We won't know until November 3rd which party will control Congress, but it is interesting to follow some of the incumbents who voted for unpopular legislation struggle to maintain their seats. Congressman Jim Oberstar, a Democrat from Minnesota's 8th Congressional District is running for re-election (as is all of the House of Representatives).
On Thursday, the Washington Examiner reported:
"First an internal GOP poll showed Republican Chip Cravaack, a former Navy and Northwest Airlines pilot, trailing Oberstar by just three points--42% to 45%. Then came a couple of surprising anecdotes: the AP reported a local union nearly endorsed Cravaack, and there was such interest in the campaign that the debate--schedules at 8 a.m. on a Tuesday--had to be moved to a larger venue."
Just when you thought things could not get worse for Congressman Oberstar, it was reported that between June 22 and September 30, the Congressman received only one campaign donation from his district. Congressman Oberstar collected $233,102 in contributions during that period--from political action committees, Native American tribes or individual donors in other districts and states.
His story is not unique. One of the results of an 'internet society' is that the money in elections is now national as well as local. I don't know if this is a good thing or not, but it has definitely changed how campaign money is raised. In the past, a candidate who received only one donation from his district might have a hard time getting his message out. Today, when significant money can be donated from outside the district, that is not a problem.
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