Politics Magazine

The Race: U.S. House, PA-10, 2006: Chris Carney (D) vs. Don Sherwood (R)

The Situation: In one of the tightest and most-watched congressional races of the ’06 cycle, challenger Chris Carney looked poised to oust longtime GOP incumbent Rep. Don Sherwood. But heading into the stretch run, polls showed the race tight with Sherwood clinging to the advantages of incumbency in a Republican district where approval of President Bush was still near 50 percent.

The Move: [...] In late September, the Carney camp went up with a 30-second spot entitled “Father.” The ad featured a former Sherwood supporter holding a picture of his 26-year-old stepdaughter who asked, “How can I tell her I support Don Sherwood and feel good about myself?”

Watch the ad:

Read the rest here.

The Cook Political Report

The past few weeks haven’t treated Republican incumbents well in general, but they have been particularly bad press weeks for the seven-term Shadegg, who has never before faced a competitive reelection race in his suburban Phoenix district. It’s not that he voted for the “bailout” package that passed the House – he didn’t. It’s not that he’s facing a Democratic opponent with a great story or a long political resume – he’s not.

In fact, in the past few weeks, Shadegg hasn’t just been running against Democratic tax attorney Bob Lord, who has raised boat-loads of money. He’s been running against Constantine O’Neill, an octogenarian World War II veteran and former POW who has expressed outrage that his image was used in a Shadegg ad on veterans. [...]

This R+6 district moves to a Lean Republican rating, which may even be generous to Shadegg.

Roll Call - "Lord Shows No Mercy for John Shadegg"

The disaster looming for House Republicans on Election Day is nowhere more apparent than in Arizona’s conservative 3rd district, where Rep. John Shadegg (R) finds himself embroiled in a tough race despite hometown Sen. John McCain’s position at the top of the Republican ticket.

Shadegg is facing a determined challenge from attorney Bob Lord (D), who is well-funded and running a strong race compared to what some Republicans say is a lackluster campaign by the incumbent. [...]

“Shadegg is looking at his race and realizing he could lose,” said a Republican consultant based in Arizona.

Privately, Republican operatives are critical of Shadegg’s campaign, saying the Congressman has not adequately responded to what they say are unfair and inaccurate Democratic attacks by the Lord campaign and the DCCC — although the Arizona Republican operative expects the Shadegg campaign to take corrective measures by week’s end.

Phoenix New Times, Valley Fever - "That Person Calling You on Behalf of John Shadegg Just Might be a Perv"

Nope, when it comes to connecting you with shady people, Congressman Shadegg's campaign takes the cake: They're apparently using felons and at least one sex offender to work the phone banks.

Ewww.

[T]he Shadegg campaign has paid at least three men with dubious pasts to work its phone banks. One guy, records suggest, did two years in the Arizona Department of Corrections for vehicle theft and burglary. Another did nearly four years for burglary. And the third phone bank worker may well be the creepiest: This 24-year-old male is a registered sex offender who had "sexal contact with a minor," according to the state's registry. The state labels him an "intermediate" risk.

POLITICO - "So hard to find good help"

Take the campaign of Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.). According to Arizona court records and Shadegg's Federal Election Commission filings, his campaign has employed three men with sketchy pasts to make phone calls to get out the vote. One man appears on the registered sex offender list. Another can be found in Arizona prison records, having served time for car theft and burglary. A third is in the same database for theft.

Shadegg and his campaign did not return phone calls.

The Arizona Republic - "GOP campaign credit card found at Democrats' HQ"

A credit card belonging to the campaign of Republican Rep. John Shadegg was found at a Democratic Party office on Sunday. Party officials are suggesting that someone was up to no good. [...]

"It's extremely disturbing that a senior campaign operative for Republican John Shadegg would leave a credit card under a desk at one of our offices," said Maria Weeg, executive director of the Arizona Democratic Party.

In a letter to Shadegg's office, she suggested the staffer could have stolen sensitive campaign materials.

The office, 123 E. Baseline Road, Tempe, is full of "sensitive voter information" that the party would not want to fall into the hands of Republicans, Democratic spokeswoman Emily DeRose said.

POLITICO - "Arizona's credit card kerfuffle"

It's always a hassle when one loses a credit card. But it gets stickier if you're a Republican running for re-election and the card turns up in a local Democratic office.

That's what happened to Arizona Rep. John Shadegg's campaign this week when a volunteer dropped a campaign credit card at a Democratic field office in Tempe. Now, Arizona Democrats are demanding an explanation. [...]

That's not the kind of press Shadegg needs as he winds up an unexpectedly fierce contest with Democrat Bob Lord.

Roll Call - "Lord of the Campaign"

Attorney Bob Lord (D), hoping to upend Rep. John Shadegg (R) in Arizona's 3rd district, has hired Andrew Eldredge-Martin to manage his campaign. Eldredge-Martin is set to join Lord's campaign in January.

In the previous cycle, Eldredge-Martin managed now-Rep. Christopher Carney's (D-Pa.) victory over then-Rep. Don Sherwood (R) in the Keystone State's 10th district. Like Pennsylvania's 10th, Shadegg's district leans Republican — though Shadegg isn't plagued by scandal the way Sherwood was.

"We could not be happier to have someone with Andrew's experience leading our team," Lord said in a statement. "He knows how to win."

The Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader "Cordaro is ousted as Dems take over"

Underdog candidates trounced the competition in the race for Lackawanna County commissioner, beating their opponents by more than a two-to-one ratio ...

Current minority commissioner Michael Washo teamed with Corey O’Brien to oust the Republican majority on the board.

The Scranton Times-Tribune "Dems Hopes Resting on Pair"

Now, Mr. O'Brien and Mr. Washo carry the party's hopes for regaining control of the commissioners office after four years of Republican rule by commissioners Robert C. Cordaro and A.J. Munchak.

In winning the primary election Tuesday, they served notice they will be formidable challengers to Mr. Munchak and Mr. Cordaro, who himself has something to prove now. ...

Both men raised more money than Mrs. McNulty and both also had political consultants, Andrew Eldredge-Martin for Mr. O'Brien and Saul Shorr for Mr. Washo, who based decisions on polls rather than instincts, county Democratic Party chairman Harry McGrath said.

Mike Washo and Corey O'Brien went to professional third parties, independent people, to identify the issues and they followed their advice, Mr. McGrath said.

The Scranton Times-Tribune "Incumbents faces on tickets spark uproar"

Robert C. Cordaro and A.J. Munchak aren't baseball players. Nor are they big, fuzzy team mascots.

Lackawanna County's Republican majority commissioners do, however, appear on tickets shipped to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees season-ticket buyers this week.

The sight of incumbents faces on tickets for the county-owned team, during an election year, had political opponents in an uproar Friday.

"This is a public agency that is paying for the tickets," said Andrew Eldredge-Martin, campaign manager for Democratic commissioner candidate Corey O'Brien. "This is something that's owned by the people of Lackawanna and Luzerne counties. I don't see the Luzerne commissioners on the tickets, and I don't see (Lackawanna) minority Commissioner Mike Washo."

[Also picked up by the AP Wire: "Tickets for Triple-A Yankees spark political uproar"

PoliticsPA.com "Best and Worst Campaigns of 2006"

Chris Carney for Congress: In private messages to state and national Democratic leaders sent in earlier in the campaign cycle, we at PoliticsPA mocked them for even attempting to field candidate against Congressman Don Sherwood. We were wrong... really wrong. Campaign manager Drew Eldredge-Martin deserves credit for keeping Carney on message and running among the best Democratic races in the state this year. His star is on the rise and if he so chooses, will be among the most sought-after managers in 2008.

Note to historians: Yes, I needed a haircut in that photo. Yes, that photo was taken when I was a sophomore (or junior?) at Haverford College.

Electric City: "Best Political Campaign of 2006"

November 7th: The Towanda Daily Review "Students to hold Mock Election," Laura B. Williams

Freshman honors students lobbied for the votes of their classmates Monday as they presented campaign information in an assembly moderated by Chris Carney's congressional campaign manager Andrew Eldredge-Martin . . .

"Voting is really only a beginning. It's an incredibly important beginning, but when you feel passionate about an issue, whether it's education or foreign policy, the most important thing you can do is actually get involved. I don't care what your position is on any particular issue, if you take that passion and you make an action out of it - get out there and get involved - you're going to make your community and our nation a better place," Eldredge-Martin said.

Eldredge-Martin highlighted another manner in which the students might affect the outcome of the election.

While he attended Harlan Rowe in 1992, he worked on the same project and was assigned to research presidential candidate Bill Clinton.

"There is a track record," he said. "Clinton won Harlan Rowe, and he won the presidency..."

Note for historians: Chris Carney won Harlan Rowe's elections with 57% of the vote, while Republicans swept all other offices.

Oct 4th: The New Republic, Eve Fairbanks

Carney's new line of attack blasts Sherwood for his planned fundraisers with the now-tainted House Majority Leader Boehner and Speaker Dennis Hastert--and draws an implicit comparison between the sins of Foley and of Sherwood . . . Carney is now using Foley on the stump, because, according to Eldredge-Martin, "people have been coming up to our staff and to Chris and expressing their outrage at what now appears to be Don Sherwood's immoral majority in Washington."

Oct 1st: The Nation Blog "State of Denial," John Nichols

Hastert and Boehner are scheduled to attend fund-raising events on behalf of embattled Pennsylvania Republican Congressman Don Sherwood in coming weeks. Sherwood's Democratic challenger, Chris Carney, a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy Reserve who served as a senior advisor on intelligence and counterterrorism issues at the Pentagon, has asked the Republican congressman to cancel the events. "Holding happy hour fundraisers with people who cover-up the cyber-molestation of children should be below even the questionable morals of Don Sherwood," explained Carney campaign manager Andrew Eldredge-Martin. "Sherwood should immediately cancel his upcoming fundraisers with Hastert and Boehner. Don Sherwood has already brought Washington's values back to the district, now he wants to bring a depraved cover-up home."

Ouch! There's a new twist on the old Republican appeal to values voters.

[Note: My quote was nominated for "Best PageGate Soundbite." Also, I have to thank our then-press secretary Kyra Jennings for her help in crafting those lines.]

Oct 29: The Wilkes-Barre Citizens Voice "YouTube Video Targets Sherwood," Elizabeth Piet

Andrew Eldredge-Martin, Carney's campaign manager, said the campaign has worked to be accessible on the Internet including updating its blog and posting all Carney's ads on YouTube. "These days, even in a rural district like ours, there are a lot of people who follow campaigns online," he said. "It's a chance to cheaply communicate directly with many people who are looking for information about Chris Carney."

Oct 29: The Towanda Daily Review "Ulster native leads Carney election campaign team," Timothy Cama

Eldredge-Martin has been with the Carney campaign since early Aug. 2005, shortly after he and Carney met at a small July barbecue in Bradford County. At the barbecue, Eldredge-Martin was "impressed" by Carney, who, at the time, was only considering a race for the 10th District seat. The two kept in touch following that barbecue, and when it came time to find his first campaign staffer, Carney turned to Eldredge-Martin and asked him to be his campaign manager.

Sept. 5th #1: TPM's Election Central "Carney Campaign Slams GOPer Sherwood Over 9/11 Fundraiser," Greg Sargent

We thought fundraising on 9/11 was a no-no -- particularly in the viw of Republicans, who supposedly are so much more serious than Dems in grasping the true significance of the attacks. But now the campaign of Chris Carney -- the Dem challenger to GOP Rep. Don Sherwood -- has just sent us a copy of an invitation which appears to show that Sherwood is indeed throwing a political fundraiser on 9/11. And Carney campaign manager Andrew Eldredge-Martin hammered Sherwood in an interview with Election Central. View the invite here.

Sept. 5th #2: TPM's Election Central "Sherwood Nixes Event On 9/11; Blames 'Aggressive' Aide," Greg Sargent

Dem candidate Chris Carney's campaign slammed GOP Rep. Don Sherwood today in an interview with Election Central for sending out an invite for a fundraiser set to take place on 9/11. Now a rep for Sherwood has gotten back to us -- he acknowledged the event had been planned and emailed a statement saying that that the event is now off. "The fundraiser scheduled for next Monday was postponed," Sherwood adviser Jake O'Donnell emailed Election Central. "The Congressman has an aggressive fundraiser who okayed it originally. The event will be rescheduled for a future date."