spam-2.jpgA few weeks ago, I did something that no sane person would do. I signed up for dozens of gubernatorial candidate e-mail lists, guaranteeing myself more spam than the Hormel Spam Museum. After sifting through hundreds of pleas for funds and focus-group-tested clichés, here are some of the most interesting things I've discovered so far:
* Nebraska Democrat David Hahn wants his state to be the first with statewide broadband Internet access.
* Referendums to limit growth in government spending and/or revenues remain a big issue. Republican Chandler Woodcock is touting Maine's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR), while Republican Bob Beers is spearheading the campaign for Nevada's Tax and Spending Control amendment (TASC), and, until it was dropped from the ballot recently, Republican Ken Blackwell was a leading proponent of Ohio's Tax Expenditure Limitation amendment (TEL). These folks are against wasteful government spending, but they're all for wasteful acronym usage.
* Connecticut Democrat John DeStefano has an ad targeting Wal-Mart.
* Florida Republican Charlie Crist has wallpaper.
* In a highly improbable coincidence, South Dakota Democrat Jack Billion's wikipedia profile and official bio are almost exactly the same. Also, Billion has been traveling the state in an E85-powered van.
* Iowa Republican Jim Nussle has launched a Web site called "99 Ideas to Energize Iowa's Future" at which residents share suggestions to improve the state. If you come looking for 99 ideas, though, prepare to be disappointed.
* Minnesota Democrat Becky Lourey risks being overshadowed, quite literally, by her running mate Tim Baylor, a civic activist and former NFL player. Also, Lourey has raised 12 children, including a son who died in Iraq last year.
Photo via Flickr, from freezelight.
