Preparing for the transition

An article in this week’s Space News, republished on SPACE.com, notes that President-Elect Barack Obama “offered more specifics about his plans for NASA than any U.S. presidential candidate in history.” Those specifics include the six-page policy paper published by the campaign in August as well as a promise of an additional $2 billion for NASA […]

More post-election reaction

In an editorial in Sunday’s Florida Today, the paper calls on the new administration to focus on Constellation, not extending the shuttle despite calls for the latter. The editorial notes the recent GAO report that identified the shuttle retirement decision as one of 13 immediate issues facing the Obama Administration. “[F]lying the aging orbiters longer […]

Space, Huntsville, and the election

Sunday’s Huntsville Times includes a package of stories about the effect last week’s general election—including not just the presidential campaign but changes in Alabama’s Congressional delegation—will have on key issues for the area, principally missile defense and space. Some in the region are concerned that the transition to a Democratic administration, coupled with the retirement […]

Post-election roundup

Some news and notes from the aftermath of Tuesday’s election:

In Florida, Congresswoman-elect Suzanne Kosmas is seeking a seat on the House Science and Technology Committee, an assignment the man she defeated for the job, Tom Feeney, also had. Congressman-elect Bill Posey, who won the seat vacated by Dave Weldon, apparently is not interested in […]

Will space’s influence in the House be diminished?

The outcome of the 2008 Congressional elections had little influence on the standing of space in the Senate. The most prominent advocates of NASA and space policy, including Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), and Bill Nelson (D-FL) were not up for reelection this year. One senator with a strong interest in military […]

The vote on the Space Coast

All the attention that space policy got in the 2008 general election for president was primarily focused on Florida’s Space Coast: the state was a swing state in the election, and Brevard County was considered part of the so-called “I-4 corridor” stretching through the central part of the state that was key to winning the […]

Griffith wins, Lampson headed to defeat

One final update for the evening. In the race to succeed Rep. Bud Cramer (D-AL5), Parker Griffith (D) has defeated Wayne Parker (R) in a close race, 52-48%. In the 22nd District of Texas, meanwhile, it appears Rep. Nick Lampson (D) will lose to challenger Pete Olson (R): with 94% of the vote in, Olson […]

Texas: Culberson wins, Lampson still behind

In Texas Rep. John Culberson (R) has been reelected to the 7th District, fending off a challenge from Michael Skelly. With two-thirds of the vote in, Culberson had a 55.7-42.7% lead. The news, though, is still not good for Nick Lampson, who continues to trail Republican challenger Pete Olson. With 41% of the vote in, […]

New Mexico: Spaceport tax losing in Otero County

According to the barebones election results page at the web site of the county clerk in Otero County, New Mexico, voters there are narrowly rejecting a one-eighth of one percent gross receipts tax increase to help fund Spaceport America. As of a little before 11 pm EST, there were 322 more “against” votes than “for”, […]

Alabama: Griffith narrowly leads Parker for Cramer’s seat

In the race to succeed retiring Democratic Rep. Bud Cramer, another Democrat, Parker Griffith, is leading Republican Wayne Parker by a narrow margin: 51.3-48.7% with 60 percent of the vote in. (Updated stats from the AP show effectively the same margin with 63% of the vote in.) The 5th District of Alabama includes Huntsville and […]