A daily dose of online news from beyond the Beltway.

By Ryan Thornburg
Washingtonpost.com Staff
Tuesday, July 7, 1998

Democratic state Sen. John Marty dropped his bid for Minnesota governor Monday, saying his self-imposed $100 limit on individual donors had stifled his campaign. Marty's announcement leaves five Democrats in the running for the seat of Republican Gov. Arne Carlson, who is not running this year. Carlson defeated Marty in the general election four years ago.

"It's not important what my real name is. The law says I can run for office under the name I'm known by." – Former professional wrestler and Reform Party candidate for Minnesota, Jesse "The Body" Ventura (The Star-Tribune, Minneapolis, Minn., July 7)

Marty Drops Out of Governor's Race (The Star-Tribune, Minneapolis, July 7)

Little-Known Democratic Lawyer Set to Join Kennelly on Connecticut Ticket
Rep. Barbara B. Kennelly (D-Conn.), the Democratic gubernatorial front-runner, is scheduled to name a little-known former state representative as her running mate today. Joseph D. Courtney joins Kennelly after several other well and lesser-known Democrats declined the spot.
Courtney Is Kennelly's Choice (The Hartford Courant, July 7)

Ariz. Governor Calls Legislative Session to Deal With Education
Arizona Gov. Jane Hull (R) called a special session of the state legislature Monday after she collected enough votes to pass her education spending plan. Education is at the forefront of Arizona's gubernatorial campaign, as it is in many states this year. Hull is running against Democrat Paul Johnson for her first full term.
Agreement Near on School Funds (The Arizona Republic, July 7)

Most New Iowa Choose No Party Affiliation
Fifty-eight percent of Iowans who registered to vote in the last year declined to identify themselves as a member of a political party. Among newly registered voters less than 30 years of age, 63 percent call themselves independent.
Voters Go Their Own Way (The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, July 6)

North Carolinians File for Congress – Again
The filing period for North Carolina's newly drawn congressional districts opened Monday. A panel of federal judges that threw out the old 12th District as racially gerrymandered in April accepted the new district maps last month. The new primary date is Sept. 15.
Congress Filing Reopens (The News & Observer, Raleigh, N.C., July 7)

Faircloth Saves Money but Missed Votes
North Carolina Sen. Lauch Faircloth (R) returned $495,000 from his Senate office budget – 29 percent of the budget he was allotted – to the federal treasury in 1997, more than any other senator. When he ran for office in 1992, Faircloth promised to give back at least a quarter of his office budget and to pay for his own travel. Although he saves money by driving himself between North Carolina and Washington, Faircloth's Democratic opponent, John Edwards, has criticized him for missing votes while on the highway.
Faircloth Sends Back Office Funds (The News & Observer, Raleigh, N.C., July 7)
Democrats Bash Faircloth on Voting Absences (Winston-Salem Journal, N.C., June 27)

Ryan Thornburg can be reached at ryan.thornburg@washingtonpost.com