A daily dose of online news from beyond the Beltway.

By Ryan Thornburg
Washingtonpost.com Staff
Friday, September 4, 1998

A plan for a nuclear waste dump may undermine Republican Gov. George W. Bush's efforts to gain support in the Hispanic community.

"The last time I saw a fight this bad, Mike Tyson was spitting a piece of an ear." – Arizona Democratic attorney general nominee Janet Napolitano, on the fighting between her two potential GOP rivals. (The Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Sept. 4)

The plan for the dump, which will store waste from Maine and Vermont, was left over from the administration of former Democratic Texas governor Ann Richards and has her successor's qualified support. Political pressure knocked off the state nuclear regulatory authority's first two site choices. Now the dump is slated to be built in a poor, mostly Hispanic border town near El Paso.
Waste May Erode Bush's Hispanic Support (The Dallas Morning News, Sept. 4)

Leading Democrat Loses Husband's Financial Support in N.Y. Governor Race
New York Lt. Gov. Betsy McCaughey Ross, announced Thursday that her wealthy husband has withdrawn his financial support from her uphill gubernatorial bid. Ross, who faces three opponents in the Sept. 15 Democratic primary, said her husband's decision was made "for personal and financial reasons."
Lieutenant Governor Loses Husband's Financing in Gubernatorial Run (The New York Times, Sept. 4, registration required)
Elections Guide: New York races (washingtonpost.com)

N.J. Governor Hits Trail to Boost Candidates, Self
A year after fighting a close gubernatorial battle that almost ended her promising political career, New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman (R) today begins a week-long, six-state campaign swing to drum up support for Republican congressional candidates.
N.J. Governor to Stump for Republicans in 6 States (The New York Times, Sept. 4, registration required)
Governors Guide: Christine Whitman (washingtonpost.com)

Republican Party Gives $70K to Kentucky Candidate
The Republican National Committee on Thursday gave Kentucky congressional hopeful Ernie Fletcher $70,000, the maximum amount allowed by law. Fletcher is running for the seat left open by the senatorial bid of Democratic Rep. Scotty Baesler. Georgia Rep. John Linder, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, called the 6th-District contest one of the GOP's 10 most important races.
GOP Hands Fletcher $70,000 (Lexington Herald-Leader, Sept. 4)
Elections Guide: Kentucky races (washingtonpost.com)

San Diego Candidate Could Be First Open Lesbian in Congress
A record number of openly gay candidates – seven of them – are on congressional ballots this year. But San Diego Democrat Christine Kehoe is the only woman.
Lesbian in House Race May Win Place in History (Sacramento Bee, Sept. 4)
Elections Guide: Christine Kehoe (washingtonpost.com)

Former Kevorkian Lawyer's Michigan Campaign in Debt
Despite contributing nearly $1.25 million to his own gubernatorial campaign, Democrat Geoffrey Fieger is $78,583 in the hole. Campaign finance reports filed Thursday show Republican Gov. John Engler with $1,542,363 in his campaign fund on Aug. 20.
Engler's Funds Overflowing; Fieger's in a Hole (Detroit Free Press, Sept. 4)
Elections Guide: Michigan races (washingtonpost.com)

State Police Investigating Brother of Illinois Governor
Illinois State Police have launched an investigation into whether the brother of Republican Gov. Jim Edgar misused state funds to set up a health care consulting business in Poland. Edgar's office received an anonymous letter alleging the misuse and forwarded it to investigators.
Edgar's Brother, Finance Agency Face State Probe (The Chicago Tribune, Sept. 4)
Governors Guide: Jim Edgar (washingtonpost.com)

Wisconsin's Republican Governor Leaning Left?
On the same day that 14 labor unions endorsed Republican Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson in his reelection bid, the libertarian Cato Institute blasted the incumbent's spending record, calling Thompson a "celebrated fiscal down-sizer" who recently "caught the spending bug."
'The Governor Keeps the Jobs Coming,' Union Leader Says (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Sept. 4)
Big Labor Blows Him a Kiss, But Think Tank Drops Grade (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Sept. 4)
Elections Guide: Wisconsin races (washingtonpost.com)

What's This? An Incumbent Wants to Debate?
Incumbent Kansas Gov. Bill Graves (R) is pushing for public debates with his Democratic challenger, Tom Sawyer, who is surprisingly shying from the spotlight. With nothing to lose, challengers are usually much more eager to go head-to-head with incumbents. Such is the case in Oklahoma, where Democrat Laura Boyd is challenging Gov. Frank Keating to debate.
Graves Presses Sawyer to Debate (Wichita Eagle, Sept. 4)
Boyd Accuses Keating of Stalling Debates (The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, Sept. 4)
Elections Guide: Kansas races (washingtonpost.com)
Elections Guide: Oklahoma races (washingtonpost.com)

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