Democrats win elections in New Jersey, Virginia
Democrats cleaned up big in off-year elections from New Jersey to California, sinking the candidate who embraced President Bush in the final days of the Virginia governor’s campaign. They also turned back on all four of GOP Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s efforts to reshape state government.
Democratic Sen. Jon Corzine easily won the New Jersey governor’s seat after an expensive, mudslinging campaign, trouncing Republican Doug Forrester by 10 percentage points. Polls in the last week had forecast a much closer race.
Democratic Lt. Gov. Tim Kaine won a solid victory in GOP-leaning Virginia, beating Republican Jerry Kilgore by more than 5 percentage points. Democrats crowed that Bush’s election-eve rally for the former state attorney general only spurred more Kaine supporters to the polls.
California voters defeat proposals
backed by Schwarzenegger
LOS ANGELES – In a stinging rebuke from voters who elected him two years ago, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s efforts to reshape state government were rejected during a special election that darkened his prospects for a second term.
The Republican governor and former Hollywood actor, who likes to say he can sell anything, on Tuesday saw all four of his signature ballot proposals rejected.
The election pitted the once dominant Republican governor against two of California’s powerhouse political forces – public employee unions and Democrats who control the Legislature.
The unions spent millions of dollars to beat Schwarzenegger’s propositions to limit the use of their member dues for political purposes, cap state spending, redraw legislative districts and restrict public school teacher tenure.
Principal praised after deadly
Tennessee school shooting
JACKSBORO, Tenn. – Principal Gary Seale was shot while wrestling with a student who had opened fire in school and killed an administrator, then managed to get to the intercom and order a lockdown, helping to end the rampage, authorities say.
Seale was shot in the lower abdomen and Assistant Principal Jim Pierce was hit in the chest Tuesday, authorities said. Both were in serious condition in intensive care at University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, spokeswoman Lisa McNeal said.
The administrators and a teacher helped wrestle the gun away from the 15-year-old student, deputies said. Assistant Principal Ken Bruce was shot in the chest and died at a LaFollette hospital, authorities said. No students were hurt.
“This situation could have gotten much worse,” said Mark Wells, vice chairman of the Campbell County Board of Education. “It did not because our staff followed the (emergency) plan in place.”
The suspect, Ken Bartley Jr., was taken to a juvenile detention facility, Sheriff Ron McClellan said. The boy’s family declined to comment.
KFC plans to air TV ads if there
is a bird flu outbreak
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – In coming days, KFC will have television commercials ready to reassure customers that its chicken is safe to eat if there is a bird flu outbreak.
The chicken chain said Tuesday it hopes the spots never have to air, but it’s taking no chances in the face of a potential threat to business.
“We’ll keep them on the shelf and hope not to use them,” Jonathan Blum, spokesperson for KFC’s parent company, Yum Brands Inc., said of the spots expected to be shot soon.
Kentucky Fried Chicken and its parent company, both based in Louisville, have spent months planning a quick response in case of bird flu outbreaks in its markets worldwide.
“We’re keeping our fingers on the pulse of what happens day in and day out around the world,” Blum said. “And we are taking action in terms of preparing for this in the event it becomes an eventuality in any market.”