“We had many hard-fought races tonight and I’m proud to welcome several new Republicans to the Senate, particularly my fellow Texan Ted Cruz.

“But it’s clear that with our losses in the Presidential race, and a number of key Senate races, we have a period of reflection and recalibration ahead for the Republican Party.  While some will want to blame one wing of the party over the other, the reality is candidates from all corners of our GOP lost tonight.  Clearly we have work to do in the weeks and months ahead.

“We know that our conservative vision is the right one to secure a stronger America for future generations.  We know that we are the party of big, bold ideas with the courage to fight for what’s right even if it’s not politically expedient.  It was that courage and that vision that led to important gains for our party in 2010.  But all of us should continue to learn from both our victories and our defeats, and work together to build an even stronger Republican Party.

“On a final note, while the Democrats had a good night, they should not over-read their mandate as reflected by the almost evenly-divided popular vote.  It’s important to observe that nothing that happened tonight changes the very serious challenges confronting our country – a $16 trillion debt, year-after-year of massive deficit spending, unsustainable entitlement programs, and a tax code that picks winners and losers while discouraging economic growth and job creation.

“Solving these very serious problems will take real Presidential leadership.  This is something we unfortunately did not see in the President’s first term, but that all of us hope for in his second.”

• Meanwhile, Dean Heller is out with a new ad about his parents and how it’s important to play by the rules.  My dad was an auto mechanic, he built his own business.  And mom was a school cook.  They believed that if you worked hard, you’d have an opportunity to succeed.  And if you played by the rules, you’d be rewarded.  If you didn’t, there would be consequences.  Boy has America changed.  Now Washington uses your hard earned tax dollars to bad decisions by Detroit and Wall Street while hardworking middle class families struggle.  I’m Dean Heller and I approve this message because it’s time to put Nevadans first.

• Finally, the Reno Gazette-Journal reports that the NRSC is asking supporters in Nevada and across the country to help them “Recall Reid.”  The National Republican Senatorial Committee is asking would-be donors to “Recall Reid” by helping the GOP take over the Senate majority from Democrats. “Help send a message to Harry Reid,” reads the NRSC solicitation, which committee officials say has helped bring in more than $1 million. “This is our chance to recall Harry Reid as leader of the Senate this November!” Reid has become second only to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., this election season as the Democrat whom Republicans are most likely to rail against as they try to rally their supporters. An online petition drive led by the NRSC asks voters to sign a “pink slip” to fire Reid. Democratic Senate candidates in Nevada, Arizona and elsewhere have been denounced by Republicans as Reid’s “hand-picked” competitors.

• Meanwhile, the Associated Press reports that Dean Heller also believes that Shelley Berkley is one of the most unethical members of Congress.  Heller has called Berkley “the most corrupt” person he’s ever met. Republicans have run virtually nonstop ads pointing to her vote in support of a kidney program at a Las Vegas hospital that benefited her husband’s medical practice and led to a House ethics investigation.

• Finally, Morning Score reports that Crossroads GPS is out with a new ad that tells voters that Berkley has been caught 3 threes in scandals.  ‘Unethical: lacking integrity. Synonym: Shelley Berkley. Berkley’s been caught three times in scandals: first, urging her boss to buy off politicians with cash, then pushing a judge to go easy on a convicted criminal, a big campaign donor to Berkley. Now, Berkley’s under a bipartisan investigation for enriching herself in office.’   

In North Dakota, KFYR reports on yet another poll showing Rick Berg leading Heidi Heitkamp.  The race for the U.S. Senate seat in North Dakota remains very tight, but there has been some movement in this race since our last poll…The NBC North Dakota News latest Mason-Dixon poll of 625 likely voters shows that Republican candidate Rick Berg has opened a two point lead over the Democratic challenger, Heidi Heitkamp. Our poll conducted at the end of September, had the two tied at 47 percent to 47 percent. This poll has Berg ahead 47 percent to 45 percent.

• Meanwhile, the Dickinson Press reports on Rick Berg’s stop at Trinity High School while on this Drive to Restore the American Dream Tour.  Lefor didn’t waste much time asking her question — what Berg believes is the most important issue for young Americans like herself. “I think it’s the deficit,” Berg answered. “Today in Greece, they didn’t balance their budget and they got upside down and had problems. Today, their interest rate is 18.5 percent. Just think if you wanted to buy a car and had to pay 18.5 percent. “A strong economy is the most important issue for young adults today and, to make sure we have a strong economy, we need to get our spending and our budget under control.”

• Finally, Politico’s Morning Score reports that Crossroads GPS is out with a new ad reminding voters that Heidi Heitkamp would be a roadblock to a President Romney’s efforts to get America working again.

In Massachusetts where Hurricane Sandy is on everyone’s mind at the moment, the Boston Herald reports on the cancellation of the last Senate debate.  The local TV stations are off the hook — thanks to U.S. Sen. Scott Brown.  A consortium of media, which includes Channels 2, 5, 7 and New England Cable News, had planned to decide this morning whether to hold tonight’s final debate between Brown and challenger Elizabeth Warren — as the Storm of the Century dominates the news….Brown made the decision an easy one when he bailed out of the debate yesterday. “The focus for all of us before, during and after the storm needs to be on emergency response and disaster relief, not campaigns and politics,” his campaign said in a statement.  Warren later followed suit, with her campaign manager saying the “focus now must be on public safety and ensuring people get the help they need during the storm and in its aftermath.”

In Montana, the Billings Gazette reports that Denny Rehberg is still criss-crossing the state encouraging people to vote.  At Magnum Development, 220 W. Main St., Rehberg kicked off the most recent version of his Liberate Main Street tour across Montana, which he described as a grass-roots-style effort to build enthusiasm among his supporters.  “That (enthusiasm) is then going into the neighborhood and having a rally effect,” he said.  About 30 people gathered at the Laurel business, which engineers foundations for manufactured homes.  Laura Musseter, who owns Magnum Development with her husband, Mike, briefly spoke to the crowd. She told them she has seen businesses struggle and people have trouble getting loans through “ridiculous, senseless regulation” from the government and wants less federal involvement, a common talking point with Rehberg.  “Get the government the hell out of our business,” Musseter said.

• Meanwhile, the Daily Caller reports on the increasing desperation from Jon Tester’s side.   A group controlled by Democrats is running ads in the Montana Senate race telling voters to vote for the Libertarian candidate, Dan Cox, in what appears to be an attempt to split the vote between him and the Republican candidate — and help propel Democratic Sen. Jon Tester to re-election. According to Open Secrets, Montana Hunters and Anglers has spent $1,089,694 this cycle attacking Republican Rep. Denny Rehberg, who is challenging incumbent Tester for his Senate seat.  The latest ad attacks Rehberg and goes on to tell viewers, “Vote Cox: the real conservative.”  But the leadership of Montana Hunters and Anglers, according to its website, is not made up of the conservatives or libertarians that one would expect from a group running that type of message. Rather, it is made up of Democratic donors, one Democratic state senator, and several donors to Tester.

In Virginia, two new statewide ads from the NRSC and Crossroads GPS hammer Tim Kaine for his record of cutting education funding and supporting cap-and-trade.

In Ohio, the Toledo Blade reports that Treasurer Josh Mandel released his 10-point plan to repeal Sherrod Brown’s job-killing healthcare law.  Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, on Monday issued a 10-point plan for health-care reform, beginning with repeal of the Affordable Care Act.  Mr. Mandel, who is challenging Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, held a news conference at a Sylvania Township surgical office with podiatrist Dr. Bruce Saferin.  The plan, labeled “Healthcare: Quality, Access & Affordability,” advocates a series of steps using tax benefits, transparency, tort reform, health savings accounts, and other measures to replace the law passed in 2010, commonly known as Obamacare.

• Meanwhile, Politico’s Morning Score reports that Crossroads GPS is up with a new ad telling voters that we need to stop liberal Democrat Sherrod Brown and his job-killing policies.  ‘With Sherrod Brown in Washington, Ohio has its share of ups and downs. Taxes on Ohio manufacturers and job creators go up, Ohio jobs go down. Nearly 290,000 jobs lost. Wasteful government spending and federal debt go up, Ohio’s economy goes down. Sherrod Brown’s support for Obama goes up to 95 percent, Ohio’s economy goes down.’

• Finally, Governor Kasich tells Politico that because of Josh Mandel and himself, the Buckeye State has begun their economic rebound.  Ohio’s resurgence is also being championed by Republicans — though, unsurprisingly, with a different twist.  Republican Gov. John Kasich, who joined Mandel for a stop at a chicken processing company Thursday, told workers that the state has gained 112,000 jobs in recent years and “we’re starting to hit our stride.”  Yet Kasich argued that the progress is in spite — not because — of Washington. Mandel grabbed that baton and ran with it.  “In Washington, it’s been over three years since the United States has passed a budget. But here in Ohio, Gov. Kasich and the Legislature, they took an $8 billion operating budget shortfall and balanced the budget and now they have a billion-dollar surplus,” Mandel said inside the company’s warehouse.

In Wisconsin, Politico’s Morning Score reports that Crossroads GPS is up with a new ad asking voters if extreme politicians like Tammy Baldwin are really making a difference?  ‘Are extreme politicians like Tammy Baldwin really making a difference? So far Tammy’s voted to raise taxes, to cut $700 billion from Medicare spending, for trillions in new debt, and Washington is more broken than ever.’

• Meanwhile, the Associated Press reports that Tommy Thompson continues to hammer Rep. Baldwin on her vote against September 11th.   The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks remained a focus of Wisconsin’s U.S. Senate race for a second week, as Republican Tommy Thompson released another ad on the topic in the waning days of the campaign against Democrat Tammy Baldwin. … Thompson first brought up the Sept. 11 attacks last week in an ad criticizing Baldwin’s 2006 vote against a resolution to honor victims.

In Arizona, the Arizona Republic’s editorial board writes that given the flack Richard Carmona has received for his misleading ad, it’s probably safe to assume that Democrats might like a do-over.   If political campaigns were allowed to have “do-overs,” we’re guessing Richard Carmona would like a mulligan for his TV ads that make Arizona’s Republican Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl appear to be endorsing the Democrat’s race for the Senate.  They are not. They back Jeff Flake to replace Kyl. The ad in question features McCain and Kyl saying nice things about Carmona when he was up for his appointment as surgeon general.  Neither McCain nor Kyl is saying nice things about Carmona now. They’ve unveiled pro-Flake ads. …  The fake endorsements were bad. The defense of the ad made it worse. Time for a do-over.

• Meanwhile, Senator McCain and Senator Kyl are in a new ad reminding voters that they support Jeff Flake for the U.S. Senate.  McCain:  Richard Carmona’s latest ad is the most shameful of all, implying Jon and I support him – we don’t.  Kyl:  We helped Carmona 10 years ago, but found he’s not the kind of man to represent you in the U.S. Senate.  McCain:  It’s not just that he supports the Obama agenda.  His ads prove Carmona lacks integrity.  Kyl:  We support Jeff Flake.  He’s a proven reformer, and he’s honest.

• Finally, National Democrats are under fire for a tasteless tweet.  As the Daily Caller reports:  A Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) official described a new ad featuring Sen. John McCain and Sen. Jon Kyl as a “hostage video” — a somewhat unfortunate choice of words given Sen. McCain’s military history.  DSCC Communications Director Matt Canter tweeted Monday afternoon that, “The new McCain & Kyl #azsen ad is awful. Talk about a hostage video. Why not admit we like Carmona a lot but now he has a D after his name.”  McCain was held hostage in the infamous “Hanoi Hilton” as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War.

In Indiana, the Indianapolis Star reports that Richard Mourdock called on Republicans to join him in defeating Joe Donnelly and keeping Harry Reid from being majority leader next year.  Richard Mourdock told a crowd of the state’s most influential Republicans on Monday that his battle with Democrat Joe Donnelly for a seat in the U.S. Senate is a fight for the future of the nation…”We’re eight nights away from making Harry Reid as insignificant in the United States Senate as we made Pat Bauer in the Indiana House of Representatives,” Mourdock said of the Senate majority leader…. Pence told the crowd that Indiana must elect Mourdock so the GOP can control the Senate. “This election is not about party,” he said. “It’s about our country.”

In Maine, Morning Score reports that Crossroads GPS is up with an ad telling voters that Angus King is an influence peddler who only helps himself at the expense of Mainers. 

In Florida, the Naples Daily News reports that Connie Mack continues to make inroads with voters in the Sunshine State.  Before Monday, all Norma Quijano knew about U.S. Rep. Connie Mack came from the attack ads she’d seen on television.  After listening to Florida’s Republican U.S. Senate nominee for 10 minutes, Quijano’s opinion changed. She was sold. Mack was her man.  “I’m a Republican supporter, but I was doubtful of him because of the advertising campaign out there,” said Quijano, 52, a Cuban-American school teacher from Hialeah, outside Miami. “I see now the sincerity in the things he’s saying.

• Meanwhile, the Tampa Tribune reports that later this morning Governor Mitt Romney will join Connie Mack on the campaign trail.  Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, accompanied by U.S. Senate candidate Connie Mack IV, will hold an airport rally in Tampa on Wednesday morning.  The event will be at the Landmark Aviation terminal at 2450 N. Westshore Blvd., near Tampa International Airport. The rally will begin at 10:45 a.m., with doors opening at 8:45 a.m.

In Nebraska, Deb Fischer’s campaign is hammering liberal New York Democrat Bob Kerrey for telling voters that his first vote in the U.S. Senate will be for Senate Democrat Leader Harry Reid.  Today, on KFAB’s The Good Morning Show, Bob Kerrey was asked whether he would vote for Harry Reid for U.S. Senate Majority Leader.  Kerrey replied, “Yes.”  “Harry Reid and Bob Kerrey cut a secret deal that prompted Kerrey to suddenly move from his home in New York to run for Senate in Nebraska. And now, Bob Kerrey says he’ll vote for Harry Reid for majority leader,” said Fischer spokesman Daniel Keylin. “What exactly did Harry Reid promise Bob Kerrey? And what did Bob Kerrey promise Harry Reid? Nebraskans deserve to know.”

In New Mexico, the New Mexico Telegram reports that a new poll has Heather Wilson leading liberal Congressman Martin Heinrich.  The former Rep. Heather Wilson campaign released a poll showing she has a narrow lead over Rep. Martin Heinrich — 44 percent to 43 percent. The poll shows that Independent American Party candidate Jon Barrie takes six percent of the vote and that seven percent are still undecided.

• Meanwhile, New Mexico Watchdog reports that the largest Native American tribe in the country is supporting Heather Wilson over Heinrich.  The Navajo Nation Council has declared its support for Heather Wilson for U.S. Senate.  An October 17, 2012, letter signed by Johnny Naize, the Speaker of the Navajo Nation Council, while not explicitly calling upon tribal members to vote for Wilson, sends a clear message that the leaders of the largest Native American tribe in the country support her over Democratic opponent, Rep. Martin Heinrich.  They left nothing to guess when they wrote to Wilson, “Our Nation and our Navajo people are in dire need of leaders such as you who can advocate for sensible solutions and sustainable economic development.” 

In Michigan, the Flint Journal and its sister papers endorsed Pete Hoekstra for Senate.  Hoekstra appears to have a better grasp of how national politics should shape the federal agenda today. The country must move away from huge government spending on stimulus programs, war and a policy of short-term budgeting by default. The most pressing issues right now are tax reform, taming federal spending and generating some new energy in Congress to end an environment of political gridlock. Hoekstra’s reputation is as a politician who isn’t afraid to ruffle feathers, even within his own Republican ranks. That’s refreshing. Yet he realizes that compromise is the key to political wins in Washington. For example, he worked on the budget committee in the House during the 1990s that reached agreement on spending and welfare reform amid polarizing political figures Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich.

• Meanwhile, the Associated Press reports that Dean Heller also believes that Shelley Berkley is one of the most unethical members of Congress. Heller has called Berkley “the most corrupt” person he’s ever met. Republicans have run virtually nonstop ads pointing to her vote in support of a kidney program at a Las Vegas hospital that benefited her husband’s medical practice and led to a House ethics investigation.

• Finally, Morning Score reports that Crossroads GPS is out with a new ad that tells voters that Berkley has been caught 3 threes in scandals. ‘Unethical: lacking integrity. Synonym: Shelley Berkley. Berkley’s been caught three times in scandals: first, urging her boss to buy off politicians with cash, then pushing a judge to go easy on a convicted criminal, a big campaign donor to Berkley. Now, Berkley’s under a bipartisan investigation for enriching herself in office.’

• Meanwhile, the Associated Press reports that Angus King has been caught, once again, misleading voters – this time about his tax rate.  Republicans on Tuesday accused King, a self-made millionaire, of using a methodology that understated his income to make it seem as though he was paying a greater share of taxes. King computed his rate based on taxable income “after deductions and loopholes, artificially lowering his gross income and effectively raising his perceived tax rate,” David Sorensen, spokesman for the Maine Republican Party, wrote in a statement.

• Key quote – Bob Williams at the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center in Washington said the best standard is total income. Barring that, the best measure of income on a tax return is the adjusted gross income used by Romney.  “What King did is not right. What King did is overstate his taxes, potentially by a lot,” Williams said.

• Further, Roll Call writes on how King as early as last week chided negative advertising and then this week went up with a negative ad attacking Charlie Summers.  Independent Senate candidate Angus King has made a $105,000 ad buy in Maine painting Republican opponent Charlie Summers as too conservative for the state… The negative ad, however, is a shift in approach for King, who as recently as last week tweeted, “Negative ads distract from the real issues in the campaign like energy, health care and jobs.”

“He also wanted to make it clear that backing Obama on one issue doesn’t mean he supports him on everything. ‘I don’t agree with the guy on hardly anything he does,’ Crist said. ‘I mean, what they’re doing with health care right now is unbelievable.’”

-      Brendan Farrington, Associated Press, January 9, 2010

“‘I think Charlie Crist is a conservative and always has been,’ Crist said last week in Panama City. ‘I believe in less taxes, less spending, less government, more freedom. I’m a Reagan Republican.’”

-      Mark Hollis, “RIGHT IS MIGHT IN GOP RACE FOR GOVERNOR,” South Florida Sun-Sentinel, July 17, 2006

“’I think it’s pretty obvious what he’s doing,’ Crist said. “Polling is not good. We’re coming into the end of the election. This is the fourth time he’s run for governor. And so, here we are.”  Crist concluded, “I’m pro-life, I’m pro-gun, I’m pro-family, and I’m pro-business.’”

-      John Kennedy, “Crist, Gallagher square off in free-swinging TV debate,” Orlando Sentinel, August 23, 2006

1 . Crist is a crass political opportunist

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Despite the threat Florida is facing from a severe storm, Charlie Crist has demonstrated, yet again, that his political ambition will always come before the needs of Floridians.

From his A+ rating from the NRA to abortion to same-sex marriage to civil unions to ObamaCare, Charlie Crist opposes President Obama on every one of the president’s core issues.

Crist said he doesn’t agree with President Obama on hardly anything he does and Crist has spent his entire political career bashing the agenda Barack Obama advances.

The only thing they have in common is that President Obama killed our national economy and Crist killed Florida’s economy.

In his time as Governor, Charlie Crist had unemployment increases in Florida greater than any other state except ONE – Florida’s unemployment skyrocketed from 3.5% to 11.1%

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2 .  Crist has made a career of bashing Democrats and what they stand  for

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On abortion, Crist’s position only makes an exception for the life of the mother, going further than Mitt Romney, George W. Bush and Dick Cheney.

Crist “Cheerfully Signed” the Christian Coalition Petition Calling for a State Constitutional Amendment Banning Gay Marriage and Civil Unions.

Crist Sent a Letter to a Democrat Congressman Urging Him to Vote Against ObamaCare.

Crist didn’t leave the Republican Party in 2010 because he disagreed with the party’s beliefs and positions or suddenly became an Obama suppoter; he left because polls showed he had a better chance to win the Senate seat as an Independent.

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Dede Scozzafava Charlie Crist endorses Obama

by Datechguy | August 26th, 2012

There’s only 75 days until the election.

That’s such a short time until America goes to the polls and decides if they are going stay the liberal course or shift to a responsible, future-forward, conservative plan.  We think the choice couldn’t be clearer. President Obama’s and Harry Reid’s liberal Senate majority simply isn’t working, and the proof is in this report:

>>>OBAMA & REID: BY THE NUMBERS>>>

DEBT: nearly $16 Trillion

UNEMPLOYMENT: 8.3%

$ ROBBED FROM MEDICARE:  $716 Billion

DAYS WITHOUT A BUDGET: 1212 Days

My challenge to you: 75 days to get through to a few friends and let them know what the mainstream media is pushing under the rug. If the Obama and Reid team are good at one thing, it is changing the subject to avoid talking about their record. The reason for this is simple:

They couldn’t win if a record like this becomes widespread knowledge. On the contrary, a new Republican Senate majority will rein in spending, repeal Obamacare, and limit the size of government.

If you do your part, and join us in this 75 day push, we truly believe we can win this election cycle. Consider spreading these numbers to a friend or contributing to the NRSC so we can get our message out!

Thank you for your support. It really means a lot to our prospects this November.

Sincerely,

Rob Jesmer

NRSC Executive Director

• Additionally, the NRSC is reminding folks that after trying to distance herself from President Obama, embattled Congresswoman Berkley is now try to prop-up her flailing campaign by campaigning with the President.  As every poll continues to find that Dean Heller is maintaining his lead over embattled Congresswoman Shelley Berkley and with political analysts moving the race from toss-up to lean Republican, today in a last ditch effort to revive her campaign, Shelley Berkley will finally campaign with President Barack Obama. … “As she remains embroiled in an ongoing ethics investigation, Shelley Berkley is making a last ditch effort to revive her campaign by finally appearing with President Obama,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Jahan Wilcox.  “Given that Ms. Berkley joined him in raiding $700 billion from Medicare to pay for their job-killing healthcare law, the President is probably pleased to finally share the stage with the embattled Congresswoman.” 

• Finally, KLAS-TV in Las Vegas reports that Crossroads GPS continues to pummel Berkley for her questionable decisions.  An advertisement airing on KLAS-TV Channel 8 that is endorsed by Crossroads GPS, an issue advocacy group that favors Republican candidates, stated: “The year 1996. Shelley Berkley urges her boss to buy off politicians with favors and cash. 2008: Congresswoman Berkley begs a judge to go easy on her big campaign donor, convicted of wire fraud, attempting bribery. Now Berkley is under investigation for using her office to enrich herself. A lot’s changed over the years. But not Shelley Berkley. With Berkley there are always questions of corruption.”