Latest news with #RepublicanCandidates
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kentucky '26 Senate race already sees attack ads, PAC spending in GOP primary
Attacks are already being lobbed at the Republican candidates for U.S. Senate in Kentucky with the primary election still nearly a year away. And the negative onslaught has only intensified in recent days as a third high-profile candidate entered the race. Among the claims being made: Nate Morris has undergone an 'embarrassing' political makeover, and Andy Barr is 'bought by woke banks.' And 'Fake Nate' Morris is the subject of a whole website created by Daniel Cameron's team. Morris, a Lexington tech and insurance entrepreneur, entered the race late last week with an announcement on Donald Trump Jr.'s podcast. He joined former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron and current 6th Congressional District Rep. Andy Barr in the GOP field. The field is likely set and the knives are definitely out. Most of the critical ads against the candidates are being supported by outside spending groups like political action committees or so-called 'dark money' nonprofits, whose sources of funding aren't traceable. Four separate outside groups have spent money denigrating candidates in this race since Morris' launch Thursday evening. Total spending on the videos and distribution of them won't be publicly available until mid-July. Here's a rundown of what these groups, most of them not directly affiliated with any campaign or candidate, are saying and who they're supporting. Most of the recent barrage of attacks — by digital ad, by television commercial and by text — has been directed at Morris' nascent campaign. Morris' team is framing this as a 'pathetic' attempt to beat down the candidate most vocally opposed to Sen. Mitch McConnell, the longtime senator they all seek to replace in 2026. Conor McGuinness, Morris' campaign spokesperson, said that Barr, Cameron and their supporters are in 'full meltdown mode' because he is criticizing his opponents as 'fully-owned subsidiaries of Mitch McConnell.' 'That's why they are pathetically resorting to lying about Nate. The fact is, Nate is the only political outsider in this race, the only candidate not owned by Mitch McConnell, and the only candidate Donald Trump can trust in the U.S. Senate to deliver his America First agenda,' McGuinness said. One PAC, Kentucky First Political Action, was ready with an ad featuring an actor playing Morris. The ad, titled 'Morris Makeover,' claims Morris has paid a high price for consultants to re-brand him in the image of President Donald Trump. The ad begins with a shot of the actor playing Morris in a vest with his feet propped on a desk displaying photos of three Republicans disliked by Trump: McConnell, former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley and former Utah senator Mitt Romney. 'Nate Morris joined left-wing Europeans signing the Paris climate pledge – he even wants to ban plastic straws. His DC flacks have to shred his record as a woke CEO,' the ad says, in reference to actions taken by Rubicon, the software company he founded focused on the waste business. The ad ends with a shot of assistants placing a Trump-esque wig and a red hat on his head. 'The Morris makeover: it's just embarrassing,' it says. The Cameron campaign itself also published, shortly after Morris' announcement, a website titled The page similarly points to many instances of Morris' work as CEO, such as a letter he penned in June 2020 expressing a commitment to fight a 'legacy of injustice' against African-Americans in the United States. Morris added that the racial justice protests of the time — police had, one week prior, killed George Floyd – were 'a manifestation of the pain and anger that so many are feeling.' The campaign team for Cameron, who is Black, wrote that the letter amounted to 'fanning the flames of racial tension and justifying the riots in response to the death of George Floyd.' As attorney general, Cameron oversaw the controversial investigation into the police killing of Breonna Taylor in Louisville, another high-profile case that stoked protests across the country. Another PAC, one supporting Barr called Keep America Great, suggested it would get in on the action as well in a statement sent to press. 'Nate Morris is a fraud. It's as simple as that,' the PAC said before listing off much of the same information mentioned in the other ads. The group is also running a social media ad superimposing Morris' face on a transgender flag, pointing to the creation of a 'special employee group for gay & transgender staff' at Rubicon. Hometown Freedom Action Network, a Washington-based super PAC, sent a mass text on the same day that Morris announced stating that Morris was a 'radical liberal's dream candidate,' including a graphic calling him a 'Pride Month promoter.' Meanwhile, Morris has been lobbing bombs from well before the word 'go,' and they only grew more intense once the campaign began in earnest. His first ad, 'Garbage Day,' featured him literally throwing representations of McConnell, Barr and Cameron in a garbage truck; the setting was relevant for Morris given his history with Rubicon. Morris has centered his campaign around denigrating McConnell, going harshest of the three GOP candidates with significant name ID on the 83-year-old senator. The prevailing theme of his first rally, held alongside conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, was to 'rid the nation of the stench of Mitch.' He also made negative comments about Barr's physical appearance as well as speculated about Cameron's standing among McConnell donors during an appearance on a show hosted by Steve Bannon, a former Trump adviser and prominent figure in the American far right. Club For Growth, a high-powered conservative advocacy group, has its sights set on bringing Barr down and says it will spend 'whatever it takes' to beat him. It aired an ad two months before Barr's announcement, a few days before his launch date and is now out with yet another. The latest ad highlights an interview Barr gave last year calling McConnell a 'mentor,' stating that Barr 'will always be Mitch's mini-me.' More is likely to come. The 2026 race is the first open U.S. Senate in Kentucky seat since 2010, when Sen. Rand Paul defeated former secretary of state Trey Grayson, who McConnell supported at the time. For reference, Ohio's open seat, which saw Vice President JD Vance, a Morris ally, emerge victorious, saw a GOP primary field spend $66 million. If Kentucky's primary battle comes even close to that mark, this latest barrage of negative ads and messaging will only be a fraction of the final total come May 2026.
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Republican field for 2026 Maine governor's race slow to take shape
Jun. 29—The Maine governor's race is still more than a year away, but already four high-profile Democratic candidates are vying to succeed Gov. Janet Mills, setting up what's expected to be a heavyweight primary. Among Republicans, though, there are a lot of names but no front-runners. And one of their more viable options — Sen. Rick Bennett of Oxford — announced last week that he was unenrolling from the Republican party to run for governor as an independent. There is still plenty of time for more candidates to join the mix, but now that the state Legislature has adjourned, a lot of eyes have turned to the 2026 governor's race and whether Mainers will continue what has been more than a half-century tradition of not electing back-to-back governors from the same party. "On the Republican side, the people who have announced so far are kind of lesser-known or second-tier candidates," said Mark Brewer, a professor and chair of the political science department at the University of Maine. Brewer noted, however, that it's still early and he expects the field to grow. Among the prominent names that have been mentioned are: Rep. Laurel Libby, Senate Minority Leader Trey Stewart, former Senate Majority Leader Garrett Mason, and former U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin. Candidates have until March 16 to turn qualifying signatures in to the Maine Department of the Secretary of State ahead of primaries that are nearly a year away. The Democratic field started to take shape early and could be set. Secretary of State Shenna Bellows declared her candidacy in March followed by former Senate President Troy Jackson's announcement last month, and Hannah Pingree, a former speaker of the Maine House of Representatives who recently left a position in the Mills administration and is the daughter of U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, declared earlier this month. Angus King III, a businessman, renewable energy entrepreneur and the son of U.S. Sen. Angus King, announced his bid in early May. Bennett's decision to run as an independent had long been rumored but it will certainly impact next year's race. The Republican field has been slower to build momentum. While seven people have filed campaign finance paperwork with the state to run, none are well-known and several have no experience holding elected office. "There are no big Republican names out there right now, but I would be stunned if we didn't have at least one high-profile Republican get into the race," Brewer said. A LOOK AT WHO'S IN Perhaps the most politically well-known Republican candidate so far is Sen. Jim Libby, R-Standish, a professor at Thomas College who is serving his sixth nonconsecutive term in the Legislature and who also ran in the Republican primary for governor in 2002. Other candidates include Bobby Charles, a Leeds resident and lawyer who served as an assistant secretary of state under President George W. Bush, Owen McCarthy, a medical technology entrepreneur from Gorham, and David Jones, a Falmouth real estate broker. Steven Sheppard of Bangor, Ken Capron of Portland and Robert Wessels of Norway have also filed paperwork with the state to run. Some other names that have been rumored as possible candidates include Laurel Libby, the Auburn representative who is a prolific fundraiser and who has been in the spotlight recently for her criticisms of Maine's policy allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls sports; Stewart, the current Senate minority leader from Presque Isle; Mason, a former Senate majority leader who also was a candidate in the Republican primary in 2018; and Poliquin, Maine's 2nd District congressman from 2015-19 and a former state treasurer. Libby said last week that she is "actively exploring a run for governor." She said she is confident in her donor base and fundraising potential and doesn't see a need to rush a decision. "There's still plenty of time," Libby said. Mason, who finished a distant second to Moody in the 2018 primary, also said he is thinking about getting in the race. "I ran for the job in 2018, so I think I would be lying if I said I didn't want the job," he said. "I'm looking to see how the field shakes out and, if I feel I can make a contribution and see a path to win, I might get in. I'm definitely interested." Stewart and Poliquin did not respond to messages asking if they are considering getting in the race. Brent Littlefield, who worked on past Poliquin campaigns and is also a longtime strategist for former Gov. Paul LePage — now a candidate for the U.S. House seat held by Rep. Jared Golden — said the Republican field for this year's race is likely to grow. Littlefield noted that LePage was relatively unknown outside of Waterville, where he served as mayor from 2004 to 2011, before winning statewide office in 2010, and said it's not necessarily a "big name" that will win. "Certainly, very few people outside of Waterville knew LePage in 2010, and he became governor of the state for eight years," Littlefield said. "The field is wide open. I think there may be additional candidates who enter, but no one should begin to guess at this point who might serve as the next governor." THE WAITING GAME Candidates may also be waiting to see what other possible contenders do. "I think a lot of Republicans who might be potentially interested are waiting to see what Laurel Libby does," Brewer said. "Is she going to get in? Is she not going to get in? If she does get in, does she clear the field? ... I think a lot of people are watching to see what she does." There were no contested primaries in the last governor's race in 2022, when Gov. Janet Mills was running for re-election and was challenged by LePage, who sought an unprecedented third nonconsecutive term and didn't face any primary opponents. Mills, a Democrat, cannot seek reelection next year because of term limits. Some want to see her challenge U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, but Mills has not announced any future political plans. Since there is no official start to campaign season, predicting when the field might be set is difficult. In the 2018 governor's race, Shawn Moody, an auto body entrepreneur who ran as an independent in 2010 and who became the Republican nominee, did not announce he was entering the race until November 2017, just a little over a month after Moody joined the party. Mills, who was attorney general at the time, announced her candidacy in July 2017. "It's not so much the Republicans are late (in announcing candidates), it's that the Democrats went early this cycle," Brewer said. McCarthy, one of the candidates who has declared as a Republican in the race already, acknowledged in a written statement that he doesn't have the name recognition or political experience of some of the Democrats who have gotten in the race, but he said that's not a bad thing. "If people are looking for more of the same from Augusta, they'll have plenty of options," he said. "But if they are looking for something different, someone with modest roots who understands their struggles, someone with an unmatched work ethic and grit and who will fight to build a better future for Maine's working families — then I'm their candidate." Copy the Story Link
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Who is ahead in the NJ governor race? Polls, candidates, updates
The Brief New Jersey voters will select Democratic and Republican candidates for governor on June 10, with polls closing at 8 p.m. The race is closely watched for insights into voter responses to President Trump's second term. Leading Democratic candidates include U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, and U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, with Sherrill slightly ahead in polls and fundraising. Former state assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, endorsed by President Trump, leads the Republican field, which also includes conservative talk radio host Bill Spadea and State Senator Jon Bramnick. New Jersey voters will have the chance to choose the Democrat and Republican candidates who will fight to succeed Phil Murphy as governor, a race that will be closely watched for signs of how voters respond to President Donald Trump's second term. With the New Jersey primary election on the horizon, here's a look at who's ahead for each party, who the candidates are and when we can expect results. Primary election day is June 10, three days away. Polls close at 8 p.m. What we know In the 2024 presidential election in New Jersey, the first results the AP reported came from Hudson County at 8:01 p.m. ET, one minute after polls closed. Vote tabulation ended for the night at 4:21 a.m. ET in Burlington County with about 95% of votes counted. Emerson College Polling/PIX11/The Hill survey: According to a May survey, 28% of registered New Jersey Democratic voters said they would vote for U.S. Rep, Mikie Sherrill, as Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, and U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer each had 11% of Democratic responders' support. A month ahead of the primary, 24% of Dem voters said they were undecided. SurveyUSA: According to a poll conducted in May, voters showed slightly more favorable options for Sherrill compared to the rest of the field. Gottheimer was a close second. Fundraising numbers: Gottheimer has had a slight edge in fundraising, with about $9.1 million in contributions, followed by Sherrill and Fulop, each with about $8.9 million raised for their campaigns, according to the Associated Press. Emerson College Polling/PIX11/The Hill survey: According to a May survey, 44% of registered New Jersey Republican voters said they would vote for former state Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, while 18% support talk radio host Bill Spadea. A month ahead of the primary, 23% of GOP voters said they were undecided. SurveyUSA: The poll conducted in May only asked voters about Ciattarelli, who "has favorability ratings of 40%-36% among the broader electorate and 63%-19% among Trump voters," accordin gto the New Jersey Globe. Trump endorsement: President Trump has endorsed Ciattarelli in May and campaigned for him in a virtual rally Dig deeper The race for governor features a crowded field of prominent current and former officeholders. U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer Newark Mayor Ras Baraka Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop Teachers' union president Sean Spiller Former state Senate president Steve Sweeney Former state assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli Conservative talk radio host Bill Spadea State Senator Jon Bramnick Former Englewood Cliffs mayor Mario Kranjac Real estate developer Justin Barbera Tuesday is the primaries for governor, state General Assembly and the uncontested special primaries in state Senate District 35.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Elise Stefanik, a potential candidate for governor, focuses on New York's local races
ALBANY, New York — Republican Elise Stefanik, who's considering a run for governor next year, is turning to races close to home. The House Republican on Wednesday will announce the creation of a political action committee to raise cash on behalf of local Republican candidates in New York. She's expected to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to start. One check will go this week to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman's campaign through an existing New York GOP account she oversees. Blakeman, like Stefanik, is a staunch ally of President Donald Trump. And like Stefanik, he also has not ruled out a gubernatorial campaign next year. 'Candidates know that when they have the support of Team Elise — this is a highly professionalized team that knows how to turn out the vote and win, and we're going to do that across statewide,' she told POLITICO in an interview. Formation of the PAC — dubbed Save New York — is the latest indication that Stefanik is moving toward a possible 2026 run for governor. Contributions to local-level candidates in otherwise low-profile elections for town supervisor, city council or county office will help strengthen her standing with Republican leaders who will be influential in determining their party's standard bearer against Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul next year. Stefanik indicated the money will be spread widely among Republicans, though there is no fundraising target for the PAC. Ideal candidates are 'someone who is saving New York and they're a Republican on the ballot,' she said. Stefanik has raised millions of dollars over the years to Republican candidates around the country. Her record is mixed. A notable miss was her backing of controversial businessperson Carl Paladino in a House GOP primary over Rep. Nick Langworthy. She has since mended her relationship with Langworthy. Training Stefanik's formidable fundraising network on local races will be a boon for local Republicans who may otherwise struggle for attention and money, Langworthy said. 'It used to be all politics is local. Unfortunately, all politics has become national,' he added. 'If she can focus some of that back on our Republican infrastructure in New York, it will help pave the momentum for what we have to do in 2026.' Stefanik represents a deep red and largely rural House seat that borders Canada. She has a national profile, but is making a clear effort to solidify her ties with downstate Republicans. Stefanik spoke this week at a GOP confab on Staten Island and will be appearing with Republican officials on Long Island as well as Erie County in western New York. She's also set to host a June 17 fundraiser in New York City with state and city Republican lawmakers. The effort is the latest political turn for Stefanik, who withdrew her nomination as Trump's United Nations ambassador earlier this year over concerns her vacancy would damage the House Republicans' razor thin majority. Now weighing a bid for governor, she would have to surrender a safe seat to run statewide in New York, a deep blue state that has not elected a Republican governor since George Pataki's third term win in 2002. Hochul has middling approval numbers, but Trump is deeply unpopular in his native state — further complicating a Republican's chances next year. Hochul's estranged lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado, announced Monday he will challenge her in a Democratic primary. In addition to potentially facing Blakeman, Stefanik stands to contend against Rep. Mike Lawler, a suburban New York City moderate who is considered by many Republicans to be the most competitive candidate to take on Hochul. A Siena College poll last month showed Stefanik is the early frontrunner with Republican voters over Lawler and Blakeman. Stefanik already has a strong relationship with statewide political leaders whose support will be crucial for the nomination. 'She is moving in the direction of running,' said Conservative Party Chair Gerard Kassar, whose organization will honor her at a June 18 event. 'The Conservative Party would be leaning her way in the event she was planning to run. She's very popular in the party.' Lawler, who was recently endorsed by Trump to run for reelection in his swing House seat, has said he will make a decision on running for governor this month. Stefanik does not have a specific timetable for her announcement, but indicated she will campaign aggressively if she does. 'We don't run for second place,' she said. 'We run to win and I'm going to make the decision in the coming months.'
Associated Press
02-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
John Kennedy, Georgia's top Senate Republican, joins race for lieutenant governor
ATLANTA (AP) — John Kennedy, the top-ranking Republican in Georgia's state Senate, on Monday joined a growing field of GOP candidates seeking to become the state's next lieutenant governor in 2026. Kennedy, a Macon lawyer, is banking on the support of Georgia's business community after helping pass a law this year limiting lawsuits and civil verdicts. Burt Jones, the current Republican lieutenant governor, is expected to run for governor next year instead of seeking reelection. He's could announce his candidacy later this summer. Kennedy was first elected to the state Senate in 2014. Majority Republicans elected him president pro tem, the No. 2 position in the Senate, in 2023. Before that, Kennedy had been chair of the majority caucus and led the redrawing of legislative and congressional districts after the 2020 Census, securing Republican majorities. Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch of Dahlonega announced last month that he is running for lieutenant governor, saying he would model his candidacy on President Donald Trump. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Blake Tillery of Vidalia is raising money for a possible bid. Other Republicans could seek the office as well, including state Sen. Greg Dolezal, of Cumming. Kennedy didn't mention Trump in his announcement, saying his top priorities as lieutenant governor would be a strong economy, education and public safety. 'Georgians can be confident that my leadership will be focused on delivering conservative results, not empty rhetoric,' Kennedy said in a statement. 'And I know that by working together, we will keep Georgia growing, keep Georgia learning and keep Georgia safe.' This year, Kennedy sponsored a law that is meant to curb the number of student absences in schools. Like the onetime president, Kennedy's initials are JFK. But this 59-year-old Kennedy, born less than two years after the president was assassinated, is unrelated and bears the middle name of Flanders. Georgia's lieutenant governor presides over Senate sessions, but senators decide how much power the official has. When senators agree, lieutenant governors can be influential. As president pro tem, Kennedy already works with Jones to set the agenda for the Senate. On the Democratic side, the only declared candidate is state Sen. Josh McLaurin of Sandy Springs.
