Tag Archives: Bob Hickingbottom

Trump Under-Performs in Georgia Poll; Wisconsin Rep. Gallagher Out; UT-2 Special Election Set; Hickingbottom Out – Again

By Jim Ellis — Tuesday, June 13, 2023

President

How fares a generic GOP candidate or former President Donald Trump vs. President Joe Biden?

Georgia Poll: Trump Under-Performs vs. Generic Republican — A political action committee associated with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) — the Hardworking Americans PAC — released a Cygnal poll of the Peach State Republican electorate (June 5-7; 600 likely Georgia general election voters; interactive voice response system & text) and the results find that a generic-labeled Republican candidate performs much better against President Biden than does former President Donald Trump.

The poll showed that when asked if the respondent would favor President Joe Biden or a Republican candidate, the generic GOP candidate would lead by double digits, 48-38 percent. If Trump were the Republican candidate, however, the race resolves into a virtual tie, with the former president scoring 42.0 percent and Biden attracting 41.4 percent support. Arguably, Georgia is the most important bellwether state on the 2024 presidential map. Considering the swing states in play, a Republican candidate cannot win the presidency in 2024 without taking Georgia.

Senate

Wisconsin: Rep. Gallagher Out — Wisconsin Congressman Mike Gallagher (R-Green Bay), who appeared to be the Republican leadership’s top Senate candidate recruitment target, said on Friday that he will not challenge Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D) next year. Gallagher is moving up the House ladder and wants to remain on that path. Some believe he will instead wait until 2028 to make a statewide move when Sen. Ron Johnson (R) is expected to retire.

A new poll found former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke leading the Republican field, though he is not an announced candidate. Rep. Gallagher was a strong second. Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Minocqua) is testing the Senate political waters, so chances of him pursuing a statewide bid considering the Gallagher decision may increase.

House

UT-2: Special Election Set — Gov. Spencer Cox (R) set the special primary election to replace resigning US Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Farmington) for Sept. 5 and the special general on Nov. 21; the candidate filing period closes on Wednesday. Therefore, individuals have little time to declare their candidacies.

For the Republicans, who will be favored to hold the seat, former state House Speaker Greg Hughes, ex-state representative and US Senate candidate Becky Edwards, and former Republican National Committeeman Bruce Hough have announced they will run, and at this point comprise the first tier. Several others are expected to run also. For the Democrats, the lone pre-filing contender is state Sen. Kathleen Riebe (D-Cottonwood Heights).

After filing closes, the parties will call a special district convention. The delegates will then nominate one candidate to advance into the special primary by majority vote. Others can still qualify for the primary through the petition signature process.

Governor

Mississippi: Hickingbottom Out Again — Earlier in the year, the Mississippi Democratic Party disqualified candidate Bob Hickingbottom from running for governor in the Democratic primary, saying he did not meet the signature requirement and because he previously ran statewide on a third party line. In late May, Hickingbottom won his court challenge to the Democrats’ ruling and was placed back on the primary ballot.

On Friday, however, the Mississippi state Supreme Court overturned the lower court decision and ruled that the MDP has the right to disqualify Hickingbottom. Therefore, Hickingbottom will be prohibited from running in the Democratic primary. The decision restores Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley to unopposed status for the party nomination. Democratic leaders wanted this to give Presley the biggest advantage possible as he tries to unseat Gov. Tate Reeves (R) in the 2023 general election.

Majewski Won’t Run; Disgraced Ex-AG Looking at Indiana Gov Bid ; Mississippi Candidate Returned to Ballot; Texas AG Paxton’s Trial

By Jim Ellis — Friday, June 2, 2023

House

J.R. Majewski (R)

OH-9: Majewski Won’t Run — J.R. Majewski (R) who lost a 57-43 percent decision to veteran Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Toledo) in a district that the FiveThirtyEight data organization rates as R+6, said that he will not return for a re-match after originally planning to run. Majewski says his mother’s health situation is what is forcing him out of the race.

The major political benefactor could be former state Rep. Craig Riedel (R), who lost the 2022 primary to Majewski when he and state Sen. Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green) split much of the vote to allow Majewski to capture the party’s right faction and win with a plurality of 36 percent of the vote. Riedel finished second with 31 percent. Sen. Gavarone has already announced that she will seek re-election to the state Senate instead of making another congressional run. A local mayor and former local mayor are both in the race, but Riedel should be viewed as the leading candidate for the GOP nomination.

Governor

Indiana: Disgraced Ex-AG Looking at Gov Bid — Former Attorney General Curtis Hill was suspended from office during his tenure when an Indiana Superior Court made him leave office for a month as part of his plea for misdemeanor sexual battery. Hill then would lose his re-nomination campaign to current attorney general and former Congressman Todd Rokita (R).

Now, Hill confirms that he is considering entering the open governor’s primary next year where he would do battle with US Sen. Mike Braun and Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch. Despite the long odds of success, Hill may well become a candidate. Sen. Braun continues as the clear favorite for the party nomination and to win the general election in November of 2024.

Mississippi: Democrat Restored to Ballot — Earlier in the year, the Mississippi Democratic Party, largely in an effort to clear the gubernatorial field for Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley, disqualified candidate Bob Hickingbottom for not filing certain documents on time and because he once ran on the Conservative Party ballot line.

A Mississippi state court ruled this week that the MDP exceeded its authority in disqualifying Hickingbottom and reinstated him on the ballot. Therefore, it appears he will compete with Presley for the Democratic nomination in August.

It is unlikely that this decision will derail the Presley campaign. The Public Service Commissioner, a cousin to the late rock ‘n roll icon Elvis Presley, should easily win the Democratic primary and then face Gov. Tate Reeves (R) in this year’s November campaign. Gov. Reeves also faces minor Republican competition for his party’s nomination.

States

Texas: AG Paxton Facing August Impeachment Trial in Senate — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) has been under an ethical cloud of securities fraud and bribery allegations for years. In fact, he has subsequently won two re-election campaigns even though these charges have been publicized since the federal indictment came down against him in 2015. Though indicted eight years ago, the federal government has yet to take any further action.

Based upon a state House of Representatives Committee investigation, AG Paxton was impeached by the full body this week and is suspended from office until the state Senate holds a trial. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R), who will preside over the trial as president of the Senate, announced the trial will begin on Aug. 28. Lt. Gov. Patrick also said that state Sen. Angela Paxton (R-Allen), Paxton’s wife, will not be forced to recuse herself from acting as a Senate juror. After hearing the evidence, all 31 senators will vote on whether to remove Paxton from office. A two-thirds majority, or 21 votes, is required to remove an office holder. The Republicans hold a 19-12 majority in the Senate.