Election day is Tuesday June 22.

Early voting will be in the Thursday June 3rd to Saturday June 19th period.

Who are you voting for? Why?

5/4/2010 10:33:38 PM

what the fuck dude.

tell me which will be the weaker candidate. I'll vote for that person

5/4/2010 10:39:09 PM

Elaine did better than the President in 2008 so she has bipartisan support, and polls strongest against Burr, so maybe Cal is weaker.

But Cal is a veteran with experience in the state legislature and was the strongest fundraiser in the first primary, so maybe Elaine is weaker.

Although maybe Burr is the weakest. Some reasons not to vote for Burr:

Obstructionist - Even with the military. In addition to participating in filibuster threats, he held up Duckworth's nomination to a key position in the office of veteran affairs despite her strong qualifications. He specifically also let generals travel from Korea and Hawaii to Washington DC for a meeting of the Senate Armed Services Committee and then canceled the meeting as a part of a larger party wide effort of obstructionism to not even let meetings happen.

Economy - When he was first learning of the severity of the recession he told his wife to go to the ATM day after day taking out all the money it would allow b/c he was convinced that in a few days "the last thing that would come out of the ATM is money" (I can't recall his exact quote, but that isn't far off). Perhaps one of the most damning reasons not to vote against him is his meeting with representatives with members of Goldman Sachs, who then gave the max allowed contribution to his campaign, and then he took a strong stand against Wall Street Reform.

Washington Incumbent - This one might not be a big deal to everyone, but I know for some people they don't like politicians who have been in Washington forever, and Burr has been in Congress & in Washington for nearly 2 decades. But after nearly 2 decades its hard to name any big Burr accomplishments.

Women's issues - He voted against Frank's anti-rape amendment which passed with many Dem & GOP votes. He also voted for domestic violence to continue as a pre-existing condition.

Gay Rights - Probably not something TWW cares about in large amounts, but he's against repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell and favors an amendment to the US constitution to write in a ban of gay marriage.

Environment - He tends to rate horribly here. According to Wikipedia: "Burr has generally received low ratings from environmental-protection organizations. In 2007-2008, for example, he received a rating of 0% from Environment America[17], 12% from the League of Conservation Voters, and 29% from Republicans for Environmental Protection."

5/4/2010 10:46:23 PM

There is still some chance that this runoff doesn't happen. It isn't automatic, the candidate who came in second place has to officially request a runoff which Cal has indicated he plans to do. But if a run off does happen it will mean some free media coverage for both of the remaining candidates as the runoff election approaches which is good when going up against someone with a war-chest like Burr has, and that Burr can't target his opponent for an extra few months so its harder for him to make use of his money. Here was WRAL's interviews with Elaine and Cal this morning to talk election results and runoff strategy:



[Edited on May 5, 2010 at 10:58 PM. Reason : .]

5/5/2010 10:40:33 PM

i am not voting for cal because i think elaine has a better shot against burr in the general. that's usually how i pick my primary candidates

5/5/2010 11:37:34 PM

Found a pic on Cal's site from the county convention I went to. I'm the head closest to the podium with the 2 friends I went with to my right. The guy in yellow on the stage is the mayor of Carrboro.

[Edited on May 8, 2010 at 12:55 AM. Reason : .]

5/8/2010 12:54:23 AM

http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2010/05/marshall-cunningham-closing-on-burr.html

New polling numbers out today. Burr vs Marshall is 43 vs 42%, a statistical tie that is well within the margin of error.

Elaine Marshall is doing better than Kay Hagan was against Elizabeth Dole at a similar time during that campaign by 5 points, and Cunningham is doing about the same since he is still 5 points down on Burr.

5/11/2010 12:31:50 PM

I'm voting for Cal. He's a much more moderate voter who isn't going to piss people off and I think more GOPs will cross the line for him.

5/12/2010 12:14:54 AM

^As of this week Elaine leads Cal by 10 points among independents, but Cal's life story may appeal to moderates more once more people get to know him.

5/12/2010 1:20:44 AM

I think independents will be inclined to go as far away from Burr as possible, which would be the more liberal candidate (Marshall).

After meeting both of them, I can say Cal is the more genuinely good person, and has way more passion for what he does and more importantly who he does it for

5/12/2010 3:34:06 AM

They're both pretty passionate in my experience and good people from what I can tell (I do respect Cal's service). I've seen them both speak in person, and chatted with them via online messaging, radio shows, and liveblogs and I think either of them is worlds better than Burr. And they're both more moderate than Ken Lewis and both more experienced than Ken Lewis, Susan Harris, or Ann Worthy (the candidates that were knocked out in round 1).

I've been posting about this election on TWW for over a year now, following it pretty closely, so I can confidently say Elaine and Cal are extremely close on the issues especially as compared to the 4 other candidates that were knocked out in round 1. I don't know anyone who supports Cal who wouldn't also vote for Elaine come November and vice versa. I mean there are reasons to lean slightly in favor of one or the the other but they are inches apart from each other and miles apart from Burr.

5/12/2010 4:24:42 AM

^Agreed, anyone who would vote for one would deffinitely vote for the other over Burr.

Not sure what the original source is, but this came in an e-mail from Cal's campaign today:

Quote :

"A new PPP poll released moments ago shows Cal has completely closed the gap: 36-36, with 28% of voters still undecided."

5/12/2010 2:51:54 PM

Yeah I just got that e-mail too.

In Elaine vs Cal more people support Elaine, but more of the people who support Cal are more enthusiastic about it. What that means is in a regular election Elaine will do well but if an off year primary run off where barely anyone votes, the enthusiasm gap makes the difference, so Cal is tied amongst likely voters in this unusual election. Elaine is still polling significantly better against Burr though so I'm hoping she wins this run off. Either way though the primary candidates are so close on the issues that it doesn't matter so much who wins.

Give the closeness for the run off election, an endorsement from Ken Lewis can go along ways. I don't know if he will endorse anyone, but as the 3rd place guy in the primary, he has enough supporters to be a kingmaker if this runoff.

5/12/2010 3:39:55 PM

Here is an interesting map showing the counties the senate candidates won in the primary.

http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NC/15705/25079/en/md.html?cid=10000000



Marcus won his home county only, Ken got 4 counties around where he lived, Cal got 21 counties mostly centered around where he lives, and Elaine took the state with 74 counties.

I hadn't realized just how regional most of the candidates support was until I saw this. Given that those green counties are outside of Cal's triad base of support region, I wonder how strong of inroads he'll be able to make before the runoff.

5/15/2010 9:52:30 AM

It's all about turn-out this year. Which group do you think has more fire in their belly right now: dems or pubs?

And Elaine isn't helping herself while we're at it...

Quote :

"Secretary of State Collection Effort Angers Business Owners and CPAs Secretary of State (Elaine Marshall) sent threatening letters to 250,000 NC businesses threatening to dissolve their businesses within 60 days (in the midst of tax season). Business owners and their CPAs were furious. The entire effort struck many as a cynical attempt to fish for more revenue when NC is in budget crisis. "It's impossible to go back and prove they (were in compliance), and that feels like extortion." says one CPA. "I think the secretary of state changed the rules in the middle of the game and forgot to tell us about it." says another. - Carolina Journal"

5/17/2010 1:06:14 AM

God forbid we meet the states constitutionally required balanced budget.

We've had recent threads complain about cutting spending whether it be teacher layoffs, or merging zoology with animal science, among others.

We've had threads complaining about increasing the tax collection rate, both through the commonly used method of publishing names to increase the collection rate rather than the actual rate. This is another example that you are referencing of making efforts to increase the collection to avoid increases taxes on people.

We've had threads complaining about the need to avoid tax raises as well.

We have a constitutional requirement to balance the budget, and a weak economy which means the state gov has to either cut spending, increase collection rates, or increase tax rates.

I think most people would agree that a balance focused more on cutting spending and increasing collection rates is better than large tax rate increases, and yet as a group even The Wolf Web which is largely college educated can't seem not to get upset whenever we try to pursue options other than raising tax rates... and we expect representatives who represent larger, more diverse, and less educated groups to do so effectively.

The soap box is full of tax debate threads, so I hope this doesn't become another one, but it annoys me with how much The Wolf Web ignores our constitutionally mandated requirement to balance the budget while saying we must increase spending, cut taxes, and ignore collection rates.

5/17/2010 1:32:58 AM

Ken Lewis endorsed Elaine Marshall and has e-mailed to his listserv of supporters a message supporting Elaine's campaign, asking people to vote for her, and asking them to donate to her campaign. As the third most vote-gettingest candidate, this is good news for her campaign for the runoff. Looks like he even got some new signs made up.

5/20/2010 4:40:59 AM

Quote :

" Former U.S. Senate candidate Jim Neal -- who received 240,000 votes in the 2008 U.S. Senate primary -- announced Monday that he is endorsing current U.S. Senate candidate Cal Cunningham."

5/24/2010 2:06:57 PM

damn it, now it looks like this will be the first election I'll not vote in since turning 18. Goddamn you Jim Neal.

5/24/2010 2:47:54 PM

How does Jim Neal force you not to vote?

5/26/2010 11:09:29 AM

It doesn't matter who wins the primary. Burr is going to destroy them. Who wants to start a pool?

5/26/2010 1:34:30 PM

^^because I absolutely despise Jim Neal and I was going to vote for Cal Cunningham. But with that bastard out there trying to use Cunningham's campaign to further his attention whoring I will withhold my support for Cunningham.

I will not vote for Elaine Marshall as I do not think she'll be a good candidate in the Fall and I don't think she would make a good Senator.

5/26/2010 4:55:27 PM

That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. I know lots of bastards I don't like who support the same candidates I do, doesn't make me like the candidates less.

5/27/2010 1:45:28 AM

Listen child, the decision of Cal to beat his chest and act top dog because he got Jim Neal's endorsement is part of the problem.

He may think it will endear him to the bluenc crowd, but those folks are already supporting Marshall. Jim Neal's endorsement gets him nothing

[Edited on May 27, 2010 at 10:22 AM. Reason : .]

5/27/2010 10:17:38 AM

who's beating their chest about anything? It's not like cal is out there bragging about it.

5/28/2010 4:20:50 PM

so who's got more viability against burr in the general? everyone was saying elaine initially but i seem to be hearing differently these days. any new numbers out?

5/28/2010 6:24:35 PM

honestly, burr has so much shit against him I don't think it will matter. Either has a good chance of beating him.

5/30/2010 1:27:53 AM

Quote :

"I absolutely despise Jim Neal "

Why?

5/30/2010 1:29:33 AM

^^like what? Seriously, I haven't been paying much attention for awhile now. I'm relying on tww for my political information.

5/30/2010 4:15:03 PM

Quote :

"Wake County Board of Elections 337 S. Salisbury St., Raleigh, NC 27601 Thursday–Friday, June 3–4: 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Friday, June 7–18: 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday, June 19: 10 a.m.–1 p.m."

The runoff only will only have one early vote location for Wake County, but its in downtown Raleigh so its only a couple of miles from campus.

6/2/2010 12:08:30 AM

http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/elaine-marshall-working-class-at-heart-reeves-for-13th-district-in-orange-county-its-medenblik-a-tough-call-in-durham-but-its-martin/Content?oid=1457773

Quote :

"Elaine Marshall: working class at heart Predictions, as Yogi Berra rightly said, are tough, especially about the future. Still, in recommending a vote for Elaine Marshall rather than Cal Cunningham in the U.S. Senate Democratic primary runoff, we offer two predictions. One is that if nominated, Marshall would have a better chance of winning the fall election against Republican Sen. Richard Burr. The second: If elected, Marshall would be the stronger senator. Neither statement should be read as a slam on Cunningham, who is very bright and has run a respectable, progressive campaign. Indeed, his positions on the issues are remarkably similar to Marshall's. But Marshall has the longer, stronger record of public service to pit against Burr's myopic conservatism. And while Marshall and Cunningham both offer themselves as advocates for working-class Americans—and no doubt about it, the Senate is short of members who give a damn about the working class—we think Marshall comes to that stance from her gut as well as her intellect. Cunningham, by contrast, often sounds a little too rehearsed, a little too calculating or hesitant. ... she pushed successfully for laws requiring lobbyists to more fully disclose their spending and closing the loophole that allowed them to pick up legislators' bar and restaurant tabs without reporting it. ... If you've heard Marshall speak, you've heard her talk about growing up in rural Maryland, the daughter of a farmer and a church organist, and about the schoolteachers and the 4-H leaders who helped her be the first in her family to attend college"

The Indy endorsements are usually a solid barometer for who will win the Democratic primaries at least for counties in and around the triangle area so this endorsement is good news for the Elaine campaign especially since this was an endorsement they did not have the first time around.

Cunningham just picked up some endorsements from a few local elected officials in the Wilmington area as well, so they are both still out on the campaign trail and working for endorsements and votes. Early voting starts tomorrow.

6/2/2010 11:24:25 PM

6/9/2010 1:57:59 AM

^this

6/9/2010 2:54:52 AM

About 2 minutes of highlights from tonight's senate debate
http://www.wral.com/news/local/politics/video/7763178/

6/11/2010 12:52:58 AM

Cunningham's name comes first alphabetically. He'll win.

6/11/2010 1:14:34 AM

Both of these candidates will support tax n cap...raising your utility bills based on undecided science.

Both candidates will do nothing to dismantle the horrid health-care bill.

We need to put the brakes on this one-party Democratic party rule.

6/11/2010 10:44:59 AM

Quote :

"undecided science"

lol

Quote :

"GLOBAL WARMING HOAX"

6/11/2010 10:54:22 AM

one party? in North Carolina? I hope you're joking.

6/11/2010 3:35:35 PM

Quote :

"one party? in North Carolina? I hope you're joking."

Hardly, the Democratic machine in NC is crazy powerful for local elections. However, that is irrelevant since this is about the US Senate primary. Though, he might mean the one party rule of the US House, Senate, and Presidency.

6/12/2010 2:11:18 AM

Other than the governor, this has been a Republican-voting state my entire life prior to 2008. I'm just glad we don't have 2 complete shitholes as our senators anymore (Dole and Burr).

6/12/2010 4:19:37 AM

The final primary runoff debate is tonight on NBC17 in less than an hour. It'll be both televised and online at 7pm. It should be interesting, at least compared to the first 2 debates, considering this is the last week of early voting and that we are only 1 week from the runoff election day.

http://wake.mync.com/site/Wake/news/story/51273/democratic-senate-hopefuls-debate-on-nbc-17/

Cal will be at Elmo's Diner in Durham at 9am for tomorrow for a meet and greet if anyone wants to meet a candidate. I know Elaine was just campaigning out in the western part of the state, but I don't know where her next local event will be.

6/15/2010 6:29:47 PM

The debate made a little bit of national news. Starts 2 minutes in.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

6/16/2010 5:56:01 PM

Quote :

"Other than the governor, lieutenant governor, general assembly, attorney general, and John Edwards, this has been a Republican-voting state my entire life prior to 2008."

6/16/2010 6:04:33 PM

Quote :

"Other than the governor, this has been a Republican-voting state my entire life prior to 2008. I'm just glad we don't have 2 complete shitholes as our senators anymore (Dole and Burr)."

Typical uninformed voter.

And ^yep.

6/17/2010 1:29:57 PM

Cunningham's name comes first alphabetically. He'll win.

6/17/2010 1:54:29 PM

A little less than hour left before early voting is over at the early vote site downtown.

If you want to wait until election day on Tuesday and vote near to where you live, you can find your polling site here:
http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/PrecinctFinder.aspx

6/19/2010 12:23:07 PM

^^ I don't know about that. Here's a segment of a message recently put out by the Marshall campaign:

Quote :

"In addition, Marshall is a proven vote-getter. In 2004, when Bush carried the Republican ticket, Marshall received over 100,000 more votes than Burr, and in 2008, she received the second highest vote total in North Carolina history. In the PPP poll taken on June 8, Marshall trails Burr by only 7 points and is the only candidate among Burr, Cal Cunningham and Marshall who has a net positive approval rating. She is also competitive across demographic and geographic lines. She leads Burr among women and in the 919 area code (Triangle). She is tied with him in all of eastern North Carolina and the 704 area code (Charlotte). In contrast, Cunningham trails Burr heavily in virtually every category."

On the other hand Cunningham has been campaigning out of the back of a truck. I say a truck b/c its not his truck, but the picture may still be appealing to all of those who have been getting his campaigns mailers of late. And who knows, campaigning from a truck worked for Scott Brown up in MA.

6/19/2010 2:30:00 PM

Elaine Marshall for Senate nomination
Her record, character and judgment earn her our nod.
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/06/20/1512329/elaine-marshall-for-senate-nomination.html

6/20/2010 2:50:29 PM

bump for election day

C'mon Cal!

6/22/2010 12:41:57 AM

Polls are open until 7:30 pm today

Find your polling site:
http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/PrecinctFinder.aspx

6/22/2010 9:42:39 AM