Dayhoff Westminster Soundtrack: Elections 2014

Showing posts with label Elections 2014. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Carroll County Republican Party: The complete Thanksgiving story, election results, more

Upholding the traditions and values of Constitutional Conservatism through the Republican Party in Carroll County, Maryland

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The Carroll County Republican Central Committee wishes everyone a very blessed Thanksgiving holiday. The meaning of Thanksgiving that is taught in the public education system today is often an incomplete account. Click here to read the rest of the true meaning of Thanksgiving that your children, and maybe even you, have not heard before.

Republicans had a great night this past General Election. Republicans took control of the U.S. Senate, increased their numbers in the U.S. House, and locally, Larry Hogan will be our new governor and Republicans added seats in the Maryland House of Delegates and the Maryland Senate.

View the results here

Message from the

Carroll County Republican

Central Committee Chairman

Fellow Carroll County Republicans,

To all those who helped in the campaign, the entire Central Committee says, "THANK YOU and CONGRATULATIONS! You did the impossible."

There were those in the state and across the country who said, "It could never be done. A Republican? In Maryland? With 2 to 1 Democrat registration? Never."

Not only did we elect a Republican Governor; but we added 2 Republican State Senators and 7 House Delegates.

Carroll County had a temporary headquarters on Main Street in Westminster. Every day volunteers came in to spend their time phoning voters and asking them to vote for Hogan and other Republicans. It is normal for many people to vote in Presidential elections; but to skip mid-term elections. Those voters received a phone call telling them how important this election was. It seems that it worked.

To those who came to headquarters to make calls, we say, "Thank you." To those who handed out literature or held signs at the polls, we say, "Thank you." To those who sign waved or knocked on doors, we say, "Thank You." To those who put bumper stickers on your car, we say, "Thank you." To those who voted when they normally may not have voted, we say, "Thank you." It would not have been possible without all of you.
Maryland showed the country on November 4th that IT COULD BE DONE. We made national news and it felt good.

It was a privilege working with you, but it's not over. Now we must focus our efforts on 2016. If this felt good, just imagine how good it will feel when Maryland provides enough electoral votes to put a Republican back in the White House in 2016.

Warm regards,

Larry Helminiak

Carroll County Republican

Central Committee Chairman

Local

Republican

Clubs

There are several Republican clubs in Carroll County. Join one today and stay involved!

Carroll County Republican

Women's Club

(meets the firstTuesday of each month, except July & August, 7PM, at Legends Cafe in Westminster)

Contact Them

Visit Their Website

South Carroll Republican Club

(meets the secondTuesday of each month, 7PM, at Ledo's Pizza in Sykesville)

Contact Them

Visit Their Website

West Carroll Republican Club

(meets the thirdWednesday of each month, except January & February,6PM, at the Buttersburg Inn in Union Bridge)

Contact Them

Taneytown Republican

Women's Club

(meets the firstTuesday of each month, 7PM, at the Taneytown American Legion in Taneytown)

Contact Them

Tri-District Republican Club

(meets the last Monday of each month. Location rotates between Taneytown and Manchester)

Contact Them

Visit Their Website

Join Our Mailing List

Staying connected is only a click away!

Carroll County Republican Central Committee

Maryland Republican Party

Carroll County Board of Elections

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Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/ or http://kevindayhoffart.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/ or http://www.westgov.net/ = www.kevindayhoff.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ = www.newbedfordherald.net Explore Carroll: www.explorecarroll.com The Tentacle: www.thetentacle.com

Thursday, November 06, 2014

Republican wave could get even bigger - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Republican wave could get even bigger - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

"By Lesley Clark / McClatchy Newspapers WASHINGTON —

The Republican victory wave might end up even larger by the time all the votes are counted.

Already Wednesday, Republicans seized control of the U.S. Senate with a minimum of 52 seats, added to their majority in the House and picked up governorships in deep-blue Democratic states such as Illinois, Maryland and Massachusetts.

And with races in Alaska and Virginia still unsettled and a runoff in Louisiana in December — and all three of those seats now held by Democrats — Republicans could add to their new majority in the Senate.

“The Republican Party is back with youth, with diversity, with women, and we’ve got a long way to go,” said Oregon Rep. Greg Walden, the House Republican campaign chairman, who called the gains “historic” and a referendum on President Barack Obama. “We’re back to a majority as big as any of us have seen in our lifetime.”"

http://www.post-gazette.com/news/nation/2014/11/06/Republican-wave-could-get-even-bigger/stories/201411060223

'via Blog this'

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2014/11/republican-wave-could-get-even-bigger.html
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MARK NEWGENT on November 6, 2014 Something happened on the way to the coronation

Something happened on the way to the coronation

MARK NEWGENT on November 6, 2014 http://redmaryland.com/2014/11/something-happened-way-coronation/

On election night that “mole hill” turned out to be a mountain—of 76,000 votes and now to paraphrase 538, Anthony Brown has a 100 percent chance of being a spectator come inauguration day.

Larry Hogan’s message of fiscal restraint and generating a stagnant state economy resonated with voters, while Brown’s lackluster campaign focused on negativity and scare tactics—a losing strategy for a candidate with support a mile wide and an inch deep. Brown’s base stayed home, while Hogan’s showed up to the polls.

With a Republican Governor, and nine new GOP delegates the 2015 legislative session just got a whole lot more interesting.

Here’s a list of the election’s winners and losers

Winners

Larry Hogan: The 62nd Governor of Maryland, not only won, he won convincingly—by 5 points. He won by doing something different. Three years ago he began preparing the ground for his campaign message three years ago through Change Maryland. He started the contest of ideas—such that there was one with Brown—well ahead of the campaign. Larry defined the narrative of the campaign before it began. We are overtaxed, businesses overregulated, and our economy stinks. Larry now has a chance to change the arc of Maryland’s statist trajectory and expand the realm of economic freedom for Marylanders... http://redmaryland.com/2014/11/something-happened-way-coronation/

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2014/11/mark-newgent-on-november-6-2014.html
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The Tentacle November 6, 2014 Harry M. Covert: Righting the Ship of State

The Tentacle November 6, 2014 Harry M. Covert: Righting the Ship of State

http://www.thetentacle.com/ShowArticle.cfm?mydocid=6507

Mr. Harry Covert writes in The Tentacle http://www.thetentacle.com:

There is no such thing as a morning after pill for election results. Life goes on. For a while the general public may have a short respite before the next cycle invades daily stresses and strains.

A question arises: Will the ship be righted? Another question is: Can the ship be straightened?

Maybe time has arrived to turn off news purveyors. Seems like the people really knew all the facts and took to heart that old admonition, enough is enough.

It’s easy as pie to figure out the trauma. The world is going to “Hell in a hand basket.” There is a “fiddler-n-chief” not even strumming pleasing strings. There have been an over-whelming number of do-nothings more interested in scribbling in coloring books, usually reserved for not-of-age youngsters. They are officially called senators.

Let’s go back to the first Tuesday of this month, two days ago. A big and good old dose of “Black Draught” struck, and, sort of, cleaned out the building on Constitution Avenue. It was an evacuant for those who like to call themselves progressives. This latter word supposedly is proof they are good people, but they don’t do good for the 50 states.

In Maryland, the governor’s mansion got a good brisk scouring, too...

http://www.thetentacle.com/ShowArticle.cfm?mydocid=6507

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-tentacle-november-6-2014-harry-m.html
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Wednesday, November 05, 2014

Dan Rodricks offers his take on the mood of Maryland and the country in 2014. - Baltimore Sun

Dan Rodricks offers his take on the mood of Maryland and the country in 2014. - Baltimore Sun: by Dan Rodricks

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-rodricks-election-1105-20141105-column.html

"I've never been so ambivalent about a gubernatorial election," was the text message from a friend, a Democrat in Baltimore County. I'm pretty sure he voted for Brown, but he was not excited about it. There was a lot of that going around Tuesday.

Pardon my lack of glee, but I think you know the feeling. The polls say most of us are pretty unhappy with the direction of the country, with Congress and with the president.

I think I know what's eating us — the feeling that the country is not as exceptional as we thought it would be.

Going back 70 years, there was a belief in an American brand of exceptionalism and in eternal progress. This big, strong country saved the world in the middle of the 20th century. It came out of war full of brawn and bravado. The future looked endless and bright.

A big part of that was faith — some of it blind — in public leaders and in the ability of government to solve big problems. ... http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-rodricks-election-1105-20141105-column.html

"@danrodricksOPEN PHONES ON #Election2014 -- coming up 12-1 pm @MiddayWYPR @hithisischris @andrewagreen @MelissaDeckman 410-662-8780midday@wypr.org"

'via Blog this'

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What is MD Gov.-elect Hogan's plan for dealing with the Democrat-controlled MD General Assembly?

Many of us remain quite curious as to what is MD Gov.-elect Hogan's plan for dealing with the Democrat-controlled MD General Assembly?

Gov.-elect Hogan did witness from the inside the challenges that Gov. Ehrlich faced. That dynamic and the issue that Gov. Ehrlich played an active role in his own victimization early-on, were the subjects of a recent conversation, off-the-record, that I had with the Gov.-elect and I found his ideas and plans insightful, thoughtful - and well-articulated.We shall see... I remain quite intrigued and have ordered extra barrels of ink. This ought to be fascinating.

Collegiality among the conservative Democrats and Republicans who ran the state for decades and decades is certainly way over-due for a comeback. We can only hope.

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Len Lazarick: Historic Republican gains in Maryland as Hogan wins; GOP picks up execs, House and Senate seats

Historic Republican gains in Maryland as Hogan wins; GOP picks up execs, House and Senate seats

Published on November 5th, 2014 | by Len Lazarick

By Len Lazarick Len@MarylandReporter.com

Maryland Republicans made historic gains in Tuesday’s election.

http://marylandreporter.com/2014/11/05/historic-republican-gains-in-maryland-as-hogan-wins-gop-picks-up-execs-house-and-senate-seats/

Larry Hogan Jr. became just the third Republican elected governor in the past 50 years, winning by almost the same 51.5% margin and carrying almost the same number of counties as Gov. Bob Ehrlich, the last Republican chief executive 12 years ago.

Sen. Allan Kittleman became just the second Republican Howard County executive in its history, and Del. Steve Schuh, as expected, kept the Anne Arundel County executive office in GOP hands. On the Lower Shore, Bob Culver defeated Democrat Richard Pollitt, the first Wicomico County executive.

[…]

Republicans picked up nine seats in the House of Delegates and two in the state Senate. The GOP will have 52 seats in the 141-seat House, when just months ago their leaders thought they would be lucky to hold onto the 43 seats they currently have, already a historic high number for Republicans in the Maryland House. http://marylandreporter.com/2014/11/05/historic-republican-gains-in-maryland-as-hogan-wins-gop-picks-up-execs-house-and-senate-seats/

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News from The Hill: Dems blame losses on Obama

News from The Hill: Dems blame losses on Obama

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/222956-dems-blame-losses-on-obama

By Justin Sink Democrats dismayed with the loss of the Senate are pointing the finger squarely at President Obama. In race after race across the country, vulnerable Democrats were unable to shed the shadow of a deeply unpopular White House.

Read more on this article here.

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Baltimore Sun: Hogan defeats Brown for the Maryland Governor's Office

BREAKING NEWS: Hogan defeats Brown

Nov 5, 2014 | 12:20 AM Republican Larry Hogan's campaign to "Change Maryland" scored a stunning upset Tuesday as he defeated Democrat Anthony G. Brown in the race for governor.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/campaign-2014/bs-md-governor-20141105-story.html#page=1

Republican Larry Hogan's campaign to "Change Maryland" scored a stunning upset Tuesday as he defeated Democrat Anthony G. Brown in the race for governor.

Hogan, 58, ran on a promise to curb state spending and cut taxes. He will become Maryland's second Republican governor in half a century, and will face a Democratic-controlled legislature that may not be willing to help him.

Brown conceded defeat shortly after midnight.

Hogan spokesman Adam Dubitsky acknowledged Maryland remains a Democratic stronghold but said voters wanted change.

"It's not a realignment. It's not turning a blue state red," Dubitsky said. "It's people who are tired of the last eight years."

Hogan, an Annapolis businessman, ran a comparatively shoe-string campaign against Brown, who spent more than four times Hogan in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans two to one... http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/campaign-2014/bs-md-governor-20141105-story.html#page=1

Baltimore Sun: Hogan defeats Brown for the Maryland Governor's Office
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Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Sen Joe Getty Carroll Co. rally for Larry Hogan & Boyd Rutherford rally on Tuesday October 28, 2014 at 5 p.m. - Best Western Westminster

The Carroll County 80/80 Plan for Larry Hogan

Join Us at the Early Voting Rally Today - 5 p.m.

Marylanders for Joe Getty http://www.senatorgetty.com/

October 28, 2014

Larry Hogan & Boyd Rutherford rally on Tuesday October 28, 2014 at 5 p.m. - Best Western Westminster

The Carroll County 80/80 Plan

Larry Hogan has formed a bipartisan political coalition that is poised to pull off the biggest upset in the Nation on Election Day.

Carroll County must do its part to make this happen - thus the Carroll County 80/80 Plan:

80% GOP Voter Turnout

80% Vote for Hogan-Rutherford

80% GOP VOTER TURNOUT: The last time that Marylanders elected a Republican as Governor was 2002. In that year, GOP turnout in Carroll County was 75%. However, in presidential elections the GOP turnout in Carroll County is 84-86%. We must encourage these "Romney Republicans" to go to the polls in the next week!

80% VOTE FOR HOGAN-RUTHERFORD: In 2002, Carroll County voters gave Bob Ehrlich at 79% margin of victory in our county. That was higher than the Democratic majority jurisdictions gave to Kathleen Kennedy Townsend - P.G. Co. (76%), Balt. City (75%) and Montgomery Co. (61%).

If we get high turnout and high voter margins in our rural and suburban counties, Larry Hogan will win! Help us achieve our 80/80 goal!

Come to our rally and learn more:

Today - Tues. Oct. 28
EARLY VOTING RALLY - VOTE EARLY at the Carroll County Early Voting Center and then join us for a rally with Republican candidate for Governor Larry Hogan:

4 to 5 p.m. GREET VOTERS AT THE POLLS WITH LARRY HOGAN & SEN. GETTY Carroll County Early Voting Center, 125 Stoner Ave., Westminster

5 to 7 p.m. EARLY VOTNG RALLY WITH LARRY HOGAN & SEN. GETTY

Larry Hogan will speak about his surge of support and the "Change Maryland" momentum sweeping throughout the state. Best Western Westminster - For details: click here. http://www.senatorgetty.com/events/event/29-early-voting-rally

Early Voting Rally

Larry Hogan for Governor

Joe Getty for State Senate

Join us as we rally to “Get-Out-the-Vote”

Then Join us for a Rally in Westminster

Tuesday, October 28

5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

The Best Western, 451 WMC Drive, Westminster

$40 per person

Sponsorships and Host Committee

Benefactor $1000, Host $500

Sponsor $250, Patron $125

Authority: Marylanders for Joe Getty, Sharon Prajzner, Treasurer.

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Wednesday, March 05, 2014

News from The Hill Oldest congressman forced into primary runoff By Cameron Joseph

News from The Hill Oldest congressman forced into primary runoff

By Cameron Joseph

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/house-races/199923-oldest-congressman-forced-into-primary-runoff

Rep. Ralph Hall (R-Texas), the oldest member of Congress, has been forced into a potentially perilous runoff in his primary against former U.S. Attorney John Ratcliffe (R).

The Associated Press called that the race will head to a May runoff, with Hall leading Ratcliffe by 45 percent to 30 percent with 27 percent of precincts reporting.

A runoff could be treacherous for the 90-year-old congressman. Ratcliffe has already given his campaign close to a half-million dollars and is promising to donate more, while Hall, caught by surprise in the race, has very little money in the bank.

Read the story here.

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Tuesday, January 07, 2014

Craig and Haddaway Release Plan to Bypass Problem-Plagued Maryland Exchange

Craig and Haddaway Release Plan to Bypass Problem-Plagued Maryland Exchange

Up to $150 million would be re-allocated to promote alternative enrollment options

Harford County Executive and Maryland candidate for Governor David Craig released today a plan to avoid the under-performing state health exchange and enable people to obtain health insurance through other means. The plan consists of ending the current emphasis on Maryland Health Connection and instead diverts marketing and outreach resources to promoting direct enrollment options through insurance carriers or utilizing the assistance of Maryland-based insurance brokers.

“The O’Malley-Brown Administration needs to understand what everyone else does - that the cure is worse than the disease,” said Craig. “The task before us is how to mitigate this situation so people can get health care, because Maryland citizens are still having trouble with the website. The state exchange enrollment numbers are simply not holding up and continue to lag behind other states. The Administration is also not able to give a precise number of how many people are not getting coverage even after they believe they have enrolled in a plan.”

Maryland’s latest enrollment numbers on private Affordable Care Act-compliant plans are 18,257. Maryland is in a group of state-led exchanges experiencing chronic under-enrollment figures which includes Minnesota, Hawaii and Oregon. On the other hand, California, Connecticut, Kentucky, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont are enrolling people at far higher rates than Maryland among the 14 states in all running their own exchanges. For example, Kentucky, which has a population significantly less than Maryland, reports enrollment numbers of 33,289 in private plans.

According to the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, people may directly enroll through insurance carriers or seek the assistance of brokers. The problem is there is no public awareness campaign to inform individuals of these other options.

According to the Congressional Research Service, Maryland has received over $123 million in what the federal government deems “level II” grants. In the grant solicitation Gov. Martin O’Malley submitted to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, the funds will in part support advertising and public relations of the exchange. Additionally, the O’Malley – Brown Administration has allocated $24 million in state funds in part to promote exchange outreach efforts according to a Maryland Reporter.com analysis. And the price tag is increasing as up to $14 million in taxpayer dollars are needed to hire a contractor to fix the web site and address enrollment problems.

“Up to $150 million dollars is going towards promoting a failing exchange, and throwing good money after bad needs to end now,” said Craig. “The Administration must realize that their intended solutions are only causing more problems, creating mass confusion, ruining credibility in government and harming our quality of life.”

Craig’s proposal would seek an HHS waiver to re-program funds to launch a public awareness campaign informing consumers of their right to obtain health insurance directly through carriers. A complimentary awareness campaign would inform people of their rights to utilize Maryland insurance brokers who are licensed and experienced in helping individuals with health insurance. Utilizing call centers for those needing assistance with the website would remain in place. Craig, however, would re-examine the navigator model in which people having problems with the website must set appointments with temporary workers disbursed among several organizations.

As for the vexing issue of low-income individuals seeking subsidies, Craig supports U.S. Sens. Ben Cardin and Barbara Mikulski’s proposal to HHS to enable a direct data hub allowing people to obtain financial assistance without going through an exchange.

O’Malley recently committed more money to re-double a marketing campaign to direct more consumers to the online exchange after numerous technical failures of the website caused a delay in these plans.

Last Friday, the O-Malley-Brown Administration acknowledged systemic problems with transmitting enrollment data to insurers but did not give a precise number of how many are affected which means among the over 18,000 the state counts as having enrolled, a significant number of those may not have health insurance. The Administration will submit emergency legislation to the General Assembly to shuffle those people to another state program, the Maryland Health Insurance Plan.

Lt. Governor candidate and Maryland Delegate Jeannie Haddaway expressed concerns about adding yet more bureaucratic complexity under this approach.

“By simply re-allocating resources, state leaders have the power to mitigate the botched roll-out of Obamacare in Maryland,” said Haddaway. “It will not be successful in doing so, however, by adding more bureaucratic complexity as the Administration's latest proposal does. The priority needs to be enabling consumers not bureaucracy by ensuring that our citizens have access to health insurance as well as access to quality, affordable care.”

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Background:

Maryland enrollment:
http://dev.marylandhealthconnection.com/assets/MHC_Dec_27_2013_Update.pdf

Kentucky enrollment:
http://governor.ky.gov/healthierky/Pages/default.aspx

Federal Funds:
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R43066.pdf

O’Malley grant application:
http://dhmh.maryland.gov/exchange/pdf/Level2_site.pdf

State Funds:
http://marylandreporter.com/2013/08/11/md-health-insurance-exchange-to-open-this-fall-at-cost-of-200-million-24-million-in-state-funds/

Additional Funds:
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2013-12-18/health/bs-hs-exchange-contractors-20131218_1_state-exchange-federal-exchange-federal-affordable-care-act

Cardin / Mikulski press release:
http://www.mikulski.senate.gov/media/pressrelease/11-19-2013-3.cfm

Emergency legislation and more funds:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/omalley-to-push-emergency-health-insurance-legislation/2014/01/03/b2a28306-74a9-11e3-8b3f-b1666705ca3b_story.html

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Monday, December 30, 2013

News from The Hill: Five Senate races to watch By Alexandra Jaffe

Read the story here.

Democrats and Republicans are amassing enormous war chests for a midterm battle that will decide who controls the Senate for the remainder of President Obama’s term.

Republicans need a net gain of six seats to reclaim the Senate majority, and are gunning for Democratic incumbents in conservative-leaning states like Arkansas, Alaska, North Carolina, West Virginia and Louisiana.

Democrats are mostly playing defense, but see a few opportunities to peel away seats from the GOP column. Read the story here.

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