Charlie Crist to Speak at Democratic Convention

(Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

TAMPA, Fla. — Former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, a Republican turned Independent, will speak at the Democratic National Convention, the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Crist penned a Sunday op-ed column in that paper endorsing Barack Obama for re-election.

“As America prepares to pick our president for the next four years — and as Florida prepares once again to play a decisive role — I’m confident that President Barack Obama is the right leader for our state and the nation,” he wrote. “I applaud and share his vision of a future built by a strong and confident middle class in an economy that gives us the opportunity to reap prosperity through hard work and personal responsibility. It is a vision of the future proven right by our history.”

The executive director of Sen. Jim DeMint’s Senate Conservatives Fund wrote a scathing letter to the group’s supporters about Crist’s endorsement of the president.

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Arizona: John McCain Officially Endorses Ben Quayle

Rep. Ben Quayle (above) got the endorsement of Sen. John McCain in his primary against a fellow Republican. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) officially endorsed Rep. Ben Quayle in his Member-vs.-Member primary against fellow Arizona Republican Rep. David Schweikert on Wednesday.

“I strongly recommend that he be re-elected,” McCain said at a Wednesday news conference.

The Quayle campaign posted the full video online:

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Connecticut: Bill Clinton Endorses Dan Roberti

Bill Clinton today endorsed Dan Roberti in his bid for the Democratic nomination in Connecticut’s 5th district.

The endorsement comes just one day before the primary, and it’s unclear how effective it will be in boosting Roberti over former state Rep. Elizabeth Esty and state Speaker Chris Donovan.

“Whether running a homeless shelter, organizing rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Katrina, or helping veterans find jobs, Dan has demonstrated a deep commitment to public service,” Clinton said in a statement. “He’s always working to make a difference for other people, and he’s good at it.”

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Hawaii: Harry Reid Endorses Mufi Hannemann in 2nd District

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid endorsed in Hawaii's 2nd district Democratic primary. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) endorsed former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann for Hawaii’s open 2nd district.

In a statement, Reid said that the two “go back many years” and that he worked with Hannemann and Democratic Sens. Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka on securing funding for Hawaii. Full story

Oklahoma: Ex-Sen. David Boren Backs Rob Wallace to Succeed Son

Ex-Sen. David Boren (left) endorsed a Democrat running to succeed his son, retiring Rep. Dan Boren (right). (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Former Assistant District Attorney Rob Wallace today picked up the support of one of Oklahoma’s best-known Democrats: former Sen. David Boren.

Democrats expect Wallace to be their nominee after the Aug. 28 runoff, when he faces seed company owner Wayne Herriman. Boren’s seal of approval only helps Wallace’s endeavor.

The 2nd district seat is open following the retirement of the former Senator’s son, Rep. Dan Boren (D-Okla.). National Democrats face an uphill race to hold this “Little Dixie” House seat in November, and Roll Call rates this contest as Leans Republicans. Full story

Michigan: Rick Santorum Endorses Pete Hoekstra in Senate Race

(Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) on Wednesday backed former Rep. Pete Hoekstra in his bid against Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D).

Santorum’s endorsement comes a few days before Michigan’s Republican Senate primary, which is set for Tuesday. Hoekstra’s main competition in that race is charter schools executive Clark Durant. Republicans expect Hoekstra to win the nomination, but Durant has garnered endorsements from several nationally recognized conservatives, including Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.).

“It is clear that the people of Michigan have tremendous choices in the Republican primary that [would all] be superior to Debbie Stabenow, but there is only one candidate with a proven track record of conservative leadership,” Santorum said. “That is Congressman Pete Hoekstra.”

The winner of the GOP primary has a tough battle ahead. Roll Call rates this Senate race as Likely Democratic.

Minnesota: Mark Dayton Endorses Rick Nolan in 8th District

Gov. Mark Dayton (D) endorsed former Rep. Rick Nolan (D) in his comeback bid in the 8th district.

“I am proud to endorse and I enthusiastically support Rick Nolan for Congress,” Dayton said in a statement. “We need more than a ‘good vote’ in a Congress. We need a proven leader who can get past the partisan gridlock and get things done.”

Nolan is engaged in a spirited primary with former state Sen. Tarryl Clark. The winner will face Rep. Chip Cravaack (R) in the fall. Clark picked up an endorsement from President Bill Clinton last week.

Roll Call rates this race as a Tossup.

Minnesota: Bill Clinton Endorses Tarryl Clark

(CQ Roll Call File Photo)

President Bill Clinton has weighed in on yet another Democratic House primary, this time backing Tarryl Clark in Minnesota’s 8th district.

Clark, who lost to Rep. Michele Bachmann (R) in 2010, moved to Duluth last year to challenge freshman Rep. Chip Cravaack (R). She faces a competitive Aug. 14 primary against former Rep. Rick Nolan and Duluth City Councilor Jeff Anderson. Full story

Florida: Allen West Backs Sandy Adams

Rep. Allen West backed a fellow freshman lawmaker in a GOP primary against another Member. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Firebrand Rep. Allen West today endorsed fellow GOP Rep. Sandy Adams in her Member-vs.-Member primary race against Rep. John Mica in Florida’s newly configured 7th district.

It’s an important endorsement for Adams from a fellow freshman Member. West, a fundraising juggernaut popular in conservative circles, might give Adams a boost in her race.

The winner of the Aug. 14 primary in the GOP-leaning district is almost certain to be coming back to Congress in January. Full story

Arizona: Former Rep. Harry Mitchell Endorses David Schapira

Former Rep. Harry Mitchell (D) has endorsed state Senate Minority Leader David Schapira in the Democratic primary for Arizona’s newly drawn 9th district.

“I believe it is important that we elect someone who understands and values our community — and will work hard to represent it,” he wrote in a statement. “This is why I’ve decided to cast my primary vote for Tempe’s State Senator, David Schapira.”

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Florida: Mike Huckabee Endorses John Mica

(Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) today endorsed Rep. John Mica (R) in his race against Rep. Sandy Adams (R) in Florida’s newly configured 7th district.

“John Mica is a proven leader who doesn’t just talk; he achieves sound conservative results,” Huckabee said in a statement. “If conservatives want a man of action and a man we can count on, I urge my fellow Floridians in Central Florida to join me in supporting John Mica.”

The endorsement comes after former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) backed Adams.

Mica and Adams are locked in a nasty contest for the district north of Orlando. The winner of the Aug. 14 contest is likely to be coming back to Congress next January, given the GOP lean of the seat.

Arizona: Wil Cardon Dismisses Jeff Flake Endorsements

Rep. Jeff Flake's GOP primary opponent for the Arizona Senate seat said Flake's backing from Sen. John McCain will have no effect on the race. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Businessman Wil Cardon on Tuesday politely dismissed the ability of Republican Sens. Jon Kyl and John McCain to influence voters in his Senate GOP primary battle with Rep. Jeff Flake.

Kyl and McCain endorsed Flake earlier this month, a move Cardon described as expected.

“I have respect for the service of Sens. Jon Kyl and John McCain, but they’re part of the old guard,” he said.

Kyl, whose retirement created this open-seat race, is appearing in a television ad alongside Flake. The spot began airing this week. McCain has called the Cardon campaign “disturbing” and said he worried that Cardon’s attacks “might make it harder in the general election for us to elect Jeff Flake to the United States Senate.”

Former Surgeon General Richard Carmona is the presumptive Democratic nominee. Roll Call rates this race as Leans Republican.

Georgia: Martha Zoller Gets Sarah Palin Endorsement

(Roberto Gonzalez/Getty Images)

Congressional candidate Martha Zoller, locked in a tough GOP primary with state Rep. Doug Collins in Georgia’s new 9th district, today picked up the endorsement of Sarah Palin, Zoller’s campaign said.

Zoller, a conservative talk radio host, has positioned herself as the insurgent candidate against Collins, who is close with Gov. Nathan Deal (R) and the Atlanta GOP establishment. Both candidates are very conservative.

“Martha is running against the establishment, which, as we know, is an uphill battle; but with all of our support she can win. In Congress, she’ll vote to cut spending, lower taxes, and repeal Obamacare,” Palin said in a statement released by the Zoller campaign. “I hope you’ll join me and other conservatives like Sean Hannity and Mark Levin in supporting Martha Zoller for Congress!”

Zoller had an absurdly low $7,873 in cash on hand on July 11 while Collins had $60,000 in the bank. Still, unaligned Republicans in the state see the primary race as close, with either candidate having a shot at victory.

Roll Call rates the 9th, one of the most Republican in the country, as Safe Republican. The winner of the July 31 primary will almost certainly be coming to Congress next January.

Texas: Early Voting Begins; Senate Runoff Escalates

Former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz was endorsed by Sarah Palin on Facebook on Monday. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

The two candidates in the runoff to decide the GOP nominee for Senate cast their ballots Monday amid some fanfare.

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst was accompanied to the polls by Gov. Rick Perry. His opponent, former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz, was joined by his family while voting in Houston, his hometown.

The first day of early voting before the July 31 runoff was a busy one in other respects. Full story

Illinois: Tammy Duckworth Fundraises for Nominee in 12th

Just how confident is Iraq War veteran Tammy Duckworth (D) that she will defeat Rep. Joe Walsh (R)? She’s fundraising — for another candidate.

Duckworth penned a campaign plea for retired Maj. Gen. William Enyart, the new Democratic nominee in the 12th district. Local Democrats selected Enyart after their original nominee dropped out of the race in May for health reasons.

In an email from VoteVets.org, Duckworth thanked her supporters and donors before making the pitch for her “personal friend.” Full story