Media darlings: positive or negative media coverage can make or break a political campaign, especially in a presidential race. Both McCain and Obama have received favorable coverage, but will it continue?
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "It almost never happens that there are two media favorites in one political race--and yet this year, there are," said David Folkenlik on National Public Radio. Both Senators John McCain and Barack Obama can attribute their popularity and their choice as candidates of...

Spellane: Eased mortgage not tied to political role.
Byline: Shaun Sutner WORCESTER - State Rep. Robert P. Spellane, vice chairman of the Legislature's Joint Committee on Financial Services, was allowed to skip a year's worth of payments on a $340,000 loan made by a Whitinsville bank whose top executives have contributed to his political campaigns....

Voodoo economics: a look abroad for a supply-side solution to America's campaign-finance riddle.
ABSTRACT The title of this Note--"voodoo economics"--is, at its core, an analogy: U.S. campaign-finance regulation operates like a price ceiling in the political money marketplace. Political campaigns are financed through money-for-access transactions and campaign-finance regulation caps the level of exchange. Like any other price ceiling, regulation is...

Lobbying and campaign finance: separate and together.
INTRODUCTION The relationship between lobbying and campaign finance is complex, contested, and changing. Lobbying and campaign finance are two important forms of political activity that combine money and communication in ways that have significant implications for democratic self-government. The two practices frequently interact and reinforce each other,...

Flanagan outraises, outspends Knuuttila.
Byline: Matthew Bruun FITCHBURG - State Rep. Jennifer L. Flanagan, D-Leominster, far outpaced Democratic rival Brian Knuuttila in fundraising - and spending - in the campaign to become the next state senator for the sprawling Worcester and Middlesex District. Ms. Flanagan has raised $87,170.77 during...

County donors back Dancer.
Byline: David Steves The Register-Guard Republican Rick Dancer is leaning on Lane County donors - which means lots of timber money - for his secretary of state bid. Dancer has generated $139,508 in contributions so far. That's a fraction of the $806,215 his Democratic rival,...

Murray leads in fundraising; Speculation fueled that he'll run for gov. at some point.
Byline: Steve LeBlanc BOSTON - Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Murray has been on a fundraising juggernaut this year, raking in donations at a faster clip than any other statewide Beacon Hill officeholder, including Gov. Deval L. Patrick. Through the end of July, Murray had pulled...

Moore outstrips Belanger in fundraising competition; Candidates compete for primary nod in contest.
Byline: Shaun Sutner State Senate candidate Michael O. Moore has outpaced his rival, Douglas A. Belanger, in fundraising in advance of Tuesday's Democratic primary for the seat being vacated by state Sen. Edward M. Augustus Jr. Mr. Moore, a Millbury selectman, raised $79,394 from the...

Officials fight pot initiative; Question called `bad proposal'.
Byline: John J. Monahan BOSTON - Some of the state's leading law enforcement officials, including Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. and Worcester County Sheriff Guy W. Glodis, yesterday ripped into the ballot proposal to lower penalties for marijuana possession, arguing that use of marijuana leads...

Spellane forfeits $10K; State rep admits breaking campaign finance rules.
Byline: Milton J. Valencia WORCESTER - State Rep. Robert P. Spellane violated state campaign finance laws when he used his campaign funds for personal uses, such as paying for his car, according to the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance. The Worcester Democrat called...