Special Elections Today

Two special elections today, one in Northwest Ohio, another in Eastern Virginia, for Congressional seats left open by the deaths of two Republicans.

In Ohio, Democrat Robin Weinrauch has a shot at picking up the seat of the late Republican Paul Gilmor, but she faces Bob Latta, son of the guy who represented the district before Gilmor. Latta's internal poll yesterday showed him trialing Weinrauch in a district Bush won over 60% of the vote in.

In Virginia, Democrat Phil Forgit, an Iraq war vet is running against Republican Bob Whitman for the seat of the late Jo Ann Davis who died in October. Forgit is an underdog. The seat was won by Bush in 2004 and Republican candidates for Governor (Kilgore) in 2005 and Senator (Allen) in 2006.

If you're in one of these two districts, GO OUT AND VOTE TODAY!

OH-05: Are Republicans Worried?

There's two special elections occurring next Tuesday. One is in the Ohio 5th District, vacant since it's Representative, Paul Gilmor, died in early September. The district leans Republican. It has been in Republican hands since 1939. President Bush won over 60% of the vote in this district.

OH-05 is centered in Northwestern Ohio, including Fremont, Tiffin, Norwalk and Bowling Green, as well as the southern suburbs of Toledo.

The Republican nominee is Bob Latta, an Ohio State Senator and the son of Del Latta, who held the seat for 30 years. The Democratic nominee is Robin Weirauch, who got 43% of the vote against Paul Gilmor last year. As of late, Republicans are pouring a lot of money into the special election campaign, raising flags that perhaps they believe Weirauch to be stronger than they think. An internal poll showed Latta 14 points up, but only at 50%. In response, Democrats appear to have poured a lot of their resources hoping to pull off an upset. Some insiders say the race is likely to be close, reminiscent of the 2005 race in the similarly-conservative Ohio-2 district near Cincinatti where Democrat Paul Hackett, an Iraq war vet, won 48% of the vote against Republican Jean Schmidt, an Ohio state legislature. The closeness of the race (Schmidt's predecessor, Rob Portman, had consistently gotten 70% of the vote in earlier elections) was seen as a harbinger for 2006, when Democrats won both houses of Congress.

Election Day in the Ohio-5 is December 11th

IL-14: Hastert Resigns...Now

Dennis Hastert's two decade service in the United States House of Representatives which culminated in being the longest serving Republican Speaker of the House came to abrupt end tonight.

The Illinois Republican, who was expected to leave the House soon, resigned effective tonight. His seat will be filled by a special election that will be called by Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich, likely to be held on February 5th to coincide with the Democratic primary in Illinois.

What is that important? Well, Illinois' favorite son, Barack Obama, is running on the Democratic side, and turnout will be huge in Illinois on the Democratic side and it will help the Democratic nominee for the seat.

The district is R+4. George W. Bush won 55% of the vote here. It streches from the Chicago suburbs of Elgin and Aurora through a long swath of Northern Illinios including Dixon to the outskirts of the Quad Cities near the Mississippi River.

Democrat John Laesch won 40% of the vote in 2006 and is running for the open seat, as are Republican State Senator Chris Lauzen of Aurora, who lost the race for Illinois Comptroller in 1998, Republican Mayor Kevin Burns of Geneva, and Republican businessman and former statewide candidate Jim Oberweis, who has run in the GOP primaries for Governor in 2006 and Senator in 2002 and 2004. Democratic candidates include Laesch, attorney Jotham Stein or businessman Bill Foster.

Hastert's depature leaves three Republican seats open, including the open seats og Ohio-5 and Virginia-1, left open by the deaths of Paul Gilmor in September and Jo Ann Davis in October. Both seats are holding special elections on December 11. Republicans currently have 199 members in the House of Representatives, the first time their number has dropped below 200 since 1994. All 233 Democratic seats are filled, but Julia Carson of Indiana is being treated for terminal cancer and is absent from Washington.

Louisiana Governor-elect Bobby Jindal will vacate his seat in January, meaning the GOP will not have a full 202 seats until at least February.

IL-14: Hastert Resigning

We knew he was retiring, did we know he was resigning?

Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert will not complete his term. He will apparently announce his resignation tomorrow triggering a special election.

Hastert's resignation, if before December 11th, would lead to three vacant Republican seats, leaving them with a total of 199 votes. After yesterday's election in Massachusetts, all 233 Democratic seats are filled.

MA-05: Special Election

Results here.

Niki Tsongas defeats John Ogonowski 51%-45%, a margin of about 6500 votes, with 4% going to Independent candidates.

This district is D+10, so this is not a great showing for Tsongas and this is Massachusetts. Tsongas is the wife of former Massachusetts Congressman and Senator Paul Tsongas. Ogonowski is the brother of the pilot of American Airlines Flight 11 on September 11, 2001.

Special Election Results

Yesterday's Special Elections yielded no surprises;

In Nassau County;

Democrat Michelle Schmiel won a landslide victory for the 16th State Assembly seat in Northwestern Nassau County, replacing State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, also a Democrat.

Democrat Wayne Wink also won a landslide victory for a seat in the Nassau County Legislature, replacing Democrat Craig Johnson, who was elected to the state senate.

In Staten Island;

Democrat Matthew Titone won the special election for the 61st State Assembly district, replacing the late John Lavelle, also a Democrat

Republican Lou Tobacco won the 62nd State Assembly district special election to replace Vincent Ignizio, another Republican who was elected to the New York City Council. Tobacco, like his predecesor, will be the only GOP member of the state assembly from New York City.

No, that doesn't end the Special Elections in the state Assembly. Rockland County Democrat Kenneth Zebrowski passed away earlier this month, so another Special Election will be called to fill his seat and there's still the question over the seat of Manhattan Assemblyman Alexander Pete Grannis' seat. Grannis was tapped to be Commissioner of the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, which would force him to vacate his seat...and then ANOTHER special election will be called.

Tired yet?

Special Election News

There are a slew of special elections tomorrow on Long Island and Staten Island for three open State Assembly seats and a Nassau County Legislature seat.

on Long Island;

North Hempstead Town Clerk Michelle Schmiel, a Democrat from Great Neck, will face Republican Ryan DeCicco for the State Assembly seat of Tom DiNapoli, who resigned to become State Comptroller last month.

North Hempstead Town Board member Wayne Wink of Roslyn will face Louis Chisari of New Hyde Park for the Nassau County Legislature seat of Craig Johnson, who won election to the State Senate last month.

on Staten Island;

In the race to succeed the late John Lavelle in the State Assembly, Democrat Matthew Titone, the Democratic candidate for the 24th State Senate seat against Andrew Lanza last year is running against Republican Rose Margarella and the Independence Party nominee Kelvin Alexander

In the heavily Republican state assembly seat of now NYC Councilman Vincent Ignizio, Democrats have nominated John Mulia, who also received the Conservative and Right To Life party nominations, a rare event. Republicans nominated Lou Tobacco.

Special Election News

STATEN ISLAND:

Staten Island has essentially become special election central lately. Anyway, the election for the 61st State Assembly Seat on the North Shore has been set for March 27th.

The candidates are as follows;

Democrats- Matthew Titone, the Democratic candidate for the 24th State Senate seat against Andrew Lanza last year is running
Republicans- Rose Margarella is running again
Independence- The Independence Party nominated Kelvin Alexander

Titone is widely considered the favorite in this Democratic-leaning district

March 27th will also be the date for the 62nd Assembly District Special Election on the South Shore to replace Republican Vincent Ignizio, who was elected to the City Council in a Special Election on February 20th. No candidates have been confirmed

Meanwhile, on Long Island, there are two special elections scheduled on March 27th...one for the 16th State Assembly District vacated by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli and for the 11th district of the Nassau County Legislature, vacated by Democrat Craig Johnson who was elected to the State Senate on February 6th. Here, as well, candidates need confirmation.

When confirmation happens, I will update on this thread.

Special Election Results and News

Since I'm out of town, I wasn't following yesterday's special elections for the two NYC Council seats...I just remembered about them. So here they are...

In Brooklyn's 40th City Council District, centered around Flatbush, Democrat Mathieu Eugene defeated nine other candidates to win the seat with a plurality win of 34%. Eugene is the first Haitian-American ever elected to the City Council. He replaces Democrat Yvette Clarke who was elected to the US House of Representatives in November.

In Staten Island's 51st City Council District, which includes most of Central and Southern Staten Island, Republican State Assemblyman Vincent Ignizio defeated his opponent with 71% of the vote. Ignizio replaces Andrew Lanza, another Republican, who was elected to the State Senate in November.

More Specific results will be posted here when the Board of Elections publicly releases them.

Ignizio's State Assembly seat is vacant, meaning three (possibly four) State Assembly seats are currently vacant, two alone on Staten Island. A Special Election for the 61st State Assembly district, vacated by the passing of Democrat John Lavelle last month, has been scheduled for March 27th. The special election for DiNapoli's State Assembly seat in Nassau County is also scheduled for March 27th. A Special Election date for Ignizio's now vacant seat in Staten Island have not been set yet.