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Governor Schwarzenegger and the Democratic legislature are working for a couple election reforms. Democrats and some Republicans are pushing to extend term limits in Sacramento and are currently in the process of putting an initiative on the...

Colorado.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... After surprisingly strong victories in each of the last two elections, Democrats are looking at a somewhat different landscape in 2008 that could find them in the role of favorites. Democrats control both chambers of the state legislature and...

Connecticut.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Governor M. Jodi Rell (R) unveiled her budget this month, the centerpiece of which is a massive increase in the amount of state spending on education. Rell plans to pay for her education plans by increasing income taxes and taxes on cigarettes,...

Delaware.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The race for governor is heating up, despite there only being one announced candidate for the 2008 open election. Democratic Lt. Gov. John C. Carney Jr. has thrown his hat into the ring, but others have made overtures toward the post. According...

Florida.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The Florida Republican Party has announced plans to host a nationally televised debate of Republican presidential hopefuls in October. The Florida legislature is also considering a move to advance its primary to a week after the New Hampshire...

Georgia.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Mainstream conservatives don't seem to be running from Georgia Republican Newt Gingrich after the former House Speaker's recent admission that he had an extramarital affair while leading the charge against President Bill Clinton over Monica...

Hawaii.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The state's election machinery is in transition now after the often-criticized state chief elections officer stepped aside. Gov. Linda Lingle (R) has criticized Dwayne Yoshina for sending out duplicate absentee ballots, and called for an...

Idaho.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Some observers had predicted the state House would take a more liberal bent this year after the November ouster of five House Republicans during the Nov. 7 election. But with the election of Rep. Lawrence Denney (R) to replace retiring House...

Illinois.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The state's majority Democrats may need to focus on issues important to immigrants to maintain their majority. The number of naturalized citizens in the state has increased about 17 percent since 2000, according to a recent study by the...

Indiana.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... A familiar face may be gearing up to challenge Bush ally Gov. Mitch Daniels, who won the seat with a 10-point lead only to see his approval ratings plummet. Former Congresswoman Jill Long Thompson (D) served three terms before losing in the...

Iowa.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... It's still early in the lead-up to the caucuses, but many of the first Iowa appearances by top candidates have had a decidedly general-election feel to them, instead of the intimate gatherings often thought to be typical of the caucus process....

Kansas.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Republicans in the state House and Senate are pushing for up to $58 million in tax breaks for seniors and some low-income residents. Democrats argue that the measure should not apply to those with incomes above $55,000 a year, and the Senate...

Kentucky.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The gubernatorial primary is fast approaching, and the two parties' campaigns differ dramatically. The Democrats in the race have found common ground on most issues, including agreeing that voters should decide whether to give the green light...

Louisiana.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... In just a few months, voters across the state will be selecting the next governor. Yet, at this late point, the Louisiana Democratic Party is still uncertain if its incumbent governor will be running for re-election. According to sources,...

Maine.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Sen. Susan Collins, a fairly moderate Republican, is a target in 2008 as Democrats try to strengthen their 51-49 Senate majority. Rep. Tom Allen, who has indicated he intends to declare, looks to be the Democrat's recruiting pick for the state....

Maryland.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Any presidential candidates left standing after the huge Feb. 5 national primary will probably have to pass through a Mid-Atlantic gauntlet. At press time, Maryland was on a fast track to move its primary up three weeks to Feb. 12, 2008....

Massachusetts.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... As an enlivened talk radio climate took aim at Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick's use of taxpayer money on a Cadillac and a personal assistant for his wife, almost 1,500 Cape Cod residents got some welcome news. The federal government's...

Michigan.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Budget and tax issues have taken on a greater focus this year in Michigan, both because of an ongoing economic downturn (caused largely by the suffering auto industry) and a shift in the state's House of Representatives, which has a Democrat...

Minnesota.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Democratic Farmer Laborers are gearing up to run against Sen. Norm Coleman (R). The first two candidates to announce, talk show host Al Franken and trial lawyer Mike Ciresi, have said they will each abide by the party's endorsement. Other names...

Mississippi.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Officials from governor to coroner are on the ballot this year. Gov. Haley Barbour (R) is in an enviable position and could have great coat-tails. In 2002, there was only one Republican statewide elected official; now four of eight are...

Missouri.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Leaders of the Missouri Republican and Democratic Party organizations displayed two contrasting views on inviting presidential contenders to their yearly get-togethers. Missouri Republicans gathering in St. Louis for the party's annual Lincoln...

Montana.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... At press time, the legislature has been scrapping over the state budget. Republicans have tossed the traditional single state budget bill, arguing that multiple bills will allow closer scrutiny. As part of the battle, House Republicans (who...

Nebraska.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... At least seven Republicans are waiting quietly--if not necessarily happily--in the wings for Sen. Chuck Hagel (R) to make up his mind on a presidential run. Now that Hagel has announced he'll wait until later this year to decide, his successors...

Nevada.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The Assembly's Republicans and Democrats are dueling over full-day kindergarten, with the GOP fighting to fund full-day kindergarten only for at-risk schools and use the funds instead for older students. The parties are also feuding over Gov....

New Hampshire.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... One of the closest races for the U.S. House in 2006 appears to be headed for a rematch in 2008. U.S. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter, a Democrat from the state's First Congressional District, pulled off one of the biggest upsets last fall when she...

New Jersey.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Gov. Jon Corzine (D) called his new budget proposal a big step toward long-term property tax relief. Republican legislators dismissed it as an election year budget that provides modest tax relief and does not do enough to address the state's...

New Mexico.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Most politicians in the state are taking another look at their plans for 2008, thanks to Rep. Pete V. Domenici's unexpected vulnerability. Depending on what happens with the attorney firing scandal that has tripped up the state's...

New York.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Winning the November election by a landslide has not paved the way for Gov. Eliot Spitzer to impose his will on the New York State Legislature. He still faces deep-seated divisions between downstate and upstate, urban versus suburban versus...

North Carolina.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... With John Edwards vying for the Democratic presidential nomination, the state is among those mulling an early primary. But moving the presidential primary from May to late January or early February--at a separate time from the state...

North Dakota.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... At press time, the state Senate was considering a bill that would prohibit abortions in case the Supreme Court ever overturned Roe v. Wade. The bill mirrors the measure the state House passed in January, and would levy a $5,000 fine and a...

Ohio.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce barely survived her 2006 re-election bid. And just months later, two challengers are already ramping up to unseat her. They include Mary Jo Kilroy, who just narrowly lost against Pryce, and Paula Brooks. Both women...

Oklahoma.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The state House has approved a measure preventing illegal immigrants from obtaining state identification. The bill also would require all state and local agencies to verify an applicant's citizenship status before authorizing public benefits....

Oregon.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Oregonian Democrats are advancing their efforts to expand the ranks of residents eligible for less-expensive prescription drugs. The state's bulk-purchasing cooperative was created for low-income seniors and later expanded to welcome any state...

Pennsylvania.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(public service advertising bill)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Republicans joined the House's Democratic Majority to defeat a reform bill that would have changed the way the body does business. The reform measures included term limits for committee chairmen, and would have prohibited funding public-service...

Rhode Island.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Narragansett Indians want casino in Rhode Island)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Although their referendum was soundly defeated on Election Day, the Narragansett Indians continue to seek ways to build a casino in Rhode Island. With the change to a Democrat-controlled Congress, the tribe seems to be focusing its efforts on...

South Carolina.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(presidential candidates in south carolina wooing voters)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... All of the major and minor candidates for president are now descending on South Carolina. Mitt Romney has been in the state often in the past month. John McCain, Mike Huckabee and Duncan Hunter have all received endorsements, ranging from a...

South Dakota.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The legislature has adjourned for the year, but next year will likely see the return of many of this year's battles, from an abortion ban to school funding. The splits this year were usually between the House and the Senate, even though...

Tennessee.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Republican party members in the Senate)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Republicans have a majority in the state Senate for the first time in more than a century, and they're enjoying their newfound power. Their agenda range from a controversial bill to make driver's license tests English only to reducing state...

Texas.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(solar energy usage is encouraged in Texas)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The land of Big Oil may go green. Rep. Garnet Coleman (D) has filed legislation to give residents rebates if they install solar electric power. The TexSun Solar Energy Rebate Program would also credit consumers who produce more energy than they...

Utah.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(lobbying law in Utah)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Following suit with new lobbying regulations in Congress, the Utah legislature has passed the first ethics bill in years, requiring lobbyists to name any lawmaker who accepts free tickets. Dissimilar from the bill's Congressional counterpart,...

Vermont.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Work for a firm that does robo calls? You might want to look outside Vermont for business. If state Rep. Jim Condon's (D) bill passes in the legislature, all "electioneering communication made by robotic telephone call" would be banned. While...

Virginia.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The two Virginians everyone expected to vie for their parties' presidential nominations, former Gov. Mark Warner (D) and former Sen. George Allen (R), are long gone from the race. But that doesn't mean the Old Dominion has fallen off the radar...

Washington.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Luke Esser joins Republican Party)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Former state Sen. Luke Esser is the new chairman of the state Republican Party. He defeated Diane Tebelius, who led the party through the 2006 election cycle in which several GOP state lawmakers--including Esser--lost their seats. Democrat...

West Virginia.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Starting this month, Democrats and Republicans will really be fighting over independent voters in party primaries. While the Republican Party has allowed independent voters to vote in party primaries since 1986, Democrats too will now allow...

Wisconsin.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Another session, another spending record. Lobbying groups spent $58.1 million in the 2005-06 session trying to influence state officials, up almost 20 percent from the previous two-year period. If spread evenly among the state's 132 lawmakers,...

Wyoming.(INSIDE POLITICS: ACROSS STATE LINES)(Casper Youth Empowerment Council lobbies for students)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Young people who think they can't make a difference should look to their peers in Wyoming. The Casper Youth Empowerment Council lobbied the state legislature to allow 16 and 17-year olds to work in polling places on Election Day. The group,...

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.(NEW JOBS)(Ann Marie Habershaw joins M+R Strategic Services)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... After three campaign cycles as chief operating officer of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Ann Marie Habershaw has left to join the private sector. She was just named chief operating officer at Washington, D.C.-based public...

Maryland Lt.(NEW JOBS)(Michael Steele's aspirations)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele (R) may have lost his bid for Senate last year, despite those puppy ads, but that hasn't seemed to hurt his career prospects. In addition to directing GOPAC and starting his own consulting firm, Steele...

League of Conservation Voters.(NEW JOBS)(David Sandretti appointed as communications director )(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... David Sandretti has been named as communications director for the League of Conservation Voters, with more than 20 years of communications experience, including communications director for the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works...

After being left out of a job from his former boss's loss this November, Paul Unger has moved to the private sector.(NEW JOBS)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... After being left out of a job from his former boss's loss this November, Paul Unger has moved to the private sector. The former counsel and legislative director to then-Sen. George Allen, R-Va., has joined McGuire Woods Consulting as vice...

After working the past cycle as the executive director for the DCCC, Karin Johanson has moved to the private sector, joining the Dewey Square Group's Washington, D.C. office.(NEW JOBS)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... After working the past cycle as the executive director for the DCCC, Karin Johanson has moved to the private sector, joining the Dewey Square Group's Washington, D.C. office, where she will focus on grass roots consulting and interest groups....

Recently formed Republican direct mail firm Politicalink has brought on Martin Baker as a partner.(NEW JOBS)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Recently formed Republican direct mail firm Politicalink has brought on Martin Baker as a partner. Baker will focus on the firm's burgeoning congressional race practice as well as local and state-level races. Prior to joining Politicalink,...

National Education Association.(NEW JOBS)(Karen White appointed as head of election department)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The National Education Association has hired Karen White to head its new campaigns and elections department. The department will concentrate on grass roots issue advocacy, direct mail and political races. White worked as the political director...

Anthem Media.(NEW JOBS)(Jonathan Poe appointed as business development partner)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Republican consulting firm Anthem Media has added new partner Jonathan Poe, who will concentrate on business development. Poe spent the 2004 and 2006 cycles with the National Republican Congressional Committee where he served as the deputy...

The Baughman Co.(NEW JOBS)(Kevin Geary appointed to take charge for new office)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The political director of the Democratic direct-mail firm The Baughman Co., Kevin Geary, will be in charge of running the firm's new office in Philadelphia. Geary previously worked as the communications director to California Rep. Anna Eshoo,...

Americans for Tax Reform.(NEW JOBS)(Kari Bragg appointed as operations manager )(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Kari Bragg has been named operations manager and intern coordinator for Americans for Tax Reform. Previously, she was the state government affairs associate at ATR and campaigned for former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele's failed Senate bid....

Rudy Fernandez has been named vice president of government affairs at the University of Miami.(NEW JOBS)
April 1, 2007... Rudy Fernandez has been named vice president of government affairs at the University of Miami. Most recently, he worked as special assistant to the president for intergovernmental affairs at the White House. He also has worked at the RNC, on...

Christopher Wenk, has been named senior director of international policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.(NEW JOBS)
April 1, 2007... Christopher Wenk, who most recently served as director of international trade policy at the National Association of Manufacturers, has been named senior director of international policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Prior to working at the...

The Mellman Group.(NEW JOBS)(Nathan Henry appointed as vice president)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Democratic polling firm The Mellman Group has named Nathan Henry a vice president. Henry, who has been with the company for eight years, has worked for a wide array of clients, including Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, the DSCC,...

1944: The year of the first political action committee.(FIRM CHANGES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... 1944: The year of the first political action committee. 2007: the year that the 1944 Group was formed. The group, which has partnered with Mindshare Interactive Campaigns, aims to empower companies to manage all their PAC activities with one...

Patrick Dorinson, will open his own firm, PD Communications, in Sacramento, Calif.(FIRM CHANGES)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Patrick Dorinson, former communications director of the California Republican Party, will open his own firm, PD Communications, in Sacramento, Calif. Before working for the California GOP, Dorinson got his start as an aide for Gov....

Maryland Republican Party.(PARTY LINES)(Audra Miller moves on for her new position as communications director )(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... After two years directing the communications operations with the Maryland Republican Party, Audra Miller has moved on, bringing her communications expertise to her new position as communications director for Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb.

10 questions for Jim Messina: chief of staff, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont.(INSIDE POLITICS: MOVERS AND SHAKERS)(Interview)
April 1, 2007... Jim Messina is the chief of staff to Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont. In his career, Messina routinely switches hats from campaign manager to chief of staff. He has worked on and off for Baucus since 1995, managing his 1996 and 2002 races. He was also...

10 questions for Jason Roe: deputy campaign manager, Romney for President.(INSIDE POLITICS: MOVERS AND SHAKERS)(Interview)
April 1, 2007... Jason Roe was chief of staff for Rep. Tom Feeney, R-Fla., and managed Rep. Peter Roskam's, R-Ill., campaign. He was also Southern California field representative for the Dole for President campaign in 1996, campaign manager for Jim Rogan for...

Inside politics: campaign consultant sign-ups.
April 1, 2007... Anzalone-Liszt Research/D -- polling Jamie Franks, MS, Lt. Gov. '08 Walter Dalton, NC, Lt. Gov. '08 Carl Brewer, KS, Wichita Mayor '07 Bob Brady, PA, Philadelphia Mayor '07 Mary Ann Smith (in), IL, Chicago Ward 48 '07 ...

The great set-up: local races may be a great national barometer.(FEATURE)
April 1, 2007... As presidential campaigns dominate national attention, a few smaller races are receiving considerably less attention but will help set the climate for elections at all levels in 2008. Many of the issues in this year's city hall races across...

Media mavericks: media consultants aren't afraid to step on a few toes in the cutthroat business of sex, lies and videotape.
April 1, 2007... Their critics regularly refer to media consultants as bullies and bottom-feeders, saying they twist--or fabricate--the truth to suit their needs and play on voters' worst fears. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] But strategists, while...

A winning match: is partnering the right decision for you?(FEATURE)
April 1, 2007... Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas seem like that beautiful celebrity couple who are in love and around for the long haul. Shouldn't political partnerships work the same way? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "A...

Fund-raisers are really fund-reapers.(real politics)(Column)
April 1, 2007... There is no such thing as a fund-raiser--an event or a person who beats the hustings and finds money for the campaign. But there are fund-reapers--those who harvest a crop of donors who grow abundantly on carefully cultivated fields, seeded and...

Room for three? Conservatives may be looking for a third-party option.(figuratively speaking)(Column)
April 1, 2007... It's a question I get everywhere--whenever I do speeches, make an appearance or do an interview: What are the chances of a new third party? One of my pat responses is that there's always a centrist political party waiting to be formed....

A cheap shot: national presidential primary polls are irrelevant.(proving ground)
April 1, 2007... MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Last year, political junkies were following the Virginia Senate race, where incumbent Republican George Allen was in the fight of his political life. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Six months before the election, polls...

Avoiding disaster: solving last-minute campaign event problems.(CONSULTANTS' CORNER)(Column)
April 1, 2007... The invitations were mailed a month ago, the guest speaker confirmed last week. When the day of your fund-raiser finally arrives, everybody from caterers to volunteers have given the green light. The event is all set. Or is it? Even with...

Go fish: how to catch contributors.(CONSULTANTS' CORNER: CAMPAIGNING 101)
April 1, 2007... Finding contributors for your campaign is a lot like fishing: sometimes you have to use a special rod and bait to catch the big fish. Other times, you cast a wide net to catch the smaller fish. To choose the right approach, you need a plan. ...

Fulfilling promises at the DNC.(TECH BYTES)(Democratic National Committee's Vote Builder)
April 1, 2007... One year ago in this space, I surveyed the state of the Democratic National Committee's list management practices. The picture was bleak. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The party had abandoned its ill-fated "DataMart" effort at creating a...