BALANCE OF POWER
Races to watch
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Wednesday, November 1, 2006 - The Michigan Daily
Mayor of Ann Arbor
U.S. Senator
SENATE
NORTHEAST
Connecticut
IncumbentJoseph
Lieberman (I), Ned
Lamont (D), Alan
Schlesinger (R)
Lieberman, a
four-termincumbent criticized
by many Democrats for being too
close to President Bush, lost his
party's nomination to business-
man Lamont. Now, he looks set to
keep the seat as an independent.
He will still sit on the Democrat-
ic side of the aisle if he wins. But
watch for Schlesinger to play the
spoiler in this oddball race.
Rhode Island
Incumbent Lincoln
Chafee (R), Shel-
don Whitehouse
(D)
Chafee, one
of the most lib-
eral Republicans in the
Senate, is likely to lose this seat
to former Rhode Island Attorney
General Whitehouse. The state is
becoming increasingly Democrat-
ic, and Chafee has tried hard to
maintain his independence from
the national Republican Party. He
didn't vote for President Bush in
2004,writing in the elder Bush's
name instead.
New Jersey
Incumbent Robert
Menendez (D), Thomas
Kean Jr. (R)
New Jersey could
be the only Republi-
can Senate seat pick-
up on Tuesday. The
seat's former occupant,
Democrat Jon Corzine,
appointed Menendez last year
after Corzine was elected gov-
ernor. Kean is the son of former
Republican Gov. Thomas Kean,
who co-chaired the Sept. 11 com-
mission. The younger Kean's last
name is perhaps his greatest asset,
and his father's moderate reputa-
tion will help the GOP in its efforts
to win a seat in this heavily Demo-
cratic state. The national Republi-
can Party has been pouring money
into New Jersey.
MID-ATLANTIC
Pennsylvania
Incumbent -
Rick Santorum
(R), Bob Casey
Jr. (D)
Outspoken
cultural con-
servatism definitely has a place
in America. Unfortunately for
Santorum, the voters of Pennsyl-
vania don't seem to believe it is meltdov
in their state. He won a comfort- Bob Ney
able victory in 2000, but his sup- been ind
port has steadily eroded since es. Repu
then. Although Santorum's subur- mistic t
ban base is still strong, Casey, his to hold I
pro-life Democratic challenger, recent p
appeals to rural voters, leaving badly.
Santorum trailing badly in the Commit
polls. It will take more than fam- lost cau
ily values to save the third-most Unless
powerful Republican senator on edly ch;
Election Day. ment in
go Demo
SOUTH
Tennessee Mis
Bob Corker In
(R), Harold Jim'
Ford Jr. (D) Claire N
Ford, an alum of the University Talen
Law School, is facing off against ing hi
the former Republican mayor of term in
Chattanooga to succeed retiring winnini
GOP Senator Bill Frist. Ford is a tion in
moderate congressman from a state au
well-connected political dynasty challen
and has transformed what should hopes.I
have been a safe Republican seat Missou
into one of the most competitive closest
Senate races in the country. But likely g(
Bob Corker has edged out a slim tion-da)
lead in recent weeks as national Missou
Republicans determined to hold a minin
control of the Senate have made will lur
a stand in Tennessee. If there is a polls at
Democratic tidal wave on Tues- election
day, look for Pord to win this Sen-
ate seat. Otherwise you can expect WEST
a long night of ballot counting in
Chattanooga.
Virginia
Incumbent Inwl
George Allen red stat
(R), James er, has
Webb (D) to Burn
Allen was heavily favored to win senator
this seat earlier in the year, but a securin,
series of gaffes has given Webb, carried
the former Reagan administration 2004, b
Navy Secretary, a foothold. First, graced
Allen called an Indian-Ameri- and a se
can Webb volunteer "macaca," left hin
then he appeared uneasy when he much o
learned about his Jewish heritage. commei
Now Webb, the author of several grip o
war novels, is on the ropes with a states n
bizarre scandal of his own. Allen win in
is attacking Webb for some graph- give cre
it scenes in those books, which
depict incest, prostitution, homo-
sexuality and pedophilia. The race
is within the margin of error in
most polls. NORTI
Connec
MIDWEST 2nd Dis
Ohio Incut
Incumbent Mike Simmor
DeWine (R), Sherrod Courtn
Brown (D) Simn
TheOhioRepubli- defeate,
can Party that carried ney
George W. Bush to re-elec- cratic-l
tion in 2004 is in the midst of a points
wn. Gov. Bob Taft and Rep.
y(R-Zanesville) have both
dicted on corruption charg-
blicans were initially opti-
hat DeWine would be able
his seat against Brown, but
olls show DeWine trailing
The Republican National
tee decided DeWine was a
se and pulled out of Ohio.
DeWine can single-hand-
ange the political environ-
Ohio, look for this seat to
ocratic.
souri
cumbent
Talent (R),
McCaskill (D)
nt is seek-
s first full
office after narrowly
g his seat in a special elec-
2002. The Democratic
ditor, Claire McCaskill, is
ging Talent's re-election
According to the polls, the
ri senate race is one of the
in the nation; this race is
oing to be decided by elec-
y Get Out The Vote efforts.
ri's Democrats hope that
mum-wage ballot proposal
e the party faithful to the
nd deliver McCaskill the
Montana
Incumbenr Con-
rad Burns (R), Jon
Tester (D)
hat once was the reddest of
es, Tester, an organic farm-
mounted a serious threat
s. A four-term Republican
should have no trouble
gre-election in astate Bush
by more than 20 percent in
ut Burns' close ties to dis-
lobbyist Jack Abramhoff
ries of political gaffes have
a trailing in the polls for
f the election cycle. Many
ntators believe the GOP's
ver the Rocky Mountain
say be weakening. A Tester
Montana would certainly
dence to those claims.
HOUSE
HEAST
ticut,
trict
mbent Rob
ns (R), Joe
ey (D)
nons
d Court-
in this Demo-
eaning district by eight
in 2004, but he may be
swept up by mounting Democratic
momentum. Simmons, a former
CIA agent, is a social moderate
who supported the Iraq War - a
stance that will hurt on Tuesday.
Like most Republican members of
Congress, Simmons has struggled
to find a place in a national party
that has ostracized moderates.
Connecticut
4th District
Incumbent Chris
Shays (R), Diane Far-
rell (D)
Shays has survived
tough races before. His blend of
fiscal conservatism and social lib-
eralism plays well in the 4th Dis-
trict, which contains wealthy New
York suburbs like Greenwich and
Westport. But like Republicans
everywhere else in the country,
Shays has been hurt by the Iraq
war. The normally level-headed
Shays has hurt himself by min-
imizing torture at Abu Ghraib
and comparing the Mark Foley
scandal to an incident in which
Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.)
See RACES, page 9B
Background:
Background:
Stabenow is the first female
U.S. senator from Michi-
gan. She's a member of the
Senate Banking Commit-
tee, the Budget Committee,
the Banking, Housing and
Urban Affairs Committee
and the Agriculture, Nutri-
tion and Forestry Com-
mittee. She helped pass a
$2-billion tax cut for com-
panies that don't outsource
and create jobs in America,
along with authoring the
first-ever federal ban on
drilling for oil and gas in
the Great Lakes.
In 1999, Michael J. Boucha-
rd became the Sheriff of
Oakland County. Prior to
becoming Oakland County
Sheriff, Bouchard served
as a State Senator for eight
years. During his time in
the State Senate, Mike was
elected by his colleagues to
serve as Assistant President
Pro-Tempore, Assistant
Senate Majority Leader,
and Majority Floor Leader.
Bouchard also served in the
Michigan House of Repre-
sentatives.
Hieftje has been mayor of AnnArbor since
November of 2000. Prior to that he served
as a city council member for one term, was
a member of the board of directors of the
Huron River Watershed Council and was
chair of the board of directors of Recycle
Ann Arbor. Hieftje has also served on the
Downtown Development Authority and is a
member of the Board of Directors of the Lake
Superior Conservancy and Watershed Coun-
cil - an international board based in Sault
Ste. Marie, Ontario.
Wall is a life long resident of Ann Arbor.
Wall received his master's degree in special
education from Eastern Michigan Univer-
sity and taught special education at Willow
Run Schools in Ypsilanti for 30 years. Wall
is now the current CEO of All Star Drivers
Ed, a company with 20 locations statewide.
Wall admits he has limited political experi-
ence, but emphasizes his familiarity with
fiscal responsibility, organization, open
communication and working with diverse
groups of people.
THE CURRENT BREAKDOWN
HOUSE
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GRAPHIC BY BRIDGET O'DONNELL AND LINDSAY UNGAR/Daily
4 I-
Where do
you disagree
most with
your party?
I was elected to represent
Michigan, and that involves
working in a bipartisan
manner to get results. I
have reached across the
aisle and worked with
Republican colleagues to
author legislation creating
a Chief Trade Prosecutor
to crack down on countries
that violate our trade laws
and to address the rising
cost ofhealth care in this
country, to name a few.
I'll always do what is best
interest of Michigan. In
fact, not onlybroke with
mayparty, but the entire
Senate on the pension
reform bill, which I thought
was bad for Michigan work-
ers and families.
I would be the senator from
Michigan, not the repub-
lican from Michigan. I'm
very project driven on a
case-by-case basis. How-
ever, I don't agree with the
party line on education, I
would not vote to reautho-
rize No Child Left Behind. I
don't believe it's the govern-
ment's place. I agree with
the concept, but it's notthe
purpose of theafederal gov-
ernment to deal with thaL.
The federal government
role is onewhere they show
best practices and investin
ideas, not directly inco the
school systems.
What are the key "Every city in our state faces financial chal- Wall highlighted the need for transparency
issues facing Ann lenges, and while Ann Arbor is doing far in city business. "If the people that are deal-
Arbor? betterthan most and despite the fact that we ing with the city can see the processes and
have made great progress, we mustcontinue know that we are acting in good faith and,
to strive for greater efficiency in city govern- if the citizens of Ann Arbor know that they
ment. Beyond that we must continue to plan are respected and listened to, then I would
for a sustainable future for our city." consider my tenure successful," Wall said.
He also wants to ensure that the downtown
area is properly developed and support-
ed and he stressed the need to be fiscally
responsible.
Which student "We have made progress over the last few "The U of M students are vital to the city of
issue is most impor- years in building bridges to the student pop- Ann Arbor. Aside from the economic benefits
tant to you and how ulation. We now have a council-MSA com- that they provide the merchants, they also
do you planto work mittee that meets to discuss ongoing issues. bring an energy and vitality to our commu-
on that issue? How Last year I sponsored the changes to the nity. Probably the one key issue that needs to
muchdo you plan lease ordinance designed to make it harder be addressed is the lack of parking available
to interact with for students tobe 'jammed' into early lease for the students. With the new dorm being
students while in signings. We need to see if we can find a way built at State and Huron the problem will
office? within the law to "tighten" this up and take only be worse as there will be no additional
out some of the 'loopholes." parking in an already congested area.
What is your favor- "My wife and I like to take longwalks in city "Aside from being with my family I like to
ite thingtodo in parks, particularly along the Huron River walk downtown on a summer eveningwith
Ann Arbor? Greenway." my wife."
Check the StudentHousing
Daily's news
blog, The Wire,
on electionStudent Owned Democratically Run Since 1937
I i
Would you
vote to rein-
state some of
the student
loans that
were cut?
Where
would you
take the
money from?
I stood up to the President
when he proposed the larg-
est cut in federal education
spending in American his-
tory. Education policy is
economic policy, and the
President needs to start
treatingeducation funding
with the sense of urgency
it deserves. I absolutely
support reinstating the
higher education funding
cut by President Bush, and
I think closing the billions
of dollars in oil company
tax loopholes and nego-
tiating lower drug prices
which would save billions
in Medicare costs is a good
place to start
I think there are a number
of things we can do on a
federal level to help educa-
tional opportunities, but it
doesn't necessarily mean
that we need more money
in Washington. Every time
we take a dollar out of your
pocket or your parents
pocket then that affects
your ability to set aside
money for college. And, if
you go through the budget
you'll see dollar after dollar
going out the window for
those kinds of things. And if
we squeeze those out of the
budget, suddenly, we have
more money to invest in
education.
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