Conversation on the Coast

If Taylor wins, he still loses subcommittee leadership

Politico:

MS-4 - Mississippi's Gene Taylor is one of the most conservative Democrats in the House, but this year's reelection bid has pulled him even further to the right, and despite the work he's brought home to Northrop Grumman's naval shipyard in Pascagoula, he's very vulnerable to Republican Steven Palazzo. Even if Taylor survives today, he'll likely lose his chairmanship of the HASC's sea power subcommittee to Missouri's Todd Akin.

Former 4th District Nominee Urges Support for Palazzo

In 2008, John McCay won the Republican nomination to face Democrat Congressman Gene Taylor in the general election. Taylor won. Showing no signs of sour grapes and all signs of supporting his party, this year John McCay is urging voters to support Steven Palazzo.

The 4th Congressional District deserves a representative who understands our district and will vote responsibly.

We need a true conservative who will put Mississippi first, and that person is Steven Palazzo.

For too long the 4th District has not had a true conservative who will stand for what he believes and supports a conservative mission.

We need Steven Palazzo in Congress. I believe Steven to be a man of integrity, faith and love for his family and country. These are ideals we as Mississippians hold dear.

I strongly encourage you to support Steven Palazzo as he labors for the betterment of our state and our country.

Democrats Bankroll Gene Taylor

Lest anyone think Gene Taylor is independent from his National Democratic Party, check out how the Democrats bankrolled his campaign.

Stephen Colbert Calls Gene Taylor "Gutless"

Gene Taylor throwing Dems under the buss

Gene Taylor says he voted for John McCain and not Barack Obama. He says he voted for Pelosi to help with insurance reform and now he isn't going to vote for her again, so we guess insurance reform is off the table.

Gene Taylor can't work with Democrats, and he isn't a Republican, so what good is he?

Taylor complained that Republicans were trying to jump on the admission. “They’re trying to make it a sign of desperation,” he said.

It IS a sign of desperation. He is doing whatever it takes to get reelected and willing to throw anyone under the bus to make it happen.

Gene Taylor so happy to vote for Nancy Pelosi

Gene Taylor hit by the surge

Today from Marshall Ramsey


Gene Taylor didn't build it high enough, according to the new Tarrance Group poll that has Steven Palazzo in the lead by two points.

Newt seeks contributions for Palazzo

From Newt Gingrich's contribution appeal for Steven Palazzo and four other candidates.

We are just two weeks away from some of the most important mid-term elections in our nation's history, and members of American Solutions PAC have already made a big difference.

Together we have raised a total of over $100,000 for ten candidates running in races that are absolutely critical in our efforts to take back the House.

But Republicans need to win 39 seats to take back the House from Speaker Nancy Pelosi. So this week we are featuring another five candidates.

These candidates are running in the most competitive Congressional races in the entire nation, and they need your support.

It is absolutely critical that you contribute to these candidates, and your donation will go directly to their campaigns:

Steven Palazzo is running against 10-term career Democrat politician Gene Taylor. One of the most conservative House districts in the country to be occupied by a Democrat, it is time for a true voice for the people of Mississippi. Donate to Steven here.
The outcome of their races could determine who controls Congress, and the very future of our nation is at stake.

In related news, Dick Morris also sees this as a competitive race.

Democratic House seats that no one would have imagined are vulnerable, and races thought to be blowouts for Democrats are now neck and neck, he says.

“That really is an advantage to Republicans -- first because the undecided almost always go against the incumbent, and second because Republicans are so much more enthusiastic about voting this year that I think their turnout will be much higher.”

Morris cites several incumbent Democrats earlier considered prohibitive favorites who are likely headed for defeat: Reps. John Dingell of Michigan, Corrine Brown of Florida, John Hall of New York, Mike Ross of Arkansas and Gene Taylor of Mississippi.

DCCC Calls Taylor a Nazi?

Did the DCCC call Gene Taylor a Nazi? Not quite, but almost. We don't believe Gene Taylor deserves that attack, but then we aren't the DCCC.

National Democrats have charged that a House candidate endorsed by a controversial anti-immigration group has “Nazi ties” — but six other congressional Democrats also have the group’s endorsement.

The group, Americans for Legal Immigration, or ALIPAC, supports candidates and incumbents who oppose creating a path to citizenship for the thousands of undocumented immigrants in the United States. The Anti-Defamation League has criticized ALIPAC for what it says is support from white supremacist and racist groups.

“Another [National Republican Congressional Committee] Young Gun candidate, another Nazi tie — it should come as no surprise,” Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesman Andy Stone said in a statement Monday. He said the group was “on the racist fringe” and that it was “backed by anti-Semites and white supremacists.”

The DCCC statement was aimed at Arizona congressional candidate Jesse Kelly, the Republican who is challenging Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in the state’s 8th District.

But six Democrats: Reps. Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Gene Taylor of Mississippi, Pete DeFazio of Oregon, Mike McIntyre of North Carolina and Jim Marshall and John Barrow of Georgia, all have the group’s endorsement.

But at least one, McIntyre, has touted the group’s endorsement. POLITICO calls and e-mails to the other five Democrats were not immediately returned.

ALIPAC adamantly denies any voluntary association with white supremacist or neo-Nazi groups.

The ADL has carefully documented white supremacist groups that have encouraged their members to attend ALIPAC events or have posted ALIPAC information on their own websites. They have also pointed out white supremacist groups that have encouraged their members to attend rallies or lobby members of Congress in support of ALIPAC goals.

Just so we're clear here, we do not think Gene Taylor is a Nazi. We don't know if he has embraced this endorsement. And honestly, we don't even know anything about ALIPAC. What we do know is the DCCC is pretty quick to use the "Nazi" tag and get dirty, and this time some of that mud has blown back on one of their own candidates.

Newt Gingrich Endorses Steven Palazzo

Y'all Politics has a press release from Steven Palazzo's campaign touting the endorsement Newt Gingrich for Palazzo. As far as we can tell, Palazzo is the only candidate in any Mississippi race endorsed by Gingrich and American Solutions.

Alexandria, Virginia – Speaker Newt Gingrich and American Solutions has officially announced its endorsement of conservative Republican Steven Palazzo (MS-04).

“Mississippi’s 4th Congressional District is one of the most conservative districts in the country, but has been represented by a Democrat who votes with Nancy Pelosi's agenda nearly 80 percent of the time. Steven Palazzo is a true representative of the values of his conservative district and will fight to create jobs in South Mississippi through less spending and less taxing,” said Speaker Newt Gingrich.

“I am honored to be endorsed by American Solutions. Speaker Gingrich is the leader on conservative issues and solutions. When elected, I will carry the conservative banner in Congress and get American families back to work,” said Palazzo.

Gingrich says, “Any time an incumbent is at only 44 percent, the challenger is in an ideal position for victory. Palazzo is within two points of Gene Taylor and has a real chance to take back a conservative seat.”

Heck of a job Taylor

"That guy has to run against me,'' Taylor said. "And I've got a heck of a record."

Right, heck of a job Taylor. We've heard that one before. And if you think FEMA was slow, what has Gene Taylor done over the past twenty years in congress?



Actually, we don't want to be totally dismissive. He has fought to rename a bunch of Post Offices, and for that we say, heck of a job Taylor.

Veterans of Foreign Wars: Gene Taylor "can't ride that wagon anymore"

The Hattiesburg American has news on Democrat Gene Taylor's run against combat veteran Steven Palazzo. Basically, they are looking to rescind Taylor's endorsement and Taylor "can't ride that wagon anymore."

National Veterans of Foreign Wars officials want the organization's political action committee to rescind its congressional endorsements in the November elections, including one for Congressman Gene Taylor.

Bill Perkins, senior vice commander for VFW Post 3063 in Hattiesburg, said he understood that the national office had received thousands of calls and e-mails on the endorsements. The VFW has 2.1 million members.

Taylor's campaign has aired commercials about the VFW-PAC endorsement and included it on his campaign website, www.congressmangenetaylor.com.

Perkins said the VFW's demand that the PAC rescind its endorsements means that Taylor "can't ride that wagon anymore."

Nunnelee & Palazzo Outraise Dems in 3rd Quarter

Republicans Alan Nunnelee and Steven Palazzo both outraised their opponents in the 3rd Quarter according to FEC reports. While Democrats Travis Childers and Gene Taylor still lead in cash on hand, the momentum is clearly with the GOP as Dem donors appear tapped out.

DC's Hotline called Palazzo a winner in the money race

Once thought to be longshots, Republicans Bobby Schilling, who's taking on Rep. Phil Hare (D-IL), and Steven Palazzo, who's challenging Rep. Gene Taylor (D-MS), both managed to haul in more than the incumbents. The showing by both validates their status as real upset picks on Nov. 2.

and said elsewhere

The list goes on and on: Rep. Joe Donnelly (D-IN) wasn't even in the fundraising ballpark of his Republican challenger Jackie Walorski, who outraised the congressman, $546K to $323K. Rep. Gene Taylor (D-MS), a popular conservative Democratic facing his first serious race in many years, got badly outraised by Republican Steven Palazzo. We're still tabulating all the numbers, but if the trends hold up, we could see a record number of Democratic incumbents getting outraised in the last three months by their Republican challengers - another empirical bit of evidence that 2010 is shaping up to be a Republican rout.

Here are the numbers.

Travis Childers
3rd Quarter
Raised: $307,027.67
Spent: $711,949.08

Year To Date
Raised: $1,635,331.93
Spent: $1,141,534.45

Cash On Hand: $494,848.04
Debt: $100,000

Alan Nunnelee

3rd Quarter
Raised: $475,526
Spent: $403,928.79

Year To Date
Raised: $1,358,126.78
Spent: $1,060,039.95

Cash On Hand: $322,988.99

Gene Taylor

3rd Quarter
Raised: $159,535
Spent: $175,147.80

Year To Date
Raised: $623,844.98
Spent: $532,797.37

Cash On Hand: $331,071.71

Steven Palazzo

3rd Quarter
Raised: $311,534.50
Spent: $134,083.72

Year To Date
Raised: $501,593.50
Spent: $330,011.69

Cash On Hand: $203,581.81
Debt: $32,000

Gene Taylor Double Talk on Pelosi

Why did Gene Taylor vote for Nancy Pelosi?

Was it because he didn't like Republican John Boehner?

Taylor has said that he voted for Pelosi mainly because he disagreed strongly with her opponent, Rep. John Boehner. He has said he would not vote for her again.

If so, why didn't he not vote for Pelosi but vote for someone else like he did many years ago?

Was it because she promised him her help on insurance reform?

Asked why he voted for Nancy Pelosi as House Speaker, he said, "I will tell you exactly why." "She came down to South Mississippi and heard the horror stories of people who had been cheated by the insurance companies. She listened, stood in a town hall meeting in Bay St. Louis and said, If you will let me be speaker, we will pass some insurance reform through the U.S. Congress, let you get your wind and water policy, all one policy, so that the next time, and there will be a next time, when we have a hurricane, people won't get screwed by the insurance companies; it doesn't matter if the wind, water did it or a barge goes through your house, you get paid," he said.

If so, consider this. Nancy Pelosi promised Gene Taylor she would help him with insurance reform. So he says he voted for her. Now he says he will not vote for her (“She failed to support it this year, so I will not be voting for her again.”) so does that mean Gene Taylor has given up on insurance reform?

No, it means he wants to get reelected, that is his top priority. He will worry about insurance reform, worry about the Coast, later. His brilliant plan to get someone else to keep his promise failed, now he has no plan. That's the problem of being both ineffective and alienated from your party.

Sun Herald Endorsement for Congress: My Grandfather

Last week the Sun Herald endorsed Star Trek's Khan for Congress. This week, they endorsed my grandfather. Let's go through it.

The Sun Herald is basically begging people to support Gene Taylor. Here are some excerpts and the translation.

Those employees have no stronger advocate than Taylor.

Taylor is an advocate.

And since he ranks fourth in seniority among the 60 members of the House Armed Services Committee, Taylor is in an especially advantageous position to be an advocate for the Coast.

Taylor has seniority.

He also serves as chairman of the Seapower and Expeditionary Forces Subcommittee, which has an annual budget of approximately $60 billion to spend on Navy and Marine Corps programs.

Taylor is a subcommittee chairman.

This is experience and stature that South Mississippians can take to the bank, and influence which could not be replaced anytime soon by any of Taylor’s opponents.

Taylor has influence.

He’ll hop on a plane and go to the other side of the world if he thinks he can make life a little safer for Americans serving in harm’s way. His concern for and care for our troops is an important reason that he has long been so popular among South Mississippians.

Taylor cares about the troops.

He lost everything but life to Katrina and he’s determined to make such disasters less ruinous for others. He is one of the most knowledgeable members of Congress on the insurance issue so important to Americans living near a shoreline — and that’s more than half of all Americans.

Taylor is determined and knowledgeable.

So why would the sensible constituents of the 4th Congressional District gamble on another candidate?

It is obvious. Gene Taylor is a determined and knowledgeable senior advocate with influence who chairs a subcommittee and cares about the troops.

Other than him not being a subcommittee chairman, the Sun Herald basically endorsed my grandfather to be congressman.

(And with Gene Taylor saying he won't vote for Nancy Pelosi, even if the Democrats retain the House, he won't be a subcommittee chairman next time.)

My grandfather and Gene Taylor have something else in common. Both have accomplished nothing for the Fourth Congressional District over the past twenty years.

That is the real reason thousands of sensible constituents of the 4th Congressional District will take a sure thing on another candidate.

Gene Taylor All Smiles For Nancy Pelosi

The Mississippi Republican Party (hattip Majority) has posted a CSPAN clip showing how happy Gene Taylor was to vote for Nancy Pelosi. It speaks for itself. NotMyRep.com

Sun Herald - Khan for Congress

Who knew the Sun Herald had actually endorsed a Ricardo Montalbán character for Congress?

Tanned and open-collared, Taylor Khan embodies the Coast wherever he goes, from Bay St. Louis to Afghanistan.

But times have been tough.

Yet his face has lost that boyish look. Partly, no doubt, because he just turned 57. But probably more so because he lost almost everything but life to Katrina Ceti Alpha V, an experience that aged us all.

The Sun Herald says he is for a strong national defense. Kirk agrees, "You have a tendency to express ideas in military terms, Mister Khan."

The Sun Herald says he is for a "smaller national debt that does not endanger our future with debilitating interest payments." Khan says, "We offered the world order!!"

The Sun Herald says Khan will fix the insurance problems, unfortunately, he replies, "You are in a position to demand nothing, sir. I, on the other hand, am in a position to grant nothing."

While we do not agree with him on everything, Gene Taylor Khan Noonien Singh has never given us reason to think that he has anything but the best interests of his constituents at heart. Such loyalty deserves our support.

In the words of Khan, "Save your strength, Captain Palazzo, these people have sworn to live and die at my command two hundred twenty years before you were born a candidate.

Respond Mississippi respectfully disagrees with the Sun Herald. As Captain Kirk said to Spock, "We can be against him and admire him all at the same time."