Josh Harkinson

Reporter

Born in Texas and based in San Francisco, Josh covers tech, labor, drug policy, and the environment.

Looking to 2008: This Year's Secretary of State Races (Who will Replace Ken Blackwell?)

| Tue Nov. 7, 2006 10:25 PM PST

Democrat Jennifer Brunner is solidly ahead of Republican Greg Hartmann in the race to fill the secretary of state job vacated in Ohio by (failed gubernatorial bidder) Ken Blackwell, who orchestrated the 2004 presidential election scandal in the nation's most important swing state. Across the country, returns are arriving for sec state races that could help decide whether Democrats get a fair shake in a tight 2008 presidential election race.

In general, Democrats in hotly contested swing states are running strong. Minnesota Democrat Mark Ritchie solidly leads incumbent Mary Kiffmeyer, who famously attempted to prevent absentee voters from changing their ballots after Sen. Paul Wellstone died that year in a plane crash. Nevada Democrat Ross Miller is ahead 11 points in (very early) returns against Danny Tarkanian, who wants to make voter-ID legislation his "first priority as secretary of state."

The bloodiest fights for Democrats are in the mountain West. Ken Gordon trails his opponent by roughly 100,000 votes in Colorado—a surprise in a race that had recently polled as a dead heat. In New Mexico—a swing state that went for Bush in 2004 by a margin of.79 percent--Democrat Mary Herrera leads Vickie Perea by two points.

For an analysis of how a new group, the Secretary of State Project, helped swing these races, see my Mother Jones story here.

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Fighting Dem Joe Sestak Shoots Down Curt Weldon in PA

—By Josh Harkinson

| Tue Nov. 7, 2006 9:21 PM PST

Weldon's loss to a war vet illustrates how swift boating efforts can backfire. Republicans accused Sestak of improperly wearing his uniform while campaigning, claiming the wrong military rank and abusing subordinates while in the Navy. For a complete rundown on Republican swift boat efforts this year, and the Democrat response, see my Mother Jones story, Swift Boating the Fighting Dems. The American Prospect later reported that Weldon's campaign had queried Weldon's Navy colleagues for dirt on Sestak, in possible violation of House rules. In more ways than one, Weldon wrapped up the month looking like a dirty bird: mid-month the FBI raided his daughter's house as part of an investigation into whether he helped her win lobbying and consulting contracts.

Could Greens Spoil a Democrat Senate Takeback?

—By Josh Harkinson

| Tue Nov. 7, 2006 8:25 PM PST

In the ultra-super-tight Virginia Senate race, where Jim Webb and George Allen are less than a point apart, the Green candidate, Gail Parker, is pulling down 1.11 percent of the vote. If the current spread holds, she could throw the election to Allen, and potentially allow Republicans to keep the Senate. Parker is running as a member of the Independent Greens of Virginia, a party that branched off of the national Green Party because the bosses there "don't really believe in running candidates," IGVA campaign coordinator Joseph Oddo said. Is Oddo worried his party will pull a Nader? "No, we don't see it that way," he says. "We see people who are sending a message that they are tired of politics as usual."

Oddo says his party hasn't received any Republican cash--though it is surely getting plenty of Republican prayers tonight.

Results Show Webb Taking a Narrow Lead in Key Senate Race

—By Josh Harkinson

| Tue Nov. 7, 2006 6:11 PM PST

Jim Webb is leading Republican incumbent George Allen in one of the nation's most closely watched Senate races. Early results give Webb 50 percent of the vote to Allen's 49 percent. The Democrat has soared in the returns after being down more than ten points in the tally just an hour ago.

CNN exit polls showed factors working at cross-currents for Webb: 57 percent of veterans and active duty military personnel voted for Allen vs 42 percent for Webb. Webb has hoped his credentials as an ex-Marine and Navy officer would give him a boost with security minded voters. However, Webb seems to be holding up against Allen with women voters. The polls showed 56 percent of women going for Webb and only 43 percent for Allen. Women tend to support Democrats by a margin of 8 percent, which would seem to indicate Webb hasn't been unduly affected by Allen's efforts to trumpet the Democrat's early 1980s opposition to women in the military.

The Webb/Allen race has been viewed as key as Democrats try to win the Senate and woo conservative voters in the upper south with a message of changing the course in Iraq.

Lawsuits Filed by Democrats in Two States Push to Keep Polls Open Late. More Suits May be Pending. In Colorado, a Suit Rejected.

—By Josh Harkinson

| Tue Nov. 7, 2006 4:52 PM PST

A judge in Colorado denied an emergency request by Democrats to keep polls in Denver open an additional two hours after computer problems and unusually high turnout led to lines of up to 100 people.

According to the Denver Post, District Court Judge Sheila Rappaport argued that she didn't have the authority to keep the polls open, citing case law from Missouri and Arkansas. The Post story and a story in Denver's Rocky Mountain News didn't elaborate on the judge's reasoning.

In Ohio, CNN reported Democrats are awaiting a ruling on a similar suit. Democrats are asking that 16 precincts in Cuyahoga County—the Cleveland area—stay open until 10:00 pm tonight. Confusion over the use of new electronic voting machines had created long lines there. (Four to five House Republicans are in danger in Ohio, as well as Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, who has been running behind in his race for governor)

According to Bloomberg, the voting rights group Election Protection is considering filing suits in Pennsylvania, Georgia and Florida to extend voting hours due to similar delays.