Countdown to Election Night

The final days leading up to the election were busy for LCV#2!  I traveled to Toledo, Canton, Cincinnati, and West Chester, Ohio to cover House Republican leader Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) as he headed into election night.  The stop in Toledo proved brief as the campaign stop for republican candidate Rich Iott, once opened to the media, was suddenly closed to cameras.  I proceeded to Ohio’s 16^th district in Canton to cover Rep. Boehner campaigning at a rally for republican candidate Jim Renacci.  Congressman Boehner arrived in a greyhound bus and greeted the crowd gathered in a parking lot near Renacci’s headquarters.  There, I interviewed rally attendees about their thoughts on his leadership abilities.  I prepared the piece for air in my Canton hotel room and then proceeded to Cincinnati the next day. Finally, Election Day!  In West Chester, Rep. Boehner cast his vote.  I captured Rep. Boehner and the intense media coverage surrounding his activity.  You can view all of the video on our website!

I am back in Indiana, fully rested and ready for the next LCV#2 adventure!

--Debbie Lamb

The Final Days

Phew, the 2010 Midterm Elections are done!  The days and weeks leading up to the elections was a bit crazy but I had a good time.  I got an depth look into the heartland of Ohio and had a stop in Lexington, KY where I had my first Kentucky Hot Brown!

As much fun as I had on the road,  it's great to be back home for a bit.  But I'm sure in a few days, the open road will be calling again ready to embark on the next LCV venture.  :)

-Tiffany

Michigan House races

Back from Michigan and now at the home base in Indiana to edit segments on Michigan 9 and Michigan 7, each held by an incumbent Democrat. Have finished the segment on Michigan 9 where Rep. Gary Peters (D) is being challenged by Republican candidate Andrew "Rocky" Raczkowski. The district is just north of Detroit and is experiencing a very rough time in the current economy - suffering about a 12% unemployment rate. The downsizing of the auto industry has really hurt this district. Most of the residents I interviewed had either lost a job, or knew of a family member or friend that had lost a job or had to close their business. Here's hoping the economy and this district rebound.

-Debbie Lamb 

Pennsylvania

Just arrived in Pittsburgh today. Traveling a bit south and east of the city this evening for coverage of the race in Pennsylvania's 12 Congressional District pitting incumbent Rep. Mark Critz (D) v. Tim Burns (R). They are debating this evening at the Bakersville Firehouse and then will be campaigning this weekend as well.
This is the seat that was held for so long by John Murtha. Rep. Critz won this seat in a special election. Polls show the race to be very close.

-Tiffany Rocque

West Virginia

Left Columbus, Ohio yesterday and I'm currently in Parkersburg, West Virginia covering the state's First Congressional district race.  It's an open seat, with Democratic party candidate Mike Oliverio and his Republican party opponent David McKinley locked in a tight battle. It had been a close contest for months, and with less than two weeks to go, the ads and rhetoric are at fever pitch.

Where the LCV#1 and I go next will be determined in the next few days.  Or hours, who knows.  I'm either Charleston-bound to cover the West Virginia - 3 race or I'll be heading north into Pennsylvania to focus on Pennsylvania - 12 and other close races there. Such is life on the campaign trail as we react to the last minute events of the campaigns.

-R.S.

What a trip...

Just got back into DC after a twelve day stretch crisscrossing the south.  A flight to New Orleans, five nights in Little Rock, six nights in central Tennessee, and over 1600 miles later, I shot four extremely interesting races that should be airing fairly soon on the network. 

What's striking about these races are the similarities among the big issues and candidates.  With AR-2, TN-6 and TN-8, you have open seats in conservative, but traditionally Democratic-voting(at least locally) districts.  The candidates in each race--the Republicans and conservative Democrats--are talking about the same things: jobs, spending, healthcare, often with comparable plans for what they'll do when they get to Washington.

Needless to say, November 2nd is going to be an interesting day.  Is this an anti-Democrat cycle?  Anti-incumbent?  The open-seat races in AR and TN could answer those questions as well as any in the country.

-R.S.
 

Getting ready for Ohio

Part of the behind the scenes process for this project is all the planning that goes on. While my colleague Rodee Schneider covers campaigns in Tennessee now, I'm planning the next leg of our journey - one that will take us into Kentucky and then into the always important state of Ohio. Calling campaigns to see what events are planned, getting in touch with local reporters who are covering the races, and reading background on each of these are all important. Ohio has 6 competitive House races which we're looking at covering. A decision on which ones we'll go to depends on information coming in the next couple days.

-Tiffany Rocque

Editing Illinois

After spending over a week covering House races in Illinois, I'm back in West Lafayette, Indiana, the home base of LCV 2 for this election season. Shooting and interviewing while in the field are only part of the process of getting our material on the air. The editing of our pieces is the final stage before things are ready to go. Airing tomorrow is a finished segment on the Illinois-10 House race pitting Republican Bob Dold against Democrat Dan Seals. Currently a Republican held seat, GOP Congressman Mark Kirk is running for the U.S. Senate, leaving the seat open. This is one of the races where the Democratic Party thinks that they can take back a seat from the Republicans on November 2.

-Debbie Lamb

Tennessee 6th

After spending time in Little Rock, drove into Tennessee where I'm covering the campaign in Tennessee's 6th district. This district has been identified by several election watchers as the most likely race in the country to change party hands. It's been held by retiring Rep. Bart Gordon (D) but with him leaving office, State Senator Diane Black (R) has been picked by many to win the seat in what is largely a Republican stronghold. Her opponent - Democratic party candidate Brett Carter probably has other ideas.

-Rodee Schneider

GOP Campaign 2010 Bus Tour

The paths of the LCV and the RNC's Campaign 2010 Bus Tour intersected yesterday here in Little Rock. The arrival of the bus, which is traveling the country to support GOP candidates, was cheered on by local Republicans both outside and inside Arkansas GOP hqs in downtown Little Rock. Shot and edited a piece on the stop which included a first time media look inside the GOP bus with RNC Chairman Michael Steele as we talked about the goals of their trip and the behind the scenes aspects to traveling the country and planning their stops. The segment is scheduled to air this weekend (September 25-26)

-Rodee Schneider

Arkansas 1

Just arrived in Little Rock several days ago. I'm here to cover the Arkansas 1 House race. It's an open seat currently held by the Democrats, but the GOP sees this as a chance to pick up a victory in November. Running are Democrat Chad Causey and Republican Rick Crawford.

-Rodee Schneider

Illinois 10,11,14

Spent a week in Illinois covering closely contested House races in and around Chicago, some in which President Obama is polling below 50% at this point.  During the trip, I also made a school visit to Joliet High School where I spoke with teachers and students about what we're doing on the road with this project. Also recorded several high school students who are first time voters in this November's election talking about issues of importance to them.

-Debbie Lamb

PA-3

I'm in the Erie, Pennsylvania area for the next two days covering the PA 3 Congressional race between incumbent Democrat Kathy Dahlkemper and her challenger Mike Kelly, a Republican.

-Rodee Schneider

The NEW Local Content Vehicle

Big day today! Traveled to Columbus, Ohio and then to Creative Mobile Interiors where I picked up C-SPAN’s second Local Content Vehicle. CMI did a great job of customizing the LCV. I’m now on my way to Lafayette, Indiana, the Midwest home of the second LCV – where we’ll be covering numerous key House races over the next couple months leading up to election day.


- Debbie Lamb

PA-11 Congressional District

Drove up 81-North this afternoon, with the PA-11 Congressional District my destination. I've never been to Hazleton, Wilkes-Barre or Scranton, the largest cities in the district where incumbent Paul Kanjorski(D) and Mayor Lou Barletta(R) will be competing for votes in though November.

Congressmen Kanjorski appeared at a union rally and pig roast in the small town of Tobyhanna on Wednesday, which is home to the Tobyhanna Army Depot, one of the largest employers in the district. The crowd, mostly democrats if applause is any indication, listened to union heads, local politicians, and finally Rep. Kanjorski make their respective speeches, before finally diving into the pork.

Kanjoski had a supportive crowd at the rally, but acknowledged a hard fight ahead. This will be the third time that Barletta and Kanjorski have gone head to head for this congressional seat, and Barletta's supporters are hoping the third time's the charm. We’ll be covering Mr. Barletta next Monday.


-Rodee Schneider

VA 2 House Race

Today I'm in Virginia Beach, Virginia to cover the 2nd Congressional District House race pitting incumbent Democratic Congressman Glenn Nye vs. Republican challenger Scott Rigell and Independent Kenny Golden. Spent this evening at a fundraiser for Rigell in the private home of one of his supporters.

VA-5 Congressional Race Coverage

We’re in Charlottesville, Virginia today covering a congressional debate amongst some of the candidates in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District. The incumbent in this race is first term Democrat Tom Perriello – and he’s being challenged by Republican Robert Hurt and Tea Party Independent candidate Jeffrey Clark. Perriello’s slim margin of victory in 2008 over then Republican Congressman Virgil Goode has drawn the attention of the national Republican party, and they have been targeting this race ever since as one that they think can be taken back.


-Tiffany Rocque

PA-7 Congressional Race Coverage

Spent most of yesterday and all of today covering the PA-7 Congressional Race. The Congressional district is just south and west of Philadelphia. An open race, this seat was formerly held by Rep. Joe Sestak, a Democrat who is now running for the US Senate.

Tuesday I was with Republican candidate Pat Meehan as he spoke to a Rotary Club meeting in Chester County. Today began with Democratic Party candidate Bryan Lentz as he visited an American Crane and Equipment plant in Douglassville.

-Rodee Schneider