GOP Firewall: 2011 Redistricting

Wyclef Jean will be in good company if he loses

(NEWSER) - Wyclef Jean is running for president of Haiti , but already things aren’t going well for the controversy-plagued singer. If he loses, he won’t be the first celebrity to suffer a failed political campaign: Time lists 10 others:

• Norman Mailer: Despite being a literary giant, the Pulitzer Prize- and National Book Award-winning author ran for mayor of New York and lost—9 years after he first attempted to run for the position, telling a journalist he wanted to “bring back the Middle Ages,” complete with jousting tournaments.

Democrat to step down at end of first term

(AP) - Colorado's Democratic governor won't be running for re-election this fall, sources tell the AP. Bill Ritter was elected for his first term in 2006 in a pivotal swing-voting state and has been widely considered a rising star in the Democratic Party. Ritter has called a press conference today to announce the decision, Democratic sources say. More»

Troupe threatens to sue Republican over pirated video footage

(NEWSER) - Republican Chris Christie holds a razor-thin lead over incumbent Jon Corzine in the New Jersey governor's race, and now he has five more potential opponents—the members of Monty Python, who are considering suing the former US Attorney for violating their copyright. An online ad the campaign swiftly yanked from its websites after the Huffington Post blew the whistle uses footage of Michael Palin without credit. More»

Incumbency, early preparation make 1994 redux unlikely

(NEWSER) - The last time a young Democrat became president, an angry debate over health care preceded a disastrous midterm election, costing the party control of both the House and the Senate. Yet it's too soon to make the easy comparison between 1994 and 2010, writes Wall Street Journal analyst Jerry Seib. Barack Obama still has higher approval ratings than Bill Clinton, and unlike in '94, "Democratic leaders have warned lawmakers earlier this time to start preparing for a tough fight." More»

Organizers of court challenge want at least 932, as many as 1,761 seats

(NEWSER) - The House of Representatives is supposed to ensure equal representation for all Americans, but critics see a flawed system because of the expanding population. In Nevada’s 3rd District, for example, one representative speaks for nearly a million people, about twice as many as the congressman for all of Wyoming. A lawsuit filed today seeks to even up the House by expanding it to seat at least 932—and perhaps as many as 1,761—members, reports the New York Times. More»