Can money really buy power? Looking at this year’s congressional campaigns, it sure didn’t hurt.
Millions of dollars are poured into tight Congressional campaigns in the hopes that more money, and in turn more advertising, will help candidates win elections.
Out of the 10 top Senate campaigns nationwide, the top spenders in eight won reelection, according to a Hearst analysis of the top most expensive Congressional elections nationwide. That goes down to six in the House.
Here’s a breakdown of the most expensive campaigns and the top Senate and House spenders who won, or didn’t.
Senate:
1. Massachusetts at $70,535,860
Big spender: Democrat Elizabeth Warren with $35,694,573
Winner: Warren
2. Connecticut at $52,483,032
Big spender: Republican Linda McMahon with $36,072,245
Winner: Democrat Chris Murphy, who only spent $8,611,343
3. Texas at $50,105,888
Big spender: Republican Ted Cruz with $10,949,578
Winner: Cruz
4. Missouri at $32,912,609
Big spender: Democrat Claire McCaskill with $17,443,642
Winner: McCaskill
5. Ohio at$32,483,713
Big spender: Democrat Sherrod Brown with $19,530,017
Winner: Brown
6. Virginia at $31,685,776
Big spender: Democrat Tim Kaine with $18,624,299
Winner: Kaine
7. Pennsylvania at $30,522,844
Big spender: Republican Tom Smith with $17,377,924
Winner: Democratic Sen. Bob Casey who spent $10,711,395
8. Wisconsin at $28,028,723
Big spender: Democrat Tammy Baldwin with $11,681,969
Winner: Baldwin
9. Florida at $23,501,053
Big spender: Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson with $12,492,376
Winner: Nelson
10. Michigan at $19,755,340
Big spender: Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow with $12,076,286
Winner: Stabenow
House
1. Minnesota District 06: $20,819,409
Big spender: Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann $19,290,861
Winner: Bachmann
2. Ohio District 08: $20,001,287
Big spender: House Speaker Rep. John Boehner with $19,992,465
Winner: Boehner. (He also ran with no major party opposition.)
3. Florida District 18: $17,299,333*
Big spender: Republican Rep. Allen West with $13,772,741
Winner: Democrat Patrick Murphy who spent $3,432,203
4. Connecticut District 05: $11,846,055
Big spender: Former state Rep. Elizabeth Esty, D-Conn., with $2,753,460
Winner: Esty
5. California District 30: $10,338,894
Big spender: Democratic Rep. Howard Berman with $5,364,071
Winner: Democratic Rep. Brad Sherman with $4,928,158
6. Texas District 33: $8,115,551
Big spender: Democrat Marc Veasey with $1,007,382
Winner: Veasey
7. California District 33: $7,817,931
Big spender: Independent Bill Bloomfield with $5,654,105
Winner: Democratic Rep. Henry Waxman with $1,761,263
8. New York District 27: $7,524,128
Big spender: Democratic incumbent Rep. Kathy Hochul with $3,651,659
Winner: Republican Chris Collins who spent $982,093
9. Virginia District 07: $7,226,255
Big spender: Majority leader Rep. Eric Cantor with $6,608,256
Winner: Cantor
10. Washington District 01: $6,915,275
Big spender: Democrat Suzan DelBene with $4,118,983
Today, millions of Americans head to the polls to cast their vote for the general election. People have been showing their support for candidates for months using social media. So which candidates have taken advantage of this unique sharing tool?
Here are our picks for the best social media candidates for the 2012 campaign. (Note: likes and followers may increase or decrease throughout the night.)
Barack Obama
The leader of the free world is also the leader of social media. With 32 million likes on Facebook and 21.8 million followers on Twitter, Obama has had over two presidential election cycles to build his brand. His sites are run by his campaign staff, but personal tweets from the president himself are signed “bo.” Tweets are shared thousands of times by followers, but Obama’s social media team has begun retweeting its followers too.
Mitt Romney
Romney had a much later start than Obama, but voters shouldn’t count him out of the social media race yet. He has quickly gained 12 million likes on Facebook and 1.7 million followers on Twitter.
Although Romney has less followers on Facebook and Twitter, he is dominating the president on the up and coming picture sharing platform Instagram. Romney has 77,068 followers to Obama’s 9,785, and his campaign has used the app to illustrate Romney’s life before and on the campaign.
(Mitt Romney Instagram)
“Soulmates” (Mitt Romney Instagram)
Ron Paul
Although he is out of the presidential race and giving up his seat in Houston, Paul has been the social media darling this campaign season. His strong following among the millennial generation won him a strong following on all of his social media accounts. On Facebook, Paul has 1.1 million likes on Facebook and gave Republicans enough of a scare that his delegates were given worse seats than Guam and Samoa at the RNC.
@RonPaul, the Twitter account Paul used for his campaign during the Republican primary, 370,853 followers even though it hasn’t been used since August. His official Twitter account, @RepRonPaul, has 190,780. He doesn’t use it frequently, but when he does, his posts are retweeted hundreds of times.
John Boehner
Speaker of the House John Boehner has run a strong social media campaign. His official Twitter account, @SpeakerBoehner has 371,102 followers and his personal account has 207,212 followers. With 317,503 likes on Facebook, Boehner is not only one of the most vocal voices in Congress, he’s one of the most listened-to politicians on the internet as well.
Gary Johnson
Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson picked up a significant amount of Paul supporters after their candidate didn’t make the cut. Although Johnson has received relatively little media attention throughout his campaign, he has gained an impressive 108,339 followers on Twitter and 347,661 likes on Facebook, showing the power of social media.
Ted Cruz
The Republican nominee for Kay Bailey Hutchison’s seat in the U.S. Senate has gained an impressive 97,742 likes on Facebook and 33,439 followers on Twitter. And since early voting began in Texas, Cruz’s campaign has been busily retweeting followers who proudly proclaim their votes went to the Republican candidate.
Claire McCaskill
McCaskill was an early adopter of Twitter. The Missouri Senator has three accounts – one for her office, her campaign, and herself. McCaskill’s personal Twitter account has 80,626 followers, even though she’s following a grand total of zero. She talks to her followers about her campaign, feeling nervous before debates, and even the health of her mother.
Linda McMahon
The Republican candidate for Connecticut’s senate seat has 36,861 followers on Twitter. Not only is her account updated multiple times per hour, McMahon uses her twitter to thank and retweet followers who showed their support for her online and at the polls.
Bill Flores
When MTV began its Fantasy Election, Bill Flores was the only member of the Texas delegation to make its list of top social media users. His two Twitter accounts, @Flores4Congress and @RepBillFlores have won him nearly 6,000 followers. Flores makes our list for high levels of engagement with his constituents. For the past few days, his campaign account has been personally thanking followers for giving him their vote. Honorable mention: Cory Booker
He’s not on the ballot this year, but the Newark, N.J., mayor has always been active on social media. He raised the bar for tweeting pols in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. New Jersey residents tweeted the mayor about their needs and concerns after the tropical storm destroyed homes and left millions without power last week. In response, Booker has used his Twitter account as a direct helpline, sending supplies and words of comfort to his constituents.
He has used Twitter to paint himself as one of the most accessible elected officials, and even invited a neighbor without power to hang out at his home.
“There is someone at my house now (Eric). I’ve got space u can relax in, charge devices & even a working DVD player. Come by @my_serenelove,” Booker tweeted on November 1.
When a few New Jersey residents decided to take advantage of his offer, Booker had lunch delivered:
HARTFORD – About 500 people gathered in Union Station this afternoon in a Get Out the Vote rally for U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy, who’s in a tight, tight, tight race with Republican Linda McMahon to succeed Joe Lieberman as Connecticut’s U.S. senator. The applause was loud in the echo-chamber of the old station. Jim Calhoun – who recently retired as coach of the UConn Huskies at the start of the season for which they are suspended from NCAA tournament play because of dismal academics under his watch – was a drawing card for the event, which seemed populated by politicos and union activists. Gov. Dan Malloy, understanding the importance of brevity, said that Murphy is the only candidate who “will stand up for women’s rights….this is the man who stands in the breech for Connecticut…who going to decide who’s going to be the next Supreme Court justice…who’ll be a great, great complement to (U.S. Sen.) Dick Blumenthal..”
Blumenthal: “…I know Chris Murphy’s opponent. I’ve been there. I’ve seen this movie. $50 million is not going to win this race. We are going to have an election, not an auction…In Connecticut, voters don’t allow Senate seats to be bought, because in Connecticut the people decide. When I go to Washington and I vote against any cuts, any cuts whatsoever in Social Security, I want someone at my side who knows that Social Security cuts hurt the middle class…. “
The former Texas solicitor general came out of nowhere to defeat a wealthy, well-known Republican rival, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, in the GOP Senate runoff. Among the factors behind Cruz’s win: effective use of social media, an ability to build a grassroots organization, a clear message of liberty and fiscal responsibility, and some help from Tea Party loyalists. All in all, Cruz received more bang for his political bucks than any other candidate in the nation this year.
2. Mazie Hirono, Democrat, U.S. Senate, Hawaii
Ten years ago, Republican Linda Lingle narrowly defeated Hawaii Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono in a battle to become the first female governor in Hawaii’s history. Their rematch took a decade, but this time Hirono is leading Lingle by double digits. Hirono, now a congresswoman, raised a lot of money all over the country (she was the top out-of-state recipient of Texas Democratic contributions) and spent it wisely. It doesn’t hurt that native son Barack Obama is leading Mitt Romney by more than 30 percentage points here.
3. Sen. Orrin Hatch, Republican, U.S. Senate, Utah
Utah’s senior senator watched in horror two years ago when his conservative partner in Washington, Utah Sen. Bob Bennett, was beaten by two Tea Party challengers in his bid for renomination. Hatch made sure it didn’t happen again. He underscored his conservative positions, worked tirelessly to communicate with conservative Republicans, and spent a boatload of money. The result: a landslide renomination victory and a general election landslide.
4. Denny Rehberg, Republican, U.S. Senate, Montana
Republicans figured that they could reclaim the Montana Senate seat they lost six years ago if they just didn’t make any mistakes. Rep. Denny Rehberg, the GOP nominee, hasn’t. His disciplined campaign, aided by conservative Super PAC spending, has made an effective argument for change.
5. Sen. Jon Tester, Democrat, U.S. Senate, Montana
The incumbent Democrat would be running well behind if he weren’t running such a good campaign. Montana is a solid Romney state, but freshman Tester remains well-liked. And nobody will outwork him.
6. Linda McMahon, Republican, U.S. Senate, Connecticut
McMahon’s 2010 Senate candidacy fell far short against a well-known Connecticut political veteran, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal. This year, McMahon’s millions made her the better-known nominee against Democratic congressman Patrick Murphy. McMahon’s message is clearer and her campaign has been sharp and disciplined. But Connecticut is a Democratic state, so she’s still the underdog.
7. Mia Love, Republican, U.S. House, Utah
Mia Love is poised to make history. If she maintains her lead over incumbent Democrat Jim Matheson, she would become the first Utah woman and the first African American Mormon elected to Congress. Charismatic and consistently conservative, the small-town mayor emerged as a national star during the Republican National Convention, where she delivered a powerful speech to cheering delegates. It doesn’t hurt that Romney could carry Utah by more than 40 percentage points.
8. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Democrat, U.S. Senate, New York
Hillary Clinton’s replacement in the Senate never stopped running after her 2010 special election win. She had money and organization — and now name-recognition and a record. She ran such a good campaign that she’s been able to spend time working for other Democratic women seeking Senate seats.
9. Sen. Sherrod Brown, Democrat, U.S. Senate, Ohio
Outside groups have spent more money to defeat Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown than any other congressional incumbent. For good reason: The populist lawmaker has been an articulate critic of Big Business, Wall Street and corporate outlaws. But Brown has effectively turned the tables on his expensive enemies, portraying himself as the fighter for average Ohioans against entrenched interests.
10. Heidi Heitkamp, Democrat, U.S. Senate, North Dakota
This race wasn’t supposed to be close. Republicans were expected to easily win the seat being surrendered by retiring Democratic Sen. Byron Dorgan. But North Dakota’s former attorney general — who is as comfortable as a cowgirl as a courtroom lawyer — has stressed her independence from Obama, who is very unpopular in this Republican-leaning state. Republican Rick Berg has opened up a lead in recent weeks, but it’s taken an exceptional campaign to make it this competitive.
Worst campaigns
worst campaigns 2012
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1. Rick Perry, Republican, President
The Texas governor entered the race atop the presidential polls. He was a well-funded, hard-charging conservative who — it was thought — could unite the GOP’s social conservative and establishment wings. Three months later, his campaign had collapsed amid bad debate performances and staff in-fighting. Some longtime pundits declared it was the worst major presidential campaign they’d ever seen.
2. Michele Bachmann, Republican, President
The Minnesota congresswoman was a presidential frontrunner … for about a week. But her campaign went downhill quickly after she claimed that a woman told her that an anti-cancer vaccine had caused brain damage. She soon became the butt of late-night comics’ jokes following a string of factual errors including the time she confused movie he-man John Wayne with mass murderer John Wayne Gacy. By the time Herman Cain got his 15 minutes of fame, Bachmann was toast.
3. Mark Clayton, Democrat, U.S. Senate, Tennessee
The Washington Post said of the conspiracy theorist who ended up the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Tennessee, “This may be America’s worst candidate.” He proudly is running as a loner — “Jesus did not have a campaign staff,” Mark Clayton has said — and he’s even been disavowed by his own party. It’s good that he has flooring installation skills. He sure won’t end up in the Senate.
4. Richard Mourdock, Republican, U.S. Senate, Indiana
A few months ago, this perennial candidate was the toast of the Tea Party, having knocked off veteran Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar in the Republican primary. But a funny thing happened on the way to the Senate. The more Mourdock talked, the closer his race against Democrat Joe Donnelly became. After he said in a debate that pregnancies resulting from rape are “something God intended to happen,” he cratered in the polls. A likely victory has become an unmitigated disaster.
5. Todd Akin, Republican, U.S. Senate, Missouri
At the beginning of the year, Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill was billed as the most endangered Democratic incumbent in the nation. That was before far-right congressman Todd Akin won the Republican nomination over two mainstream conservatives and uttered his now-infamous “legitimate rape” comment. Mitt Romney asked him to withdraw from the race, and top congressional Republicans distanced themselves from their Missouri nominee. But polls show Akin still has a fighting chance to topple McCaskill.
6. Rep. Joe Walsh, Republican, U.S. House, Illinois
This Tea Party freshman from suburban Chicago is a human gaffe machine, some with racial overtones. He said Democrats “want Hispanics to be dependent upon government, just like they got African-Americans dependent upon government.” He says his opponent, Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq war veteran and double amputee, uses her military service as “a political ploy.” He suggested that pregnancies caused by rape could not jeopardize the life of the woman. And that’s just the beginning. Only a massive cash infusion by conservative Super PACs might be able to rescue the miscue-prone incumbent.
7. Sen. Bob Casey, Democrat, U.S. Senate, Pennsylvania
After Republicans nominated a political unknown named Smith, the Pundit Elite declared the Pennsylvania Senate election over. But Mr. Smith might end up coming to Washington. Tom Smith, a rich Republican businessman from coal country, has spent millions of his personal fortune on TV ads. Caught by surprise, freshman Sen. Bob Casey had to scramble. Even if he manages to rebound, it won’t be anything like his 20-point trouncing of Republican incumbent Rick Santorum six years ago.
8. Wendy Long, Republican, U.S. Senate, New York
Can you name the Republican Party’s nominee for the U.S. Senate in New York? If you can’t, you’re in the majority. The election is upon us and Wendy Long, the conservative activist who is challenging Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, remains largely unknown, severely underfunded and completely out of the news. Where have you gone Al D’Amato?
9. Rep. Pete Stark, Democrat, U.S. House, California
California congressman Pete Stark seems to be doing everything humanly possible to lose the seat he has held for 39 years. The 81-year-old ultraliberal represents a solidly Democratic district, but his opponent in California’s new multiparty primary system is a fellow Democrat, Eric Swalwell, a local city council member who has been alive for fewer years (31) than Stark has served in Washington. Stark had not responded well to the pressure. As our San Francisco Chronicle colleague Carla Marinucci wrote recently:
In the latest episode raising questions about the erratic behavior of California’s longest standing Congressman, a former California State Assembly Majority leader said Tuesday that East Bay Democratic Rep. Pete Stark erupted in an angry tirade — questioning his sanity, threatening his livelihood and even vowing to call social workers to check on his kids — after he informed Stark he would endorse his opponent in the November general election.
Voters in the district have a stark choice on Tuesday.
10. Pete Hoekstra, Republican, U.S. Senate, Michigan
Former congressman Pete Hoekstra, who lost the 2010 Republican primary for governor, got off to a bad start in his 2012 Senate race when he purchased a TV ad on Super Bowl Sunday that was roundly condemned for its racist content. In the commercial, an Asian-American actress biked alongside rice paddies and then, in broken English, thanked Michigan’s Democratic senator, Debbie Stabenow, whom she called “Debbie Spend It Now,” for borrowing money from “us” (China) to finance the U.S. national debt. After a national backlash, actress Lisa Chan apologized. Hoekstra did not. He dropped in the polls and, despite a late-in-the-race tightening, fell out of contention.
Here’s the controversial ad:
And here’s one of the many parodies that went viral:
With five days to go before Election Day, there are more close Senate contests than in any election in our three decades of covering congressional elections.
Fourteen of this year’s 33 Senate contests are within single digits, and a surge toward one party could tip the balance of power in the Senate.
If current polling holds up on Nov. 6, the Republicans would net one Senate seat, leaving Democrats with a slim majority (thanks to Independents who caucus with the Democrats).
Best-case scenario for Republicans: A gain of nine. And a Senate majority.
Best-case scenario for Democrats: A gain of two. And a bit of a cushion.
Here are the single-digit Senate contests, based on our analysis of RealClearPolitics data. Thanks to Max Kranl of the Hearst Washington bureau for collecting the numbers for us to slice and dice:
1. Montana: Denny Rehberg (R) vs. Sen. Jon Tester (D)
Average: Rehberg +0.3
Range: Rehberg +3 to Tester +2
Most recent polls: Rehberg leads one poll, Tester leads one, one a tie
Polling reliability: High
Rick Dunham’s analysis: Can Democrats turn out their voters in a red state to save their most endangered incumbent?
2. Arizona: Jeff Flake (R) vs. Richard Carmona (D)
Average: Flake +0.7
Range: Flake +6 to Carmona +4
Most recent polls: Flake leads in two polls, Carmona also leads in two
Polling reliability: Low
Rick Dunham’s analysis: Wild fluctuations in polls in an unexpectedly competitive race for a GOP-held seat.
3. Virginia: Tim Kaine (D) vs. George Allen (R)
Average: Kaine +1.0
Range: Kaine +7 to Allen +5
Most recent polls: Kaine leads in three of five polls, Allen in two
Polling reliability: Moderate
Rick Dunham’s analysis: Kaine running just ahead of President Obama in dead-heat state.
4. Wisconsin: Tammy Baldwin (D) vs. Tommy Thompson (R)
Average: Baldwin +1.3
Range: Baldwin +4 to Thompson +1
Most recent polls: Baldwin leads in two polls, Thompson leads in one
Polling reliability: High
Rick Dunham’s analysis: Thompson running just ahead of Romney-Ryan ticket in a key presidential battleground.
5. Indiana: Richard Mourdock (R) vs. Joe Donnelly (D)
Average: Mourdock +1.3
Range: Mourdock +5 to Donnelly +2
Most recent polls: Mourdock leads in two polls, Donnelly in one, one a tie
Polling reliability: Moderate
Rick Dunham’s analysis: Internal polling showing a Mourdock dive after “rape” comment created a firestorm. But no recent public polling.
6. Nebraska: Deb Fischer (R) vs. Bob Kerrey (D) Average: Fischer +3
Range: None
Most recent polls: Fischer leads in the only public poll since September
Polling reliability: Low
Rick Dunham’s analysis: It’s a very Republican state, and there’s only one public poll. It’s not inconceivable that former Sen. Kerrey could pull an upset, but it’s highly unlikely with Romney running way ahead.
7. Nevada: Sen. Dean Heller (R) vs. Shelley Berkley (D)
Average: Heller +3.5
Range: Heller +6 to tie
Most recent polls: Heller leading in three of four polls, one a tie
Polling reliability: High
Rick Dunham’s analysis: Ethics issues have hurt Berkley in a state where Obama is slightly ahead.
8. Connecticut: Chris Murphy (D) vs. Linda McMahon (R)
Average: Murphy +4.0
Range: Murphy +6 to tie
Most recent polls: Murphy leading in three of four polls, one a tie
Polling reliability: High
Rick Dunham’s analysis: The polling trendline is with Murphy.
9. Massachusetts: Elizabeth Warren (D) vs. Sen. Scott Brown (R)
Average: Warren +4.5
Range: Warren +7 to tie
Most recent polls: Warren leading in three of four polls, one a tie
Polling reliability: High
Rick Dunham’s analysis: Barring a late shift, the Democratic challenger seems poised for a win.
10. Missouri: Sen. Claire McCaskill (D) vs. Todd Akin (R)
Average: McCaskill +5.0
Range: McCaskill +8 to McCaskill +2
Most recent polls: McCaskill leads in all four polls
Polling reliability: High
Rick Dunham’s analysis: McCaskill hasn’t been able to close the deal against a weak opponent.
11. Ohio: Sen. Sherrod Brown (D) vs. Josh Mandel (R)
Average: Brown +5.5
Range: Brown +11 to Brown +1
Most recent polls: Brown leads in all six polls
Polling reliability: Moderate
Rick Dunham’s analysis: The margin has varied widely, but Brown is ahead in every poll.
12. North Dakota: Rick Berg (R) vs. Heidi Heitkamp (D)
Average: Berg +5.7
Range: Berg +10 to +2
Most recent polls: Berg leading in all three polls
Polling reliability: Low
Rick Dunham’s analysis: Romney romp may rescue Berg from strong foe.
13. Pennsylvania: Sen. Bob Casey (D) vs. Tom Smith (R)
Average: Casey +6.2
Range: Casey +9 to Casey +1
Most recent polls: Casey leads in all four polls
Polling reliability: High
Rick Dunham’s analysis: Self-funding Republican has made this a real contest against a popular incumbent.
14. Florida: Sen. Bill Nelson (D) vs. Connie Mack (R)
Average: Nelson +6.7
Range: Nelson +13 to Nelson +3
Most recent polls: Nelson leads in all six polls
Polling reliability: High
Rick Dunham’s analysis: Mack needs a major Romney surge to pull even with the Democratic incumbent.
Yesterday the total spent by independent groups, supposely not affiliated with Connecticut’s US Senate candidates, was $8.5 million, according to the Federal Election Commission. Today that total is $9,782,014.
But the day is young.
The big cash was reported overnight from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, with a $517,951 media buy opposing Republican Linda McMahon; more than $450,000 from the Majority PAC of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, opposing McMahon; and $205,000 in TV ad buys for the “Don’t be fooled” ad opposing McMahon, paid for by the labor-backed Patriot Majority PAC. The largely self-funded millionaire McMahon, who’s outspending US Rep. Chris Murphy by at least 4-1 overall, is behind in independent expenditures about 8-to-1. Today’s filing in her favor includes about $57,000 in telemarketing support from the FreedomWorks for America conservative super PAC; and another $5,600 from the National Right to Life PAC, opposing Murphy.
Today’s filings of independent expenditures at the Federal Election Commission shows US Rep. Chris Murphy with an additional $176,000-plus in his efforts to defeat Republican Linda McMahon for the U.S. Senate race. It brings his total to about $7.2 million, compared to McMahon’s $720,499. Today’s filing are led by a timeshare industry group called ARDA-Resort Owner’s Coalition, with $125,868 reported for radio ads supporting Murphy. Planned Parenthood Votes reported contributing $25,591 for “persuasion calls” for Murphy, plus an equal amount for calls against McMahon.
So maybe you were initially relieved when the high-stakes presidential debates were finished. Maybe you wondered what was the point of the name-calling and mud-slinging that passed for the U.S. Senate debates between U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy and Republican Linda McMahon. But maybe, now, come the weekend with a mere 10 days left before Election Day, you have a hankering for a little public policy and are willing to hear a couple of candidates discussing their visions going forward on the national stage.
Well, you have two chances in the next week, as U.S. Rep. Jim Himes and his Republican challenger Steve Obsitnick debate the big issues in their third and fourth head-to-head debates. The next one is Sunday at 4 p.m. in the Clune Performing Arts Center at Wilton High School, 395 Danbury Road/Route 7. It’s free. It’s handicapped accessible. Get there a little early and write a question for the candidates. It’s sponsored by 12 local area chapters of League of Women Voters: Bridgeport, Wilton, Weston, Redding, Ridgefield, New Canaan, Westport, Norwalk, Stamford, Greenwich, Darien and Fairfield. It will be moderated by Kay Maxwell of Stamford, former national president of the LWV.
Then on Friday, November 2, Himes, of Greenwich and Obsitnik, of Westport, will participate in their final debate, in a 10 a.m. event in the Bridgeport Holiday Inn sponsored by the AARP.
