THE MIDDLE CLASS DESERVES COMMITMENT FROM OUR WASHINGTON ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT WE WILL BE REPRESENTED.
Too many 50 and 60 year olds who have worked all their lives have lost their jobs and cannot find another. Too many young workers in their 20's are graduating from college with no job prospects and massive educational debt.Too many 30 and 40 year olds who used to have careers now are underemployed trying to survive with multiple part time jobs and reduced or no medical insurance.
Amid all of this massive Middle Class downgrade the wealthy are prospering at phenomenal levels not seen since just before the Great Depression. And even as the wealthy prosper the government forges ahead with incomprehensible advantages being given to the already most advantaged people and industries in our country.
THE 2012 ELECTIONS CAN BE A CRITICAL TURNING POINT FOR OUR COUNTRY.
THE QUESTION IS WHICH WAY WILL IT TURN?
Will it continue on the present path to a point of no return of continued power and advantage to the wealthiest among us?
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Can we take our government back and restore the ideals of a government that works for the benefit of all its citizens?
Taking back will mean the hard work of race by race fight for candidates who will fight for us.
Middle Class Clout theoretically is party-neutral and supports candidates who have the welfare of the people as the focus of their public service. The problem is that Republicans vote so consistently as an obstructive group, blocking jobs bills, unemployment benefits, bank and Wall Street reforms, defense spending cuts, and on and on, that when we look at their platform or voting records there are no current Republicans among the candidates we have evaluated that we can support. Even though Democrats need a great deal of improvement as well, Republicans’ obstructive voting make Democrats and Independents the choice in each of the races we have highlighted.
HIGHLIGHTED SENATE RACES
Most pollsters project the 2012 election will result in the Republicans taking over the majority of seats in the Senate. Right now the Democrats hold 51 seats Independents 2 seats and the Republicans 47 seats. There are 33 Senate seats up for election in 2012 11 now held by Republicans and 22 now held by Democrats. Below 11 of the seats are highlighted. Most have a good chance of progressives winning in 2012 but will require major support for voter turn-out and public advertising.
ARIZONA: Incumbent Republican John Kyle is retiring leaving the seat open. The primaries do not occur until August 28th. Jeff Flake is the most likely Republican candidate. The Democrats have an excellent candidate in Purple Heart awardee, Vietnam Veteran and former Surgeon General Richard Carmona. Although the seat is considered likely Republican the strength of the Democratic candidate Carmona provides a good opportunity for a possible upset for the Democrats.
FLORIDA: Incumbent Ben Nelson is fighting a tight race against the well-known and well financed Republican challenger Connie Mack IV. Florida is always a very vulnerable state and the polls go back and forth between Nelson and Mack as the leader in this hotly contested race. It is critical to keep Nelson in this seat. 8/24 Quinnipiac poll shows Nelson ahead by 4 points.
INDIANA: The surprise of the Tea Party candidate Richard Mourdock becoming the Republican nominee has created an opportunity for Democratic Joe Donnelly in the November election. Right now most polls show Mourdock ahead by 2 or 3 points, but it is considered a dead heat. Mourdock is receiving huge amounts of PAC money to bring this seat in as another obstructionist Tea Party win. This is a great opportunity for an unexpected Democratic win.
MAINE: The retirement of Republican Olympia Snow opens the Maine Senate seat. Angus King is a popular former governor who is running for Senate as an Independent. We support Mr. King and his lead in all polls is significant.
MASSACHUSETTS: Probably the most high profile and highly financed race in the country is the Massachusetts Senate seat now held by Republican Scott Brown. The democratic candidate Elizabeth Warren has a strong national profile. She represents everything that we need to make government work for the people. Both Brown and Warren have raised record breaking amounts of money in this highly contested race. The candidates are virtually tied. A Warren victory is very important in this race.
MISSOURI: Claire McCaskill faces a very tough re-election challenge and has been pummeled with negative ads. Her opponent Todd Akin gave Claire surprise boost this week with his rape comments. An 8/24 Quinipiac poll shows Claire now ahead by 10 points . We can't let our guard down and hopefully in the coming weeks the GOP will not convince Akin to drop out. Most SuperPACS have pulled their support from Akin. Right now this is looking like a seat that McCaskill may be able to hold on to.
MONTANA: When Democrat John Tester won this seat in 2006 it was a true upset in this very red state. Tester is very vulnerable in this re-election campaign and is running neck and neck with the Republican candidate Denny Rehberg. John Tester needs a great deal of help to keep his seat in the Senate. Rehberg has a slight lead in the polls.
NEVADA: This seat is currently held by Republican Dean Heller. Democrat Shelley Berkley is behind in the polls, but fighting a very hard campaign. With the right financial support and voter turn-out this is a very possible win for the Democrats this year. Voter registration and turn out will be key. This is a long shot but not impossible.
NORTH DAKOTA: The retirement of Democratic Senator Kent Conrad left the Senate seat wide open this year. The contest between Democrat Heidi Heitkamp and Republican Rick Berg is a hotly contested one. Some polls show Heitkamp with as much as a 6 point lead, and others show Berg ahead by as much as 9 points. Heitkamp has an excellent chance of winning but the campaigning between now and the November election will require constant attention and expense. It is important to support Heitkamp and keep this a Democratic seat.
VIRGINIA: This is a very vulnerable seat currently held by retiring Senator Democrat Jim Webb. Tim Kaine is the Democratic candidate running against Republican George Allen. The election is neck and neck with most pollsters showing George Allen with a slight advantage. Both candidates were former state governors. This is one of the most important races because it may also have implications of the way Virginia votes in the Presidential race. Turn out of Democrats will be critical. Update: 8/24 Quinipiac poll shows candidates equal at 49% each.
WISCONSIN: The incumbent Tammy Baldwin is facing former Governor Tommy Thompson. The 8/24 Quinnipiac poll shows Thomson leading Baldwin by 10 points . The GOP sees this as a great chance to pick up another Senate seat and possibly the majority so all kinds of funds are pouring in to support Thompson. Tammy Baldwin's campaign desparately needs your help. Donate to Baldwin at : http://www.actblue.com or directly to: www.tammybaldwin.com .
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