Back to the question of who’s had a bigger influence on the Republican Party – George W. Bush or Ron Paul, well, here’s Politico: “A new poll confirms a libertarian renaissance in 2013. FreedomWorks commissioned a national survey of registered voters last month … that finds 78 percent of Republicans and GOP-leaning independents self-identify as fiscally conservative and socially moderate. It’s not that Republicans are suddenly self-identifying as “libertarians” and devouring Ayn Rand novels, but more that they seem to be embracing underlying libertarian priorities and views about the role of government.”
COLORADO:The Denver Post: “An epic national debate over gun rights in Colorado on Tuesday saw two Democratic state senators ousted for their support for stricter laws, a ‘ready, aim, fired’ message intended to stop other politicians for pushing for firearms restrictions. Senate President John Morse and Sen. Angela Giron will be replaced in office with Republican candidates who petitioned onto the recall ballot.”
Giron lost 56%-44%. Morse lost 51%-49%. Full results here.
Gun-advocacy groups were celebrating: "Coloradans ... sent a clear message that politicians who blatantly ignore their constituents will be held accountable," said Dustin Zvonek, state director of Americans for Prosperity. "Perhaps this will serve as a lesson that one-party rule in Denver doesn't give the majority license to take things to extremes or run roughshod over the values and rights of Coloradans who just happen, for the moment, to be in the minority."
NEW YORK: Bill de Blasio won the Democratic primary for mayor. It’s not clear yet if he cleared the 40% threshold. With 98% reporting, he has 40.1% of the vote. Bill Thompson was second with 26%, Christine Quinn faded to just 16%, and Anthony Weiner finished fifth, behind John Liu with just 4.9%.
USA Today: “The Associated Press reported that it may take a week or more before de Blasio emerges as his party's nominee.”
The New York Post cover on Weiner and Spitzer losing: “Sleazy come, sleazy go.”
Keep it classy, Weiner. Politico’s kicker on its Weiner loses story: “Moments after his concession speech, Weiner flipped his middle finger at a reporter as he left, according to journalists who tweeted about the interaction.”
Republican Joe Lhota advanced to the general election.