A daily dose of online news from beyond the Beltway.

By Ryan Thornburg
Washingtonpost.com Staff
Tuesday, September 22, 1998

Even if Massachusetts Libertarians don't win any offices in November, their farcical announcement that most of the party's statewide candidates plan to spend $19.5 billion is sure to have an effect on the fall campaigns. The party made the announcement about their unattainable spending goals to mock a new Massachusetts campaign finance law, which essentially lets the candidate with the highest level of intended spending set the limit for state races.

"How can you be conservative, living in a trailer? What have you got to conserve?" – Rev. Jesse Jackson, during a tour of poverty-stricken Appalachia. (Lexington Herald-Leader, Sept. 22)

The law required candidates to announce their intended spending goals by Monday. Republican Gov. Paul Cellucci's $5 million spending goal was a distant second to the Libertarian plan. The Libertarian announcement essentially eliminates the law's intended spending limits. So far, Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Dean Cook has raised $2,916 – which means just $19,499,997,084 to go!
• Libertarians, Making a Point, Blow Campaign Spending Caps (The Boston Globe, Sept. 22)
• Key Race: Massachusetts governor (washingtonpost.com)

Turnout May Determine If Boxer Keeps Her Office
A new Los Angeles Times poll appears to give solace to first-term Sen. Barbara Boxer (D), who faces a tough reelection battle against Republican Matt Fong. It shows her ahead by 8 percentage points among registered voters. However, Boxer's lead becomes a 5-point deficit among likely voters. That could make a huge difference in a year during which voter turnout is expected to be abysmal.
• Fong Looms Strong With Key Group of Voters (Los Angeles Times, Sept. 21)
• Key Race: California Senate (washingtonpost.com)

Democratic fears that the Clinton scandal will keep party faithful away from the polls in November has California Democrats concerned about losing control of the state Assembly.
• Clinton Fallout Could Affect Power Balance in Sacramento (Los Angeles Times, Sept. 21)

Abortion, Gay Marriages Coming to Front of Calif. Political Debate
The always-contentious social issues of abortion and gay marriages are heating up in California. Lt. Gov. Gray Davis, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, began running television ads touting his pro-abortion-rights stance and criticizing his GOP rival, Attorney General Dan Lungren, for once sponsoring national legislation that would have outlawed abortion even in cases of rape and incest. Lungren denounced the ad as a "personal attack."
• Gubernatorial Foes Clash Over Abortion (Los Angeles Times, Sept. 21)
• Key Race: California Governor (washingtonpost.com)

The gay marriage battle looms in California's political future. A Republican state legislator got the ball rolling on Monday when he submitted more than enough signatures needed to place an initiative on the June 2000 ballot that would say: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."
• Petitions Seek Vote on Banning Gay Marriages (San Francisco Chronicle, Sept. 22)

On Tour of Appalachia, Jesse Jackson Builds Unique Coalition
Country singer Willie Nelson, the Rev. Jerry Falwell and AFL-CIO President John Sweeney are all scheduled to join Rev. Jesse Jackson on his tour of poverty-stricken regions of the Appalachian mountains.
• Appalachian Residents Must Revive Interest in Politics, Jackson Urges (Lexington Herald-Leader, Sept. 22)
• Jackson Sends Message of Hope to Strikers (The Daily Mail, Charleston, W.Va., Sept. 21)

Florida Gubernatorial Strategies Reflect National Trends
Six weeks to go before November's general elections and a quick glance at the race to replace term-limited Florida Gov. Lawton Chiles (D) gives a good reflection of the major issues in contests across the country. Democratic Lt. Gov. Buddy MacKay has made health care one of his top campaign issues, while Republican Jeb Bush is focusing on revamping the education system.
• Bush, MacKay Ready Their Strategies (The Miami Herald, Sept. 21)
• Key Race: Florida Governor (washingtonpost.com)

Missouri Senate candidate Jay Nixon (D) is also among candidates across the country, especially Democrats, who have been focusing on health care since January. Nixon's ad attacks Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond (R) for some of his health care-related votes.
• Nixon's Ad Attacks Bond on Health Care (The Post-Dispatch, Sept. 21)
• Key Race: Missouri Senate (washingtonpost.com)

Although the challenge of improving schools is at the center of the Oregon gubernatorial race, Democratic Gov. John Kitzhaber's new education plan is drawing yawns from experts and supporters.
• Lukewarm Reception Given to Governor's Education Plan (The Oregonian, Sept. 21)
• Elections Guide: Oregon Races (washingtonpost.com)

As Jeb Bush and other Republican candidates have shown this year, education reform is no longer just a Democratic issue. On Monday, Arizona's largest teachers union endorsed a Republican gubernatorial candidate – Gov. Jane D. Hull – for the first time.
• Teachers Union Backs Hull (Arizona Central, Sept. 22)
• Elections Guide: Arizona Races (washingtonpost.com)

Heston Toting NRA Gun Message Across Country
Actor and National Rifle Association president Charlton Heston promoted his message of gun-owner rights on Monday during a campaign stop in support of Kentucky Republican Senate hopeful Jim Bunning. Heston will visit Milwaukee next month to drum up support for a referendum calling for a state constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to keep and bear arms "for security, defense, hunting, recreation or any other lawful purpose."
• Heston Stumps for Bunning (Lexington Herald-Leader, Sept. 22)
• Heston Plans Visit to Support Gun Vote (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Sept. 21)
• Key Race: Kentucky Senate (washingtonpost.com)

New York Senate nominee Rep. Charles Schumer is bringing up the gun control issue in his race to unseat Sen. Alfonse D'Amato (R).
• Schumer Assails D'Amato on Gun Control (The New York Times, Sept. 21, registration required)
• Key Race: New York Senate (washingtonpost.com)

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