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Politics, Anyone?
cbedell@bakersfield.com
661-395-7417
A look at the ins and outs of Bakersfield political scene.
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Tuesday, May 08 2012 07:56 PM
NC votes solidly to amend its constitution to ban gay marriage
RALEIGH, N.C. -- North Carolina voters approved a constitutional amendment Tuesday defining marriage solely as a union between a man and a woman, becoming the latest state to effectively slam the door shut on same-sex marriages.
With most of the precincts reporting, unofficial returns showed the amendment passing with about 61 percent of the vote to 39 percent against. North Carolina is the 30th state to adopt such a ban on gay marriage.
Tami Fitzgerald, who heads the pro-amendment group Vote FOR Marriage NC, said she believes the initiative awoke a silent majority of more active voters in the future.
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Tuesday, May 08 2012 07:30 PM
Conservatives dump Lugar, slam door on gay marriage in N.C.
WASHINGTON -- Six-term Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar was routed by the right flank of his own Republican Party Tuesday night, and North Carolina voters decided overwhelmingly to strengthen their state's gay marriage ban -- a conservative show of enthusiasm and strength six months before the nation chooses between Democratic President Barack Obama and GOP foe Mitt Romney.
Romney swept three Republican primaries, moving ever closer to sealing his nomination.
"I have no regrets about running for re-election, even if doing so can be a very daunting task," the 80-year-old Lugar said as he conceded to the tea party-backed GOP opponent who ended his nearly four-decade career in the Senate. Lugar's foe, state Treasurer Richard Mourdock, had painted the Republican senator as too moderate for the conservative state.
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Saturday, May 05 2012 05:00 AM
McQuiston, Salas seen as frontrunners in race for 32nd Assembly District
The four candidates for the 32nd Assembly race come from a variety of backgrounds: the military, teaching, farming and construction. In what has historically been a very competitive district, Rudy Salas, a Democrat, and Jon McQuiston, a Republican, are seen as the frontrunners. But observers aren't counting out other players just yet.
Two other candidates, Pedro Rios and Dave Thomas, are both Republican.
The new open primary system means two of these four men will make it through the primaries and onto the November ballot.
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Thursday, May 03 2012 05:00 AM
Congressional candidates spar over rail, other issues
Candidates for the 21st Congressional District met with Californian reporters and editorial writers Wednesday to outline their views on everything from the state's high-speed rail plans to jobs and immigration.
The newly-drawn district roughly resembles the current 20th district, represented by Democrat Jim Costa, and includes parts of Kern, Fresno and Tulare counties and all of Kings County. (Costa is now running for election in the newly-drawn 16th Congressional district, which includes Merced County and part of Madera County.)
David Valadao, a dairy farmer serving his first term in the state Assembly, is the lone Republican in the race. The other candidates are Fresno City Councilman Blong Xiong and John Hernandez, CEO of the Central California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
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Saturday, Jan 21 2012 06:30 PM
GOP race reshuffled as Gingrich secures SC victory
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich stormed to an upset victory in the South Carolina primary Saturday night, dealing a sharp setback to former front-runner Mitt Romney and suddenly scrambling the race for the Republican presidential nomination.
"Thank you, South Carolina!" a jubilant Gingrich tweeted to his supporters. He appealed for a flood of donations for the next-up Jan. 31 primary. "Help me deliver the knockout punch in Florida. Join our Moneybomb and donate now," said his tweet.
Exit polls showed he led among voters who said their top priority was picking a candidate who could beat President Barack Obama -- a group that had preferred Romney in earlier contests in Iowa and New Hampshire.
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Thursday, Jan 19 2012 04:46 PM
Ex-wife says Gingrich wanted 'open marriage'
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Dredging up a past that Newt Gingrich has worked hard to bury, the GOP presidential candidate's second ex-wife says Gingrich asked for an "open marriage" in which he could have both a wife and a mistress.
In an interview with ABC News' "Nightline" scheduled to air tonight, Marianne Gingrich said she refused to go along with the idea that she share her husband with Callista Bisek, who would later become his third wife.
The explosive interview was airing just two days before the presidential primary in South Carolina, a state with a strong Christian conservative bent, and as Gingrich tries to present himself as the strongest alternative to front-runner Mitt Romney.
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Thursday, Jan 19 2012 02:20 PM
GOP debate begins at 5 p.m.
Tonight's Republican presidential debate on CNN will begin at 5 p.m. Pacific Time. The television grid in today's Californian erroneously listed the debate for 8 p.m.
The CNN/Southern Republican Presidential Debate will be hosted by John King of CNN. More details at CNNPolitics.com
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Tuesday, Aug 02 2011 11:34 AM
Fresno Bee: Dean Florez mulling congressional run
Wouldn't this be a fun race to watch?
The Fresno Bee's John Ellis had this piece today on the folks thinking about running for what probably will be an open congressional seat in Kern County once redistricting is officially approved.
The district would be up for grabs in 2012. Among the potential Democratic hopefuls in Ellis' piece are former state Sen. Dean Florez and a guy who used to work for him -- current state Sen. Michael Rubio.
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