I don't think so, but check out this report from ABC:Still, the scandal's political effects can already be seen in some lawmakers' home districts and states. Montana's Democratic Party has already run ads against Republican Senator Conrad Burns on the issue. Burns has returned some $150,000 from Abramoff, and recent polls have shown that race narrowing.Emphasis added.
Other races could be affected in more indirect ways.
"Collateral damage could be somebody like Mike DeWine," said Jennifer Duffy, a political analyst at the Cook Political Report. "He is from Ohio and he is a Republican — and ethics is a big deal there."
Ohio's governor pleaded guilty this summer to violating state ethics laws, and the only lawmaker singled out in the Abramoff court documents so far for accepting gifts in exchange for certain actions — albeit not by name — was Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio. On Tuesday, the Columbus Dispatch reported that Ohio Republican leaders would ask Ney to resign if he is indicted. Ney has said he is innocent of any violations.
I'm just throwing this out there. Anybody have any thoughts on this?
DISCLOSURE: I am the Blog Administrator for one of DeWine's primary challengers, Bill Pierce.
