MEDIA RELEASE  

The Hawaii Republican Party has announced presidential candidate Rick Santorum has registered to be on the ballot for the March 13 Hawaii Republican Caucuses.

Hawaii GOP Chair David Chang said: “We are pleased that all of the front running Republican Presidential candidates are now on the ballot. The Hawaii Republican Caucus gives voters a real choice and a real voice in the Presidential race.”

The outcome of the March 13 voting will determine delegate allocation to the competing candidates. In 2012 for the first time in history, Hawaii Republican voters will be directly deciding which GOP Presidential candidates receive delegates from Hawaii.

Santorum joins, Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, and Ron Paul on the March 13 ballot. The deadline for registration is Feb. 28.

The Hawaii GOP Caucuses are 6-8 p.m. Tuesday March 13 at voting locations for each State house district. Voting is open to Hawaii voters with photo ID who sign a GOP membership card at the polling place.

For a complete list of caucus locations, visit: http://www.gophawaii.com/presidential-caucus-locations/

For more information on the caucus, visit: http://www.gophawaii.com/2012-presidential-caucus/

Chamber of Commerce Makes $10 Million Ad Buy for Congressional Races

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is making a big-time money drop into the 2012 Congressional races, with a big buy of ads across the country.

The Chamber’s press release announces ads in 16 states and 40 total media markets, targeting 12 House districts and 8 Senate races. And as the Wall Street Journal reports, the total ad buy is $10 million.

Most of the ads target health care reform, attacking Democrats for passing it and supporting Republicans for fighting to repeal “Obamacare.”

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee shot back in a press release, saying in part:

“Republican Senate candidates like George Allen, Dean Heller, Linda Lingle, and others fight for these special interests over the middle class which is why this front group is propping up their campaigns,” said Matt Canter, spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.  ”Every one of the Republican Senate candidates that is benefiting from these ads sides with private insurance companies over seniors, with big oil companies over small businesses, and with billionaires over middle class families. Voters are going to see these attacks for what they are and all the money in the world won’t be able to distract from the Republican special interest in agenda.”

To read the original article and see the advertisement for Linda Lingle, please click here: http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/02/chamber-of-commerce-makes-10-million-ad-buy-for-congressional-races.php

• All cybercrime bills heard in JUD today are deferred until Tuesday.
• A bill to impose a 1 cent fee on each pound of green coffee beans grown in or imported into the State to be deposited into a special fund to control and eradicate the coffee borer beetle (HB 1827) was deferred in AGR today.  The committee recommended using barrel tax funds instead. The bill was graded D.
• A bill to repeal the prohibition against overnight accommodations as part of agricultural tourism activities of a farming operation and allow counties to authorize these uses by ordinance passed AGR today with Rep. Riviere voting WR. The bill is graded D.
• A bill to clarify that land accreted after May 20, 2003, shall be public land except as otherwise provided by law (HB 2591) passed WLO today. Rep. Thielen changed the grade from B to A.
• Current law requires that contractors with public contracts greater than $25,000 offer the same wages as paid to public workers. A bill to change the threshold from $25,000 to $5,000 and potentially increase the required wages (HB 2711) passed LAB with Reps. Fontaine and Johanson voting WR. The bill also requires contractors with state contracts over $5,000 to provide unions access to employees in order to collect employee authorizations cards to form a union (HB 2711). This bill is currently graded D.
• A bill to authorize the Disability Compensation Division to establish a Disability Compensation Division Special Fund and to establish fees for the issuing of subpoenas and filing of first injury reports (HB 2486) passed LAB with Reps. Fontaine & Johanson voting WR. This bill is currently graded D.
• A bill to increase the fee schedule of compensation for medical care, services, and supplies in workers' compensation cases from 110 percent to 130 percent of the Medicare Resource Based Relative Value Scale applicable to Hawaii (HB 2152) passed LAB today with Reps. Fontaine & Johanson voting WR. This bill is currently graded D.
• Monday, HUS will hear a bill to require certain medicaid recipients to pay a copayment for prescription drugs covered under the recipients' medicaid benefits if a system is develop by the Department of Human Services and approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services prior to the establishment and implementation of such a system (HB 2415). This bill is graded D because it limits the ability of the Department of Human Services to do what they can currently do administratively.
• Monday, HUS will hear a bill to make an emergency appropriation of $11.8 million from the general revenues of the State of Hawaii for fiscal year 2011-2012 to address the budget shortfall in for the health care payments program due to increased enrollment (HB 2546). The bill is currently graded D because it’s a lot of spending, but DHS may make a compelling case for the appropriation.
• Monday, TRN will hear a bill to authorize the director of transportation to impose toll charges on existing highways or construct new toll roads (HB 2153). The bill is graded D despite it requiring a prior feasibility study.
• Monday, TRN will hear a bill to increase the state vehicle registration fee by $1, to be deposited into the Disability and Communication Access Board Special Fund to cover the costs of administering the parking program for persons with disabilities (HB 2552). The bill is currently graded D because it is another vehicle registration increase.
• Monday, HUS/HSG will hear a bill that prohibits landlords from terminating the tenancy of tenants who are victims of domestic abuse (HB 2280). The intent is good, but this bill is currently graded D because it could be onerous for the landlord.

Politico.com by: David Catanese February 1, 2012

Va. reclaims lead in Senate Top 10

Bob Kerrey is buying property in Omaha, and Heidi Heitkamp just put up an impressive debut fundraising quarter, but the Senate contests in Nebraska and North Dakota still strongly favor the Republicans in November.

In the first Senate Monthly 10 of 2012 — stacking up the most competitive contests in the country — Virginia reclaims the crown as the toughest race to call, and Nevada looks increasingly headed to a photo finish.

1. Virginia (up 1 spot)

Tim Kaine begins the year with a $1.3 million cash-on-hand advantage over George Allen, 5,000 more donors and even a slight lead among independents. Allen earned himself another primary challenger in Del. Bob Marshall, whose hard-line conservative bona fides could become an irritant this spring when they square off in debate. The data show this race remains a dead heat, but Kaine’s team is heartened by recent Mason-Dixon polling that shows Kaine leading among independents by 6 percentage points over Allen.

Who won January: Kaine

Latest poll: Kaine 46 percent, Allen 46 percent (Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, 625 likely voters, Jan. 16-18)

2. Nevada (up 2 spots)

Things are evening up in the Silver State, edging this contest up in the rankings. After a sluggish start, GOP Sen. Dean Heller rebounded to raise $1.1 million, matching Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley’s tally. Their cash on hand is also almost identical. Berkley’s shop attempted to drive home Heller’s detachment from Hispanics on immigration policy, but his appearance before the oldest Hispanic group in Nevada earned kudos for engaging an audience inclined to line up with Berkley. Journalist Jon Ralston, who nailed the 2010 Senate race, forecast a narrow Heller win as part of his New Year’s predictions.

Who won January: Heller

No recent public polling

3. Montana (down 2 spots)

It’s a tale of dueling polls in Montana, remarkably involving the same pollster. In a Public Opinion Strategies survey taken for American Crossroads, GOP Rep. Denny Rehberg was up 11 percentage points over Democratic Sen. Jon Tester. But in a separate survey, when POS partnered with Democratic firm Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates, Rehberg’s lead shrunk to 3 percentage points, within the margin of error. The 11-point margin seems to have been an outlier. Two December polls showed Rehberg with small single-digit leads, so things appear to be trending in Rehberg’s favor.

Who won January: Rehberg

Latest poll: Rehberg 46 percent, Tester 43 percent (POS/FM3 Jan. 2-7)

4. Missouri (up 1 spot)

Millionaire businessman John Brunner is attempting to position himself as the most viable candidate to take on Sen. Claire McCaskill, hiring a slate of well-respected operatives, writing his campaign a $1 million check and boosting his biography in ads. But his decision to skip early debates — a move framed as “staying above the fray” — risks looking weak to primary voters, who don’t have a strong impression of him and are far from settled on a nominee. “He’s basically trying to buy this election,” charged Sarah Steelman during a debate Monday night with Rep. Todd Akin that Brunner skipped. McCaskill remains one of the two most vulnerable senators in the country, but she can kick back and watch this scrum through August, as she sits on $5 million.

Who won January: McCaskill

Latest poll: Sarah Steelman 32 percent, Todd Akin 23 percent, John Brunner 18 percent (Public Policy Polling, 574 Republican primary voters, Jan. 27-29)

5. Massachusetts (down 2 spots)

The super agreement to sideline super PACs may not pan out, but Republicans believe they scored a coup just by getting Elizabeth Warren to agree to it. Despite a $13 million arsenal, freshman Sen. Scott Brown is likely to be outspent by outside liberal groups, which have unquestionably prioritized this race as their top target. To shut them out would give the Republican a tactical advantage. Brown also racked up good press for his State of the Union moment, pressuring President Barack Obama to move on his insider-trading legislation and a new Congressional Quarterly ranking showing him to be the second-most bipartisan senator last year. Warren, meanwhile, slipped up during a chummy MSNBC interview when she claimed she isn’t part of the 1 percent.

Who won January: Brown

No recent public polling

6. Florida (up 2 spots)

After seemingly falling out of reach earlier this year, Florida is crawling back into top-tier territory, with Rep. Connie Mack carrying the torch. Three separate polls over the past 30 days show varying degrees of movement away from Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson. Still unclear is whether Mack, a pugnacious Mitt Romney supporter, will face any backlash for his blistering attacks on Newt Gingrich. The GOP primary field shrank by one when restaurateur Craig Miller dropped a stalled bid to instead run for a newly created congressional seat.

Who won January: Mack

Latest poll: Nelson 45 percent, Mack 42 percent (Miami Herald/Mason-Dixon, 800 likely voters, Jan. 24-26)

7. Wisconsin (down 1 spot)

Tommy Thompson still has name recognition — but not much else. The former four-term governor and George W. Bush administration official turned in only $656,000 during his first fundraising quarter for a race he had been anticipating for months. He also fumbled an answer on the possible recall of Gov. Scott Walker by urging a Democrat to get in the race, and struggled to articulate his position on collective bargaining. Former Rep. Mark Neumann has been dubbed a rising star by WisPolitics, but wealthy Madison investor Eric Hovde is still circling, eyeing a late entry against presumptive Democratic nominee Tammy Baldwin.

Who won January: Neumann

No recent public polling

8. Hawaii (up 1 spot)

Evidence is mounting that the Aloha State could offer the biggest surprise of the cycle. Former Gov. Linda Lingle flexed her fundraising muscles with a $1.7 million quarter. Meanwhile, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee was forced to push back against a Civil Beat poll showing former Rep. Ed Case leading its preferred candidate, Rep. Mazie Hirono.

Who won January: Lingle

Latest poll: Hirono 46 percent, Lingle 39 percent (Honolulu Civil Beat/MRG, 1,358 likely voters, Jan. 18-19)

9. Michigan (up 1 spot)

While the tea party continues to shake Pete Hoekstra’s cage, endorsing his lesser-known opponents, chiding him for skipping debates and holding straw polls in which he falls short, the former congressman is unfazed. A Detroit Free Press/EPIC-MRA poll grants Hoekstra a 37-point lead over charter school advocate Clark Durant, concluding “no one has been able to gain any ground — except for Pete.” Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s ahead, but her advantage is tenuous at best in a state suffering worse than most from the economic downturn.

Who won January: Stabenow

Latest poll: Hoekstra 40 percent, Durant 3 percent (Detroit Free Press/EPIC-MRA, 600 voters, Jan. 21-25)

10. Ohio (down 3 spots)

Sen. Sherrod Brown skipped a visit by President Obama at the start of the month, but Republican state Treasurer Josh Mandel earned tougher press for his absence from 13 Board of Deposit meetings. Even before that, The Associated Press reported on Mandel’s overwhelming focus on his Senate bid, noting that “he’s yet to hold a single news conference to discuss the work he’s doing for Ohioans.” He’s not exactly getting out front on burning issues either, offering a “no opinion” when asked about Gov. John Kasich’s moratorium on well-drilling.

Who won January: Brown

Latest poll: Brown 47 percent, Mandel 32 percent (Quinnipiac University, 1,610 registered voters, Jan. 9-16)

To read the original article, please click here http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/72233.html

EMILY's List Tops doubled membership since Boehner became Speaker

Stephanie Schriock said her group, a political action committee that supports female Democrats who favor abortion rights, has topped 1 million members in its quest to put an unprecedented number of women into office in 2012.

And it’s on track to raise more money this cycle than in any previous cycle, Schriock noted, although she wouldn’t give an exact figure. The group raised almost $39 million in the last cycle.

"When women vote, Democrats win," she told reporters. "It's not just that their views are better or worse. They're just different, and we need that."

Coming off a Tuesday victory in a special House race in Oregon, where EMILY's List-backed Democrat Suzanne Bonamici delivered a double-digit defeat to her GOP opponent, the PAC said it has endorsed 11 Senate and 17 House candidates for 2012, with more on the way.

The map of races where EMILY's List is getting involved closely mirrors the map of states that handed a victory to President Obama in 2008: the West Coast, Midwestern states surrounding Illinois, Florida, Hawaii and a few Northeastern states.

The list includes five Senate races in states that have never elected a woman to the Senate. But in one of those states — Hawaii — Republicans have their own female candidate in former Gov. Linda Lingle. That means the glass ceiling will be broken even if Lingle defeats Rep. Mazie Hirono, the EMILY's List-backed front-runner in the Democratic primary.

Asked by The Hill why the group would pick a fight with Lingle, a centrist Republican woman who has supported abortion rights in the past, Schriock said those factors weren't enough.

"Our mission is to support pro-choice, Democratic women, and it is three of three for a reason," she said.

In another Senate race in Connecticut, the group has backed former Connecticut Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz (D), putting it at odds with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which has thrown its support behind Rep. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.).

"Connecticut voters are going to vote for a Democrat against [GOP front-runner] Linda McMahon in November, and EMILY's List is going to do everything we can to make sure that Democrat is Susan Bysiewicz," Schriock said.

The group unveiled a video montage Thursday of big-name Democrats declaring their support for the group, including former President Clinton, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Labor Secretary Hilda Solis and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

The PAC also released the results of a poll it commissioned in Oregon on Tuesday, the day Bonamici was elected, showing that female voters list the economy, protecting entitlements and tax fairness as their top three election issues.

Almost 80 percent of those who supported Bonamici said her Republican rival's opposition to abortion rights was a factor in their decision.

To read the original article, please click here http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/other-races/208333-emilys-list-tops-1-million-members-

2012: Women will be key Senate Democrats

2010 was not a great year for women in Congress. The midterm elections in that cycle saw the first decrease in female representation in Congress in 30 years.

In 2012, however, things could look much different for women.

At a news conference in Washington, D.C., in December, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the chairwoman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee declared that 2012 would be a “historic year” for women in the United States Senate.

On Thursday, Stephanie Schriock, the president of EMILY’s List, a political action committee (PAC) that supports pro-choice, female Democratic candidates for office, echoed Murray’s message.

“2012 is a historic year for EMILY’s List,” Schriock told reporters at a pen-and-pad briefing in Washington, D.C.

2012 already marks a historic year for women. There are seven female senators who are up for re-election in this cycle – the greatest number ever in the Senate. Six of those senators are Democrats, while one – Olympia Snowe of Maine – is a Republican.

On the challenger side of senate races, there are five Democratic women candidates currently endorsed by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

EMILY’s List is also currently endorsing five female challengers in Senate races, in addition to the six incumbent Democratic senators. There are slight variations from the DSCC, though. EMILY’s List is endorsing Susan Bysiewicz in Connecticut. Bysiewicz is currently in a primary race with Democratic Rep. Chris Murphy, and the DSCC has not yet endorsed a candidate in this race.

There are four female Republican candidates running in Senate races in addition to Snowe.

In New Mexico, Rep. Heather Wilson is competing for the seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Jeff Bingaman. In Connecticut, former World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. CEO Linda McMahon is running for Senate again, this time looking to fill the seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Joe Lieberman. McMahon won her party’s nomination for U.S. Senate in Connecticut in 2010, but lost the election to Sen. Richard Blumenthal.

In Missouri, Sarah Steelman, the former state treasurer, is hoping to unseat incumbent Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill. And in Hawaii, former Gov. Linda Lingle, who has the distinction of being the first female governor elected in Hawaii, is running for the seat being vacated by Democratic Sen. Daniel Akaka.

Nineteen Senate seats held by Democrats were contested going into the 2010 midterms. Democrats lost six of those seats, narrowing their majority from a filibuster-proof 60 seats to 53 seats vs. the Republicans’ 47 seats.

This cycle, Democrats will have less wiggle room because of their smaller majority. Raising the stakes even more is the fact that a greater number of their seats will be in contention. Twenty-three Senate seats currently occupied by Democrats will be up for re-election in 2012. A little more than a quarter of those seats are represented by women.

The stakes are high for Republicans, as well. They need at least four seats in order to win the majority in the Senate. However, they do have a mathematical advantage: Only 10 Republican senators are up for re-election in this cycle.

Many of the Senate races featuring female Democratic candidates will likely be hard-fought, on both the incumbent side and the challenger side.

In Missouri, McCaskill, up for re-election, has been a strong supporter of President Obama and this season she will face a tough battle from her Republican challenger, currently unknown, because Obama has an approval rating of just 42 percent in Missouri, according to a Gallup poll taken in August 2011.

In Massachusetts, the race between incumbent Republican Sen. Scott Brown and Elizabeth Warren is already heating up. Crossroads GPS, the sister group of the Super PAC American Crossroads, has begun running ads against Warren in the state, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has promised using some of its resources to try and influence the race.

With the general election more than 10 months away, the dynamics of specific races are still very much taking shape. However, an overarching narrative has emerged: Female candidates will be key for Democrats.

“Women voters have long been a crucial voting bloc for Democrats,” said ABC News political director Amy Walter. “This year, the success of Democratic women candidates is likely to determine which party controls the Senate in 2013.”

To read the original article, please see http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/02/2012-women-will-be-key-for-senate-democrats/

Fundraising reports in for U.S. House and Senate campaigns

More fundraising numbers are in for the races for U.S. House and Senate.

Democrat Colleen Hanabusa raised more than Republican contender Charles Djou in the last quarter, bringing her election-cycle amount raised so far above a half million dollars.

They have a similar amount of cash on hand -- both above three hundred thousand dollars.

In the senate race for Dan Akaka's seat, democrat Ed Case raised just over one hundred thousand dollars in the last quarter.

His opponent Mazie Hirono previously reported more than 600,000 dollars raised.

Republican Linda Lingle took in nearly $1.8 million.

To read the original article, please click here http://www.khon2.com/news/local/story/Fundraising-reports-in-for-U-S-House-and-Senate/l0ufiuS8s0CZbK_X5yPH0Q.cspx

Senate Lineup: 51 Democrats, 47 Republicans, 2 Independent(s)

Solid: These races are not considered competitive and are not likely to become closely contested.
Likely: These seats are not considered competitive at this point but have the potential to become engaged.
Lean: These are considered competitive races but one party has an advantage.
Toss Up: These are the most competitive races; either party has a good chance of winning.

For a pictorial breakdown of the U.S. Senate races, please click here http://cookpolitical.com/senate#belowMap