Scandals Becoming an Issue in State Races (LA Times)

[Omaha Steve]

October 16, 2005
latimes.com : National News

THE NATION
Scandals Becoming an Issue in State Races
By Mark Z. Barabak, Times Staff Writer

Even as clouds of scandal hang over Washington, charges of political wrongdoing have surfaced in state capitals in Ohio, New Mexico, Tennessee and elsewhere across the country, touching members of both parties and elevating ethics as a campaign issue in nearly a dozen states.

Already, some say, the effect can be felt in the November race for New Jersey governor, where Democratic Sen. Jon Corzine is locked in a closer-than-expected contest with Republican businessman Doug Forrester.

Cliff Zukin, a Rutgers University political scientist, said that given President Bush's unpopularity and New Jersey's strong Democratic tilt, the tight race is "hard to understand unless you take the ethical climate of the state into account."

A poll last month by Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn., found that 53% of New Jersey voters considered government corruption a very serious problem, compared with 23% in May 2001 — before Sen. Robert Torricelli and Gov. James E. McGreevey, both Democrats, were chased from office by scandals.

But New Jersey — and Washington — are not the only places where charges of political malfeasance have been making headlines:

Full story here: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-ethics16oct16,0,5451360.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[davsand]

1. I think many people are tired of the status quo.

I'd like to think it will manifest as a really good set of elections for Dems, but I am bugged by a recurring realization that many voters see this as a problem for Dems AND the GOP. I really am worried about an anti-incumbent vote pattern that plays hell with ANY elected official--even IF they are not bad guys.

Much as I want to see Hastert and Delay and all the others go down, I just can't keep from worrying. We have a Dem Governor up for re-election here in Illinois and his numbers are in the toilet. Frankly, a lot of people are wondering if he'll be indicted for something before he's re-elected. THAT kind of thing doesn't inspire a lot of confidence.

I am counting the blessings that neither Durbin or Obama are up in this election.


Laura

[longship]

2. This is Chimpy's new trickle down policy.

Unlike the similarly named economic policy, this one will work.