Since 2011

Gabe Fleisher, Editor-in-Chief

wakeuptopolitics@gmail.com wakeuptopolitics.com @WakeUp2Politics
THIS IS YOUR WAKE UP CALL





Election Central

Primary Day in Eight States Voters in eight states will go to the polls
today for primary elections. Here is the top race to watch in each state:
Alabama The top race here is for governor,
where incumbent Robert Bentley (R) is likely
to win a second term. Democrats today will
choose their candidate for governor, with the
two possibilities being former minor league
baseball player Kevin Bass and ex-U.S. Rep.
Parker Griffith. Griffith served in the House for
two years, and despite being a lifelong Democrat, spent most of them as a
Republican. Griffith switched parties (from Democratic to Republican) in
2009, less than a year after taking office in the House, before being ousted in
the GOP primary by a tea partier in 2010. In 2013, Griffith changed his party
affiliation to Independent, and has now come full circle, once again running
as a Democrat in his gubernatorial campaign.
California While Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown is safe for re-election, the
Republican primary will still be interesting to watch. It is the first
gubernatorial primary using Californias new system, placing the top two
primary finishers in the general election, regardless of party. Brown is
expected to occupy the top spot. Even though neither can likely beat Brown,




with eyes toards down-ballot races, most
establishment Republicans have thrown their
support to Neel Kashkari, a former investment
banker and ex-Treasury Department official
under George W. Bush, and later Barck
Obama. Kashkari, who oversaw the TARP
rollout while at Treasury, has earned the support of former Gov. Jeb Bush
(R-FL), 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, and former Secy. of
State Condoleezza Rice. But while Kashkari is better-funded, the polls show
state Assembly member Tim Donnelly leading, unsettling for Republicans
worrying the outspoken candidate could hurt GOP chances in more
competitive down-ballot races.
Iowa In the competitive race to succeed
retiring Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), Rep. Bruce
Braley is the only candidate running for the
Democratic nomination. The GOP nod is more
contested, with state Sen. Joni Ernst locked in
battle with businessman Mark Jacobs. Ernst
has earned the endorsements of Republicans all
over the map (geographically and ideologically), from the establishment
GOPer Mitt Romney to conservative darling Sarah Palin, and just yesterday,
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL). As a result of her wide-ranging support, Ernst is
favored to win her partys nomination; the only question is when. The state
senator will be required to get at least 35% of the primary vote to claim
victory tonight; otherwise, the race will be prolonged and decided in a
convention. Many believe Ernst is the right GOPer to face Braley, and
possibly win the currently-Democratic seat this November, throwing a
wrench into Democratic hopes of keeping the Senate.
Mississippi The tea party believe they might
primary the first GOP senator of the cycle
today, as state Sen. Chris McDaniel
challenges Thad Cochrans bid for a seventh
term in the upper chamber. Club for Growth,
the Senate Conservative Fund, and other
conservative groups have spent big money on ousting Cohran, while the
U.S. Chamber of Commerce has raised money to defend him. Together,
outside groups have spent almost $8 million on this primary, more than any
other yet this cycle. In the last few weeks, the race has turned odd and
away from the normal establishment vs. tea party race playbook. Four
supporters of McDaniel face felony charges for photographing Chocrans
wife on her bed in the nursing home where she has spent the last 13 years.
Team Cochran has tried to use the charges against McDaniel, whose
campaign claims they were not involved. The official charges are that the
photos were intended to be used to allege Cochran was having a relationship
with a female aide, although the senator and his family maintain that he is
faithful to his wife.
In a primary where 50% is required to avert a runoff (and three candidates
are running), it is possible Cohran and McDaniel go to a runoff, which the
latter could win: creating an opening for the likely Democratic nominee,
former Rep. Travis Childers.
Montana The top-billed race here is for Senate, for
the former seat of Max Baucus (D). Baucus resigned
to become Ambassador to China, and Democrat John
Walsh was appointed to fill out his term. Now, Walsh
seeks a full term in office, but is challenged in the
Democratic primary by former Republican lieutenant
governor John Bohlinger and rancher Dirk Adams. Rep. Steve Daines is the
likely Republican nominee. Polls show Daines beating both Walsh and
Bohlinger come November.
New Jersey Voters go to the polls to pick
nominees in one of the cycles most
competitive House races: New Jerseys 3
rd

district. Rep. John Runyan (R) is vacating
the seat. The likely Democratic nominee is
lawer Aimee Belgard, while two former
mayors seek the GOP nominee. Tom
MacArthur is favored for the nod, by the powerful county parties in the state,
and in terms of money. Steve Lonegan, the 2013 GOP Senate nominee, is
the tea partys candidate in the race.
New Mexico State Attorney General Gary
King, son of former Gov. Bruce King, is the
frontrunner for the Democratic nomination to
challenge popular Republican Gov. Susana
Martinez, heavily favored to win a second
term in the lean-blue state. King, however,
does face a primary field of six others,
including State Sens. Linda Lopez and Howie Morales, businessman Alan
Webber, and Lawrence Rael, former state executive director at the U.S.
Farm Service Agency.
South Dakota Finally, in the Mount Rushmore
State, all eyes are on the race to replace
retiring Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD).
Businessman Rick Weiland is the only
candidate in the Democratic primary, while
Republicans choose from a field of five.
Former Gov. Mike Rounds is the frontrunner
in his primary and the general. This race will be an interesting one to watch,
especially with independent candidate Larry Pressler, Johnsons predecessor
in the Senate, who served in the upper chamber for 18 years as a Republican.