Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

PA-12: Why Tim Burns Lost
C4P ^ | May 19, 2010 | Doug Brady

Posted on 05/19/2010 9:17:44 AM PDT by DB9

click here to read article


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-35 next last

1 posted on 05/19/2010 9:17:44 AM PDT by DB9
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: DB9

Good read.


2 posted on 05/19/2010 9:19:45 AM PDT by ConservativeMan55
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DB9

Goofy. It will shake out in November. The Crats are crowing about this???


3 posted on 05/19/2010 9:26:01 AM PDT by screaminsunshine (S)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DB9

Burns still has a shot in November, when the Indies come out to vote


4 posted on 05/19/2010 9:28:30 AM PDT by Nonstatist
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DB9

If I read this article correctly, the Governor set things up so that the special election was, in effect, being run like a primary. Democrats had no choice but to vote for a Democrat.

You may remember the trick of providing a pencil attached to a string in each voting booth. The powers-that-be could then note which way the string was angled to tell who voted for whom. Since, in this case, the polling records indicate who asked for a given ballot, the “secret ballot” principle was eliminated, for all intents and purposes.

Voter intimidation without the New Black Panther clubs.


5 posted on 05/19/2010 9:29:08 AM PDT by Pecos
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Perhaps the constituency loves their pork more than their liberty?


6 posted on 05/19/2010 9:30:00 AM PDT by Jenny217
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: DB9
In primary elections, voters go to the polls and are asked their party affiliation. They are then given a ballot which corresponds to that affiliation. Independents are given a separate ballot.

Independents don't vote in PA unless, PA is a closed primary. I agree at a high level with his premise but there is no crossover voting in PA for a primary unless you change parties before the election with that purpose in mind.

7 posted on 05/19/2010 9:30:38 AM PDT by Dad was my hero
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ConservativeMan55

If these factors adjust the Republican candidate should do better in November, but the history of the district still makes it a considerable long shot. The ability of the Republicans to take back the House does not depend on this one-off district.


8 posted on 05/19/2010 9:30:43 AM PDT by littleharbour
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: DB9
I, for one, don't think and didn't think that we should even have thought we'd just waltz into a victory in PA-12, for reasons I elucidated in a post earlier today on another thread.

November may end up being a little different - by this time, Critz will have a record that may be used against him, if he's toed the Obama/Pelosi line, or he may lose Demecrat Party enthusiasm and support if he hasn't. There will also be no Sestak/Specter race heading up the ballot to get Dems enthusiastic. Toomey may have some coattails. Burns won't be hurt by a concurrent primary battle within his own Party.

Who knows.

It'll still be a trick to win it in November, and I'm personally doubtful, since PA-12 is NOT, despite the efforts of some to cast it as such, a swing district by any means.

9 posted on 05/19/2010 9:31:48 AM PDT by Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus (We bury Democrats face down so that when they scratch, they get closer to home.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DB9

So only about 8000 Independents ended up voting.


10 posted on 05/19/2010 9:32:27 AM PDT by screaminsunshine (S)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DB9

I knew burns was finished when I saw the first commercial saying that Burns advocated a 23% national sales tax on everything. Showed what people would pay for food and medicine. They kept running ‘em and it was all over. People must have thought he was nuts.


11 posted on 05/19/2010 9:33:31 AM PDT by all the best
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pecos
not exactly -—

This was a special election held on the SAME DAY as the regular primary.

The problem here is voter HABITS, and Rendell understood those habits, and worked it to the Dems advantage.

The Democrat Primary voters COULD have voted for the Republican, but that was never likely -—

12 posted on 05/19/2010 9:34:44 AM PDT by Kansas58
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Pecos
"If I read this article correctly, the Governor set things up so that the special election was, in effect, being run like a primary. Democrats had no choice but to vote for a Democrat."

You read it wrong. People could vote for anybody they wanted in the special election regardless of their party affiliation. I spent the past five days in PA-12 working GOTV for Burns and confusion like yours is endemic among the voters.

13 posted on 05/19/2010 9:35:23 AM PDT by Dan Middleton
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: all the best

He didn’t advocate any such thing, he discussed the concept of a 23% sales tax REPLACING ALL OTHER TAXES, purely as a concept, without even supporting it. Mark Critz is a liar and had to retract and apologize for 2-3 different ads. The rednecks in PA-12 (who have now proven John Murtha was correct in his characterization of them twice over) voted for him anyway.


14 posted on 05/19/2010 9:37:03 AM PDT by Dan Middleton
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: DB9

Good analysis. Another reason Tim lost is that organizations like the GOP, ALG, and others that brag about their “grassroots organizing” are too busy playing games to get down to the business of registering voters, counting heads, and turning out the vote. What we really need is some “Tea Roots” organizing. The Tea Party folks will definitely do it right!


15 posted on 05/19/2010 9:38:58 AM PDT by hampdenkid
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Nonstatist

Russell does, too.


16 posted on 05/19/2010 9:40:55 AM PDT by ConservativeMind (Hypocrisy: "Animal rightists" who eat meat & pen up pets while accusing hog farmers of cruelty.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Dan Middleton

Not being there and seeing comercials and ads — did he run campaign ads that tried to promote a National Sales Tax as part of his campaign?


17 posted on 05/19/2010 9:41:00 AM PDT by KC Burke (...but He has made the trains run on time.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: ConservativeMan55
Yeah very good read. Special elections to me have never been an indicator of anything. There are usually local special circumstances in these types of elections and have no bearing on the mood of the country. I
18 posted on 05/19/2010 9:42:16 AM PDT by mrsixpack36
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: DB9

One important lesson here...if you support the Fair Tax, the Dems will use it to beat you into the ground with brazen demagoguery. (the truth on this issue cannot be explained in 30 second ads) Sad that we’ve entered an age where constructive ideas can’t be sold to voters if they don’t fit into a 30-second jingle.


19 posted on 05/19/2010 9:42:18 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: StarFan; Dutchy; alisasny; BobFromNJ; BUNNY2003; Cacique; Clemenza; Coleus; cyborg; DKNY; ...

ping


20 posted on 05/19/2010 9:43:05 AM PDT by nutmeg (You didn't "misspeak", Mr. Blumenthal... you LIED)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-35 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson