USApp Managing Editor, Chris Gilson, looks at the week in U.S. state blogging. Click here for our weekly roundup of national blogs.
Northeast
In Maine this week, The Atlantic takes a look at the governor’s race. They say that the contest is rather unique, as the Independent candidate, Eliot Cutler, may have a chance of winning, given that he won second place in the 2010 election with 37 percent of the vote.
On Wednesday, miscellany blue writes on recent infighting within the New Hampshire Republican Party, writing that the former Party Chair has called out libertarian Free Staters who have been elected to the Granite State’s legislature whilst hiding their true views from voters.
Heading over to New York State, Capital Confidential writes that in the governor’s race, Republican candidate, Rob Astorino’s campaign continued to chide incumbent Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo’s apparent refusal to debate his primary challenger, Zephyr Teachout, saying that he is ‘acting like a total jerk’. Staying in the Empire State, on Thursday, Wonkblog says that a new report which examines 12 years’ worth of data on the New York Police Department’s stop and frisk policy shows that the policy was not that effective. In 5 million stops, police recovered a gun less than 0.02 percent of the time.
On Saturday, Blue Jersey looks at embattled New Jersey GOP Governor, Chris Christie’s legal bills over ‘Bridgegate’ – the scandal that broke earlier this year when Christie was accused of being in involved with the closure of the George Washington Bridge in revenge against a mayor who did not support him in his reelection bid last year. They say that his fees – to be paid by the taxpayer – now run to just over $6.5 million.
South
In the Old Dominion State this week, Blue Virginia looks at whether or not the state’s Democrats will retake the state’s Senate in 2015. They write that while must Republican State Senators look like they should be safe there are several races that Democrats may be competitive in, if the substantial financial resources that would be needed are made available.
Heading down to South Carolina Roll Call’s Rothenblog looks at state Senator, Brad Hutto, who is facing incumbent GOP Senator in this year’s mid-term election. They say that Hutto is not a traditional southern Democrat – or ‘Blue Dog’ – and that his views are in sync with those of Democrats nationally. They say that the four-way Senate race this year (a Libertarian and an Independent candidate are also in the running), give him a chance to win with far less than half the total votes cast.
Alabama’s Yellowhammer writes that a new study that compares regional prices and real incomes across the states shows that Alabamans are actually 13.5 percent richer than they think they are. They say that the study shows that someone from Florida or Georgia, for example, will actually get more bang for their (salary) buck, given the state’s relatively lower cost of living.
SaintPetersblog this week looks at a California billionaire who is shaking up the Florida governor’s race. They write on Wednesday that former hedge fund manager, Tom Steyer has put incumbent Republican Governor Rick Scott on the defensive by buying attack ads against his environmental record, which have boosted the poll ratings of Democratic contender, Charlie Crist. They say that Scott’s campaign has responded with attack ads of their own against Steyer, as well as threatening television statements with lawsuits if they air Steyer’s ads.
In the Magnolia State this week, Y’all Politics continues to provide commentary on Chris McDaniel’s ongoing attempt to have the result of the state’s June 24 Republican Senate Primary overturned in his favor. McDaniel lost the primary to long-term incumbent, Senator Thad Cochran. They write McDaniel is continuing to beg for more money to support his challenge, now before a judge.
Heading to Texas, on Monday, Burnt Orange Report writes that a GOP pollster has said this week that indicted Governor Rick Perry’s glasses might just save his presidential ambitions. They say that pollster Kristen Anderson said that his glasses have helped him to get a ‘second look’ from Republican activists after his poor presidential run in 2012.
Midwest
This week in the Buckeye State, Plunderbund writes that with election day now less than 90 days away, Ohio voters should remember that during his 1,300-odd days in office, incumbent Republican Governor, John Kasich, has appointed a non-resident Silicon Valley guru to a cabinet post, despite him not meeting residency requirements, and was nearly the head of JobsOhio, a non-profit job creation group, until he was prevented from doing so by the state’s constitution.
On Friday, Hit & Run reports that a County Sheriff’s department in Michigan has gotten rid of its Mine Resistant Ambush Proof (MRAP) armored car as a cost saving measure. They say that though the move had been decided prior to police confrontation in Ferguson, Missouri, it does show that costs are involved even when the police department got the vehicle for ‘free’ from the federal government.
Last week’s unrest in Feguson continued this week, with Governor Jay Nixon announcing a state of emergency in the Missouri town on Saturday afternoon, writes PoliticusUSA. They say that a curfew was also enacted, and that the response was largely positive within the local community. On Monday, PoliticMO reports that Nixon had signed an executive order to send in the state National Guard to restore piece in the community, though he had previously called to ‘demilitarize’ the situation there. Meanwhile, The Monkey Cage looks at whether or not the disorder in Ferguson stems from a long history of segregation. They say that the general narrative that the lack of diversity in the city’s leadership, and the violence and rage seen recently has its roots in segregation is depressing, as it suggests no real reform agenda. They write that while St. Louis is one of the most segregated metropolitan regions in the U.S., Ferguson has a high degree of racial integration, and that the real problem is that this integration has not been reflected on the local government and police force. On Tuesday, National Journal looks at the character assassination that has occurred against Michael Brown, the 17 year old who was shot dead by a police officer on August 9th sparking the protests and riots. They write that the police and media have distorted Brown’s image by releasing surveillance footage of an unrelated robbery he committed, and implying he had marijuana in his system when he died.
In the Badger State this week, Uppity Wisconsin takes Republican Governor Scott Walker to task for what they say is his weak argument against expanding Medicaid based healthcare to a greater number of the state’s low-income residents. Walker has said that the federal government is certain to stop subsidizing the state’s Medicaid costs, even though this is mandated by federal law. They say that this could only happen if Congress voted to renege on the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion provision, something that House Republicans have tried to do many times, and failed. Even if they did get such a measure through the House and Senate, it would then be vetoed by President Obama.
West and Pacific
This week in Montana, National Review’s The Campaign Spot writes that the state’s Democrats have selected what they say is an unusual candidate for the Senate in the form of state Representative Amanda Curtis.
Moving south to Colorado, The Spot says that while Democratic Governor John Hickenlooper opposes the death penalty in the state, the fate of death-row inmate, Nathan Dunlap is still uncertain. They say that if Hickenlooper’s Republican challenger, Bob Beauprez, is elected then Dunlap will be executed. Beauprez has accused of Hickenlooper of fumbling his position on the death penalty, given that last year he undermined a Democratic legislative push to repeal the death penalty. Staying in The Centennial State, The Daily Signal has seven harmful side effects that the legalization of marijuana has had in Colorado. These include increased drug related student suspensions and marijuana-related hospitalizations.
The Sutherland Daily writes on Monday that a new poll shows that a majority of Utahns are opposed to same-sex marriage, while only 29 percent support the measure.
Heading west to California, Flashreport writes that the ‘hidden gas tax’ attached to a 2006 measure passed by the California state legislature will come into force in January. The new law makes polluters buy credits to offset greenhouse gas emissions, the cost of which they say will be passed on to consumers. They warn that the higher costs for gas and electricity will hurt rural and working Californians the hardest, and will mean they have less to spend on necessities such as food and rent.
On Wednesday, The Atlantic looks at Alaska’s Senate race. They say that while the GOP landed their candidate of choice in the form of Dan Sullivan in their recent primary, the party’s plans to take down incumbent Senator, mark Begich have been hindered from the get go thanks to his ‘early and fierce attacks’ against Sullivan.
Featured image credit: Paul Hamilton (Flickr, CC-BY-SA-2.0)
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