I suppose I should be amused that the CD22 race is still being treated as one where there’s any real doubt about who will win. It’s interesting to me that in this story about how the name of a certain write-in candidate is characterized by its absence not just from the ballot but also from her opponent’s campaigning, another thing that is missing is a quote from anyone besides said write-in candidate who thinks there’s an actual race here. Where are the national boys like Carl Forti and Ken Mehlman? Cragg Hines actually gets a quote:
Republicans nationally are saying all the traditionally hopeful things, but until early last week, Sekula-Gibbs’ race had attracted less than $50,000 in contributions and so-called independent spending by the National Republican Congressional Committee, the chief House GOP campaign funding mechanism.
Most importantly, Democrats claim, the NRCC had, as the week ended, reserved no television time for any of its own ads to promote Sekula-Gibbs or, more likely, batter Democratic nominee Nick Lampson, who will actually be on the ballot.
“I don’t dispute that,” NRCC spokesman Carl Forti said midweek.
By contrast, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has booked an estimated $850,000 in TV time to bolster Lampson’s campaign in the crucial two weeks before the Nov. 7 election.
A $99,465 NRCC check last week for some “door to door” get-out-the-vote activity indicated a slightly quickened national pulse regarding Sekula-Gibbs, but it’s not the $1 million-plus in “independent” spending that could be expected for a race in which senior Republican strategists had more faith.
The NRCC paid for two recent polls in Texas 22 which left it not too inspired but also not ready to write off the race. If only for appearances, Rep. Tom Reynolds, R-N.Y. and chairman of the NRCC, gave Sekula-Gibbs’ campaign $10,000 from his personal political action committee, TOMPAC. The Cheney visit is expected to add about $150,000.
“It’s a district that wants to vote for a Republican,” said the NRCC’s Forti. With the “door to door” buy, the committee seeks to address Forti’s caveat: “We need to make sure they know how to” vote for a write-in candidate.
Not exactly gung ho, eh? Let’s go back to the original story for a minute, where you-know-who talks about her support from the nationals:
As the 22nd Congressional District goes, so go the midterm elections. Yet she acknowledges that the national Republican Party isn’t sure about her chances as a write-in.
“We have support, attention and response from our national leaders,” she said. “But Washington has to be convinced this is winnable.”
Tell me again why this race is being taken as more competitive than any other in Harris or Fort Bend Counties? Seriously, someone help me out here.
One point to bring up, since it was raised elsewhere.
The Secretary of State’s Office directed Harris County Clerk Beverly Kaufman to put the special election at the top of the ballot, ahead of the general election races, said Kaufman spokesman David Beirne.
I have confirmed this with both the Harris County Clerk’s office, and with the Secretary of State: If you are in CD22, or any of the Congressional or State House districts in which a special election will be occurring, you will essentially see two ballots. One will be for the special election, and the other will be the general. You may choose to vote in the special first, then proceed to the general. When you get to the general election ballot, if you then choose to vote a straight ticket, you can do so without worrying about skipping the special, since you will have already voted in the special. As such, any worries you may have heard about straight-ticket voting can be safely ignored.
Finally, I have no provenance on this, but a comment to this Kuff’s World post claims that a new poll shows the following:
Lampson 41%
Smither 25%
Undecided 23%
You-know-who 11%
I make no claims to the accuracy of this, as that’s all the info I have, so caveat lector.
Some feeling in the back of my mind tells me I have asked this before, but I can’t remember:
If Sekula Gibbs finishes second and there is a runoff, would her name be fully printed in the runoff election, or would that have to be a write-in, too?
It’s an “internal” Smither poll. Probably conducted by Kevin Tunstall and a couple of friends. 100 voters in CD22.
At least they’ve been open and honest about making no claims to scientific accuracy, unlike Shelley’s bizarre 20 minute push poll.
And who knows, their results are probably as close to right as anyone has gotten so far.
Michael,
You did ask before, and the answer is that there is no runoff for the general election. Runoffs only apply to primaries, of which special elections are a subset (they’re considered open primaries). Whoever gets the most votes wins in a general, whatever the percentage winds up being.
I knew I had asked before. I guess I just forgot to look for the answer (I, uh…, forgot where I asked).
I guess the reason I thought that there would be a runoff is because runoffs exist in special elections…
I really don’t think the law makes sense. I think a person should have to get a majority, but I also think that there should be a more efficient voting system to determine who would get a majority without setting a 2nd date. (like listing 1st choice candidate, 2nd choice, etc.)