DOCSLIB.ORG

Tea Party Activism and Scalar Politics in Campaigning for Public Office Nicholas Quinton

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Tea Party Activism and Scalar Politics in Campaigning for Public Office Nicholas Quinton Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2014 Conservative Social Movement Activism: Tea Party Activism and Scalar Politics in Campaigning for Public Office Nicholas Quinton Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact [email protected] FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND PUBLIC POLICY CONSERVATIVE SOCIAL MOVEMENT ACTIVISM: TEA PARTY ACTIVISM AND SCALAR POLITICS IN CAMPAIGNING FOR PUBLIC OFFICE By NICHOLAS QUINTON A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Geography in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Degree Awarded: Summer Semester, 2014 Nicholas Quinton defended this dissertation on April 4, 2014. The members of the supervisory committee were: Joseph Pierce Professor Directing Dissertation Davis Houck University Representative Victor Mesev Committee Member Christopher Uejio Committee Member The Graduate School has verified and approved the above-named committee members, and certifies that the dissertation has been approved in accordance with university requirements. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to thank my advisor for his tireless work in helping me to finish this project. I also owe thanks to my department chair for his unwavering support for my work. Finally, I thank my wife and son for their sacrifices along the way. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables ...................................................................................................................................v List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ vi Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... vii 1. INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................................1 2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE ....................................................................................................7 The Geographical Aspects of Contentious Politics ...................................................................7 Situating Conservative Contentious Politics ............................................................................10 Tea Party Activism: Conservative Contentious Politics ..............................................13 The Scale of Contentious Politics ............................................................................................15 The Scale(s) of Contentious Politics: Singular and Plural Politics of Scale ................17 3. DEFINITION OF CASE AND METHODS............................................................................20 The Case...................................................................................................................................20 Tea Party Activism, Electoral Politics and Tennessee.................................................20 Methodology: Defining the Objects of Research.....................................................................30 Coding Results .........................................................................................................................36 Campaign Politics and Conservative Orders of Discourse ..........................................36 Neoliberal Order of Discourse .....................................................................................37 Tea Party Order of Discourse ......................................................................................40 4. ANALYSIS OF THE CASE ....................................................................................................44 Contentious Scalar Politics ......................................................................................................44 Tennessee’s Competitive Advantage and the National Threat ....................................44 The Tea Party Factor ....................................................................................................48 A Personal Solution .....................................................................................................50 The Contentious Politics of Campaigning for Public Office ...................................................53 Partnership over Membership ......................................................................................54 5. CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................57 Future Directions .....................................................................................................................59 REFERENCES ..............................................................................................................................62 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH .........................................................................................................74 iv LIST OF TABLES 1 Table 3.1. Texturing Summary by Candidate ....................................................................37 2 Table 3.2. Neoliberal Order of Discourse by Candidate ....................................................39 3 Table 3.3. Tea Party Order of Discourse by Candidate .....................................................42 v LIST OF FIGURES 1 Figure 3.1. Tennessee Grand Divisions and Data Collection Sites ...................................28 2 Figure 3.2. Fayette Tea Party “About” Statement .............................................................35 vi ABSTRACT This dissertation is an account of conservative social movement activism. Conservative political projects are characterized by advocacy of market-centric state policies. Conservative social movement activism is one variety of conservative politics distinguishable by the focus on the inclusion of more voices in democratic institutions. As a subject of academic research contentious politics in general and social movements in particular have spawned far-reaching and well-developed dialogue (see edited volumes by Aminzade et al. 2001; Leitner, Peck and Sheppard 2007; McAdam, McCarthy and Zald 1996a). Social scientists from the disciplines of Political Science, Sociology, History, Anthropology and Geography all contribute a wide array of theoretical constructs and methodological applications for a truly multi-disciplinary discussion on the topic. Noticeably underrepresented in this corpus of work is attention to conservative contentious politics. What follows is a case study of Tea Party activism as a variety of conservative contentious politics. This study approaches the role of Tea Party activism during the 2010 election cycle in what is arguable the height of Tea Party influence in United States’ politics. One of the locations where the influence of Tea Party activism was most evident is Tennessee. The question at the center of this project is how did Tea Party activism during the 2010 election cycle shape scalar politics in the Tennessee Republican gubernatorial primary? By applying MacKinnon’s (2011) scalar politics to public speeches made by the Republican candidates for governor in Tennessee, I find that Tea Party activism effectively increased the scale of movement participants’ influence in state politics. I conclude the candidates made normal the role of Tea Party activism in campaigning for public office in Tennessee. The implications of this study point to new fields of inquiry into contentious politics specific to electoral politics. vii CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION In their expansive work on the topic, Dynamics of Contention, McAdam, Tarrow and Tilly (2001) characterize contentious politics as a powerful form of political redress for those excluded from positions of authority. Therein, participants construct organizational apparatus, circulatory systems and representational tropes that sustain their efforts in order to make new or unaccepted claims. The resultant collective and nonroutine acts include social movements, revolutions, democratization efforts, ethnic conflict, protests, rebellions, riots and strike waves, (McAdam 2001; Tarrow 2011). Through these acts of contentious politics ordinary people change government policy, alter the business practices of trans-national corporations, shape international trade agreements and otherwise exert their influence against powerful opponents (McAdam, Tarrow and Tilly 2001). The corpus of geographic scholarship on contentious politics involves three different sets of relationships. The first and most detailed are discussions of movement dynamics. The general designations of movement dynamics as such are actions amongst activists themselves such as negotiations of strategy (Routledge 2003), efforts to assign meaning to activism through enunciation of grievances and solutions (Kurtz 2003, Martin 2003) and the strategic actions that envelope the state and/or other targets of contention (Kitchen and Wilton 2003; Lessard- Lachance and Norcliffe 2013; Wainwright 2007). The second area of interest in contentious politics for geographic scholars is the state as either source of resistance to or support for social movement activism (Martin and Pierce 2013; Tresken 2011). The third aspect of geographic social movement scholarship is characterization of targets of opposition contra movement dynamics (Lessard-Lechance and Norcliffe 2013; Routledge 2003; Wainwright 2007). What is largely absent from McAdam, Tarrow and Tilly’s work and much of the
Load more

Recommended publications
  • A RESOLUTION Adjourning the Senate in Honor of Trey Grayson Upon His Appointment As President and CEO of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
    UNOFFICIAL COPY AS OF 12/16/15 15 REG. SESS. 15 RS BR 248 A RESOLUTION adjourning the Senate in honor of Trey Grayson upon his appointment as President and CEO of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. WHEREAS, Trey Grayson is a son of this Commonwealth, having been born in Kenton County on April 18, 1972; and WHEREAS, Trey Grayson is a graduate of Harvard University, where he earned an A.B. in government in 1994. He returned to Kentucky and graduated with a JD/MBA dual degree from the University of Kentucky, where he was one of the first two Bert T. Combs Scholars; and WHEREAS, Trey Grayson has balanced his life perfectly between scholarship and public service. In 2003, at the age of 31, he was elected as Kentucky's Secretary of State, and in that capacity he made it easier for Kentuckians to start a business or run for office, and his implementation of technology was the first of its kind. In 2007 he was re-elected by a 14-point margin, and after an unsuccessful United States Senate campaign he returned to Harvard, where he became the director of the Institute of Politics at the university's Kennedy School; and WHEREAS, on May 21, 2014, the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce appointed Trey Grayson as President and CEO. In this new capacity, he will pull from the wealth of experience he has gained in the public and private sectors and will continue to advocate for the growth of Northern Kentucky's economic vitality; and WHEREAS, the Senate hereby congratulates Trey Grayson upon his appointment as President and CEO of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, wishes him the best of luck as he continues to serve as a shining example of how diligence and compassion can make a difference in the communities of this Commonwealth, and offers his family well wishes as they support him in this new and exciting endeavor; NOW, THEREFORE, Be it resolved by the Senate of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: Page 1 of 2 BR024800.100 - 248 - 905 Jacketed UNOFFICIAL COPY AS OF 12/16/15 15 REG.
    [Show full text]
  • Emerge Speaker Bios
    Emerge Speaker Bios Jonathan Beatty Jonathan Beatty is a corporate analyst turned Social Entrepreneur from Hazard, Kentucky. He graduated with honors from the Gatton College of Business and Economics with a double major in Marketing and Management. Over his college career, Jonathan was very active in Lexington, serving in a multitude of leadership positions within Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the National Association of Black Accountants, and Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity. In addition, he regularly volunteered with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the Ronald McDonald House, the Salvation Army, and Habitat for Humanity. After graduation, Jonathan went on to earn a M.B.A. as a Lyman T. Johnson Fellow, and later began his career as a Senior Analyst at Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati, Ohio. After almost seven years with P&G, Jonathan left the company to pursue his dream of working in San Francisco, California where he served as a Finance Manager for McKesson Corporation and Big Heart Pet Brands. During his time in San Francisco, Jonathan was responsible for providing financial leadership for McKesson’s $3 Billion Technology segment, and developing key strategies while at Big Heart Pet Brands. Jonathan left the corporate realm and founded Servonta Strategic Philanthropy to create positive, measurable, and sustainable social change. Shawn Burns Shawn Burns is a community-engaged businessman in Lexington. Prior to his current business consulting work, he spent several years in mega event venues with Aramark, Levy and Keeneland. His roles included Director of Purchasing, Operations and Assistant GM at Paul Brown Stadium, Keeneland and various PGA and ATP venues.
    [Show full text]
  • Tight Senate Race in Kentucky
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 5, 2010 INTERVIEWS: DEAN DEBNAM 888-621-6988 / 919-880-4888 (serious media inquiries only please, other questions can be directed to Tom Jensen) QUESTIONS ABOUT THE POLL: TOM JENSEN 919-744-6312 Tight Senate Race in Kentucky Raleigh, N.C. – Despite leading in their respective primaries, Rand Paul and Dan Mongiardo look weaker in potential November matchups for Jim Bunning’s Senate seat than do challengers Jack Conway and Trey Grayson. Grayson has almost identical leads over each of the Democrats, 42-34 over Conway and 43-35 over Mongiardo. But Paul is ahead of Conway only 41-40 and Mongiardo 42-38. These slim leads for the conservative challenger come despite a near majority, 49%, of Kentucky voters labeling themselves conservatives. Among those voters, the Republican nominee makes no difference, but Mongiardo and, particularly, Conway draw more of the moderate and liberal vote against Paul than against Grayson. Paul does fare slightly better than Grayson among independents. Mongiardo is viewed worst among the four candidates, with only 24% having a positive view of him, to 36% with a negative opinion. Paul is also viewed poorly, 28-35. Reflecting their stronger standing in general election matches, feelings on the other two are split, 24-24 for Grayson and 20-22 for Conway. Paul is seen favorably by conservatives, 42-20, to 28-25 for Grayson, but Paul is seen twice as negatively among moderates, 46% to 23% for Grayson. Yesterday’s PPP release showed a 68% approval for the goals of the Tea Party movement among Republicans, but the overall Kentucky electorate shows only a 45-34 approval rating, with a mere 18% of Kentucky voters saying they are members of the movement.
    [Show full text]
  • The Evolution of the Digital Political Advertising Network
    PLATFORMS AND OUTSIDERS IN PARTY NETWORKS: THE EVOLUTION OF THE DIGITAL POLITICAL ADVERTISING NETWORK Bridget Barrett A thesis submitted to the faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts at the Hussman School of Journalism and Media. Chapel Hill 2020 Approved by: Daniel Kreiss Adam Saffer Adam Sheingate © 2020 Bridget Barrett ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii ABSTRACT Bridget Barrett: Platforms and Outsiders in Party Networks: The Evolution of the Digital Political Advertising Network (Under the direction of Daniel Kreiss) Scholars seldom examine the companies that campaigns hire to run digital advertising. This thesis presents the first network analysis of relationships between federal political committees (n = 2,077) and the companies they hired for electoral digital political advertising services (n = 1,034) across 13 years (2003–2016) and three election cycles (2008, 2012, and 2016). The network expanded from 333 nodes in 2008 to 2,202 nodes in 2016. In 2012 and 2016, Facebook and Google had the highest normalized betweenness centrality (.34 and .27 in 2012 and .55 and .24 in 2016 respectively). Given their positions in the network, Facebook and Google should be considered consequential members of party networks. Of advertising agencies hired in the 2016 electoral cycle, 23% had no declared political specialization and were hired disproportionately by non-incumbents. The thesis argues their motivations may not be as well-aligned with party goals as those of established political professionals. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES .................................................................................................................... V POLITICAL CONSULTING AND PARTY NETWORKS ...............................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • OCTOBER 2016 Kentucky Pride Chamber Completes Runs Deep at Anthem Banner Year Under Canafax’S Leadership
    OCTOBER 2016 Chamber completes banner year under Canafax’s leadership AS THE YEAR comes to a close, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Board Chairman Kevin Canafax reflects on his time at the helm of the state’s largest business organization, what the Chamber has accomplished and what he sees yet to come. Kevin Canafax, vice president of Fidelity Investments’ Midwest Region, was named Chairman of the Board of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce in October 2015, succeed- ing Wil James, Jr., president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Kentucky. In an interview with The Bottom Line about his year as chairman, Canafax described his time as chair as a great experience and noted that his tenure in the position came at the ky Chamber same time a new administration was entering the governor’s office, which provided a unique opportunity for he and the Chamber to immediately start a dialogue on important issues. In reflecting on the past year, Canafax celebrated the victories seen by the business com- munity including passing public-private partnership legislation and the initial progress being 2016 Kentucky Chamber Board Chairman Kevin Canafax, Fidelity entuc made by the business community on crucial policy issues including addressing the state’s Investments, Erlanger K pension crisis and workforce needs. news “When businesses are engaged, then the stakeholder groups we are talking with, such as legislators and community leaders, recognize that these are truly important issues of our membership and not just something that a few people have dreamt up in a back room.” — 2016 Kentucky Chamber Board Chairman Kevin Canafax, Fidelity Investments “Our membership has made it very clear to us that these are critical issues that need to be addressed and resolved.
    [Show full text]
  • Student Research- Women in Political Life in KY in 2019, We Provided Selected Museum Student Workers a List of Twenty Women
    Student Research- Women in Political Life in KY In 2019, we provided selected Museum student workers a list of twenty women and asked them to do initial research, and to identify items in the Rather-Westerman Collection related to women in Kentucky political life. Page Mary Barr Clay 2 Laura Clay 4 Lida (Calvert) Obenchain 7 Mary Elliott Flanery 9 Madeline McDowell Breckinridge 11 Pearl Carter Pace 13 Thelma Stovall 15 Amelia Moore Tucker 18 Georgia Davis Powers 20 Frances Jones Mills 22 Martha Layne Collins 24 Patsy Sloan 27 Crit Luallen 30 Anne Northup 33 Sandy Jones 36 Elaine Walker 38 Jenean Hampton 40 Alison Lundergan Grimes 42 Allison Ball 45 1 Political Bandwagon: Biographies of Kentucky Women Mary Barr Clay b. October 13, 1839 d. October 12, 1924 Birthplace: Lexington, Kentucky (Fayette County) Positions held/party affiliation • Vice President of the American Woman Suffrage Association • Vice President of the National Woman Suffrage Association • President of the American Woman Suffrage Association; 1883-? Photo Source: Biography https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Barr_Clay Mary Barr Clay was born on October 13th, 1839 to Kentucky abolitionist Cassius Marcellus Clay and Mary Jane Warfield Clay in Lexington, Kentucky. Mary Barr Clay married John Francis “Frank” Herrick of Cleveland, Ohio in 1839. They lived in Cleveland and had three sons. In 1872, Mary Barr Clay divorced Herrick, moved back to Kentucky, and took back her name – changing the names of her two youngest children to Clay as well. In 1878, Clay’s mother and father also divorced, after a tenuous marriage that included affairs and an illegitimate son on her father’s part.
    [Show full text]
  • Kentucky Senate Primary Poll
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 22, 2009 INTERVIEWS: DEAN DEBNAM 888-621-6988 / 919-880-4888 (serious media inquiries only please, other questions can be directed to Tom Jensen) QUESTIONS ABOUT THE POLL: TOM JENSEN 919-744-6312 Paul takes big lead in GOP primary Raleigh, N.C. – In the contest to be the Republican Senate nominee from Kentucky anti- establishment candidate Rand Paul holds a large lead over Secretary of State Trey Grayson in Public Policy Polling’s first look at the race. Paul is up 44-25 on Grayson. 39% of likely primary voters have a favorable opinion of him to 13% unfavorable while 22% view Grayson positively to 15% unfavorable. Paul is winning the votes of conservatives by a 47-20 margin, while Grayson holds a 36- 34 lead with moderates. Paul is having a particularly good amount of success with folks who think that the Republican Party in Washington has become too liberal- his lead with them is 54-18. Paul’s support is universal across demographic lines, as he is up with men, women, voters in every region of the state, and every group of the GOP electorate broken down by age. On the Democratic side Jack Conway holds a 37-33 lead over Dan Mongiardo, despite the fact that he is considerably less well known. 27% of primary voters have a favorable opinion of Conway to 15% unfavorable while the numbers break down 40% positive and 27% negative for Mongiardo. Conway is holding the slight lead due to the combined support of people who like him and dislike Mongiardo.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 in the Shadow of Trump: How the 2016 Presidential Contest Affected
    In the Shadow of Trump: How the 2016 Presidential Contest Affected House and Senate Primaries Prepared for the 2017 State of the Parties Conference, Akron, Ohio Robert G. Boatright, Clark University [email protected] The presidential race did not quite monopolize all of the uncivil or bizarre moments of the summer of 2016. One of the more interesting exchanges took place in Arizona in August of 2016, during the weeks before the state’s Senate primary election. Senator John McCain, always a somewhat unpredictable politician, has had difficulties in his last two primaries. Perhaps because he was perceived as having strayed too far toward the political center, or perhaps simply because his presidential bid had created some distance between McCain and Arizonans, he faced a vigorous challenge in 2010 from conservative talk show host and former Congressman J. D. Hayworth. McCain ultimately beat back Hayworth’s challenge, 56 percent to 32 percent, but only after a bitter campaign in which McCain spent a total of over $21 million and abandoned much of his “maverick” positioning and presented himself as a staunch conservative and a fierce opponent of illegal immigration (Steinhauer 2010). His task was made easier by his ability to attack Hayworth’s own checkered career in Congress. In 2016, McCain again faced a competitive primary opponent, physician, Tea Party activist, and two-term State Senator Kelli Ward. Ward, like Hayworth, argued that McCain was not conservative enough for Arizona. Ward was (and is), however, a decade younger than Hayworth, and her shorter tenure in political office made it harder for McCain to attack her.
    [Show full text]
  • CQR Tea Party Movement
    Res earc her Published by CQ Press, a Division of SAGE CQ www.cqresearcher.com Tea Party Movement Will angry conservatives reshape the Republican Party? he Tea Party movement seemed to come out of nowhere. Suddenly, citizens angry over the multi- billion-dollar economic stimulus and the Obama ad - T ministration’s health-care plan were leading rallies, confronting lawmakers and holding forth on radio and TV. Closely tied to the Republican Party — though also critical of the GOP — the movement proved essential to the surprise victory of Republi - can Sen. Scott Brown in Massachusetts. Tea partiers say Brown’s Tea kettle held high, a Tea Party activist dressed like a election proves the movement runs strong outside of “red states.” Revolutionary War soldier rallies tax protesters in Atlanta on April 15, 2009. It was among several But some political experts voice skepticism, arguing that the Tea protests held in cities around the nation. Party’s fiscal hawkishness won’t appeal to most Democrats and many independents. Meanwhile, some dissension has appeared among tea partiers, with many preferring to sidestep social issues, I such as immigration, and others emphasizing them. Still, the move - N THIS REPORT ment exerts strong appeal for citizens fearful of growing govern - S THE ISSUES ....................243 I ment debt and distrustful of the administration. BACKGROUND ................249 D CHRONOLOGY ................251 E CURRENT SITUATION ........256 CQ Researcher • March 19, 2010 • www.cqresearcher.com AT ISSUE ........................257 Volume 20, Number 11 • Pages 241-264 OUTLOOK ......................259 RECIPIENT OF SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE N AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION SILVER GAVEL AWARD BIBLIOGRAPHY ................262 THE NEXT STEP ..............263 TEA PARTY MOVEMENT CQ Re search er March 19, 2010 THE ISSUES SIDEBARS AND GRAPHICS Volume 20, Number 11 • Does the Tea Party rep - Tea Partiers Running in MANAGING EDITOR: Thomas J.
    [Show full text]
  • Communist Party Convention Opens in New York
    www.peoplesworld.org May 28, 2010 Communist Party convention opens in New York By Teresa Albano ust blocks north of Wall Street here, the people of color, but also from the white majority site of the biggest crime spree in history, and white workers” it can be stopped. Communist Party Chairman Sam Webb “My guess,” said Webb, “is that the Repub- J said executives who planned, aided and lican Party, which has turned into an instrument abetted the theft of wealth and sent the economy of unabashed racism ... will not be successful” in into a tailspin deserve to “be in prison.” Webb 2010 or in 2012. opened the 29th Convention of the Communist Webb called on the delegates to step up their Party USA, May 21. involvement in the fights for jobs, anti-racism and Anger at corporations and “bosses,” who con- grassroots election work. stantly take, take, take from workers, communi- Webb also expanded on a vision for socialism. ties and taxpayers leaving financial crises, jobless- ness, foreclosures and environmental disasters in T H I S W E E K : their wake, was apparent at this gathering of a few hundred delegates and guests. Anger was also di- • Communist Party convention opens in New York rected at the use of racism and immigrant-bashing • Editorial: Rand Paul’s racism to further their pro-Wall Street agenda. • Calif. governor proposes budget cuts But there wasn’t just anger in the keynote and • En NYC se solidarizaron con los estudiantes de la UPR delegate speeches. There was also optimism, com- passion and readiness to organize a fightback on • 2010 Kentucky primaries jobs and in the mid-term elections.
    [Show full text]
  • Report on the Cyber Ninjas Review of the 2020 Presidential and U.S. Senatorial Elections in Maricopa County, Arizona
    Report on the Cyber Ninjas Review of the 2020 Presidential and U.S. Senatorial Elections in Maricopa County, Arizona Dr. Barry C. Burden Secretary Trey Grayson June 22, 2021 Table of Contents Executive Summary 1 Introduction 1 Background 3 A Baseline of Official Best Practices 4 Transparency 4 Hand Recounts 5 Machine Audits 6 Other Practices 7 The Cyber Ninjas Review 8 Problematic Contracting 8 Lack of Impartiality 10 Faulty Ballot Review Process 12 Inconsistent Procedures 13 Unacceptable Error Built into the 15 Process Insufficient Security 18 False Public Allegations 20 Conclusion 20 Author Biographies 22 Executive Summary The ongoing review of ballots from the November 2020 general election in Maricopa County as ordered by the Arizona State Senate and executed by their inexperienced, unqualified contractor, Cyber Ninjas, does not meet the standards of a proper election recount or audit. Although the scope of the undertaking is notable, the private firms conducting it are ill-equipped to conduct it successfully and produce meaningful findings about the 2020 election. In contrast to official procedures in Arizona and best practices around the country, the Cyber Ninjas review suffers from a variety of maladies: uncompetitive contracting, a lack of impartiality and partisan balance, a faulty ballot review process, inconsistency in procedures, an unacceptably high level of error built into the process, and insufficient security. A general lack of transparency and communication also makes it difficult to evaluate the review fully as one would an official recount or audit, and it undermines rather than establishes confidence in the election system and the review itself.
    [Show full text]
  • W]Lmz¼[ [\]Vvqvo M`Q\ Q[ Uwzm ]Xpmi^It
    V15, N35 Wednesday, May 19, 2010 SouderXs stunning exit is more upheaval Half of Indiana’s U.S. Rep. Mark Souder’s affair with part-time staffer Tracy Jack- CD delegation son led to his stunning exit. (Fort Wayne Journal Gazette photo by could change in ‘10 Frank Gray) By BRIAN A. HOWEY, INDIANAPOLIS - On the brink of another “tsunami” election this November, the last of the 1994 “wave” class - U.S. Rep. Mark Souder - ignomini- ously resigned on Tuesday, ad- mitting he had an extra-marital affair with a staffer. Republican sources tell HPI that an in- cident report by the Indiana Hostettler was defeated by 22 percent in 2006 by Democrat Department of Natural Resources naming Souder may have Brad Ellsworth at the height of the dissatisfaction over the ignited what will likely be a bizarre chain of events, though U.S. war in Iraq. And now there is Souder’s stunning resig- the DNR denies such a report exists. nation - the third such event this year that has rocked the ! "#$%&'!()*!*(&+,!-.,#!#/[1&!-.!2#3&45&'!6778! Indiana congressional delegation. as part of the Gingrich Revolution. He defeated U.S. Rep. “I am so ashamed to have hurt those I love,” a Jill Long on the same night that Republican John Hostet- tearful Souder said at a press conference in Fort Wayne “I tler upset U.S. Rep. Frank McCloskey. And in the open seat am so sorry to have let so many friends down, people who vacated by U.S. Rep. Phil Sharp, David McIntosh completed have fought so hard for me.” the GOP’s sweep of three contested Democratic seats by In late April, an angst-ridden Souder told Howey defeating Secretary of State Joe Hogsett.
    [Show full text]