Governing is easy
“What is so complex about providing health care for 44 million who are uninsured?” — Democrat Mike Miller for U.S. House in Delaware, responding to an editorial questioning his grasp of important issues.
But politics is hard
“There are some serious impediments to running a statewide campaign and unfortunately I didn’t find out about a lot of them until after I was running.” — Mike Harris, mine electrician and Democratic candidate for Wyoming auditor.
Master of oratory
“Frankie ain’t so cranky, and won’t stand for any hanky-panky.” — New Jersey Democrat Frank Lautenberg, responding to Republican charges that he came across as “incoherent, grumpy and cranky” during a debate for the Senate.
Spirit of democracy
County officials in Irvine, Calif., had to intercede when a voter was turned away by security guards as he tried to enter his designated polling place in a gated community. Don Bast, who lives in another gated community, was eventually cleared to enter the sanctum and cast his ballot.
Staying on message
“The great news is that, as a good Republican, I clearly veered to the right when I was thrown.” — Idaho House Speaker Bruce Newcomb after he suffered internal injuries when he was thrown from a horse two days before the election.
Variations on a theme
“The first candidate to tell the truth loses.” — Economist David Reaume, on Alaska’s $1 billion deficit looming over gubernatorial race.
Dynamic duos
In Arkansas, Republican Gov. Mike Huckabee ran for re-election and his wife, Janet, was up for secretary of state.
– In Michigan, former militia leader Joseph Pilchak and his wife, Clara, a home-school advocate, ran for governor and lieutenant governor on the U.S. Taxpayers Party ticket.
A house divided
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In North Dakota, Marina Spahr and her husband, Paul Murphy, ran against each other for Foster County prosecutor.
– In Connecticut, relatives of Republican state Rep. Dennis Cleary, angered over a probate matter, took out a newspaper ad urging people not to vote for him. “We are tired of Dennis,” it said, “Are you?”
Candidate #1
New Michigan Gov.-elect Jennifer Granholm, a Democrat, once appeared on “The Dating Game.”
You’re dead to me now
In the Arizona gubernatorial race, Gov. Jane Hull endorsed Republican Matt Salmon, but she’s so unpopular that he did not put her name on a list of supporters.
– When former President Bill Clinton visited Arkansas to campaign for Democrats, Senate candidate Mark Pryor stayed away, choosing to spend his time preparing for a debate.
The political is personal
“What a choice: a Republican challenger without a clue and a Democratic incumbent without a conscience.” — from The Sacramento Bee’s endorsement of California Gov. Gray Davis.
Gangsta rap
In the Maine governor’s race, controversy arose when Green Independent candidate John Carter questioned Democrat John Baldacci’s opposition to casino gambling in an ad that featured an announcer saying, “If he flipped he can flop, bada-bing, bada-boom, know what I mean?”
Laws are stupid things
A proposition in South Dakota would amend the constitution to let defendants argue that juries should ignore laws under which they are charged.
Uh, you first
“I’m going hunting. You’ve got to have some fun. There’s been too much of this serious stuff going on. Maybe we could just take a day off from the campaign.” — Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa, inviting opponent Rep. Greg Ganske to hunt pheasants.
She’s the sheriff
After 225 years, Vermont got its first female sheriff as Connie Allen ran unopposed in one of the state’s 14 counties.
Lord, help us
“Religion doesn’t have a place in the campaign, and I’m praying that they cut it out.” — Democratic Arizona Atty. Gen. Janet Napolitano, on state races that have raised issues of religion.
Keeping it clean
David Bacon, the Green candidate for New Mexico governor, has a sun-powered house and a car that runs on vegetable oil.
Did you know?
Daniel O’Donnell, brother of former talk-show host Rosie O’Donnell, won a state Assembly seat from Manhattan.
Law and order
James Traficant, an Ohio Democrat who lost his House seat from the gray-bar hotel where he was sent for influence peddling, aired campaign commercials filmed in his cell.
Groundbreaking
In a contest that guaranteed the nation its first black female lieutenant governor, Republican Jennette Bradley beat Democrat Charleta Tavares in Ohio (this sentence as published has been corrected in this text).
But the stationery is awesome
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In Idaho, Republican James Risch spent more than $350,000 of his own money on a campaign for lieutenant governor, an office with no power that pays $26,000 a year.