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Ask Roll Call: Twitter Q&A Transcript

By Christina Bellantoni
Posted May 19, 2011 at 9:57pm

Roll Call is continuing Twitter Q-and-A sessions. In this edition, we talked with politics reporter Shira Toeplitz.

Shira covers campaigns in the Midwest and Texas and leads redistricting coverage for Team Politics. She writes our Between the Lines coverage and is a key player on our 2012 presidential team. Don’t miss her piece from Thursday’s paper about how Members are stuck in limbo as they wait for their states’ new maps to be drawn, or this profile of possible White House contender Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels (R).

Back in the day, she owned the Shop Talk column covering campaign moves and hires in the consulting world. (Kyle Trygstad handles that now.)

Follow her: @shiratoeplitz

Because it was on Twitter, of course, her answers were kept to under 140 characters. A transcript follows.



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Okay, thanks everyone for your questions. Let’s get started w/ !



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. prepares to take your questions in 3, 2, 1 …



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Q1! MT : When will the media begin to recognize Herman Cain as formidable player in ’12 election? What will it take?



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. WH campaigns aren’t magic, they are science. He needs to spend a lot of $ or somehow get to 5% in polls ^



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Q2! RT : My question: How would gauge ‘s chances in ?



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. Chances in (Akin district) better than (Clay’s) but, up for debate ^ (see this )



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Q3! RT : How badly am I screwed next fall? Is Akin or Steelman worse for me?



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. Depends. Are you a GOP fundraiser? Then your money’s safer w/ Akin. Will be long primary ^ ()

(Editor’s note: We realized after the fact this tweeter was spoofing Sen. Claire McCaskill and was mock-asking which Republican was a better candidate to unseat her. The answer’s the same!)



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Q4! RT : What’s the latest on Gov. Mitch Daniels?



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. He’s still deciding, hosting NRSC fundraiser 5/25 w/ Lugar, Coats, Blunt $5k per person. ^



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Q5! MT : OK…what is the broken-down cost of Congress per hour? And how many hours were spent on healthcare debate last year?



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. This sez it’s $618k per hr in ’10 Given budget-slashing we’ll bet the # changed a bit. ^



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Q6! RT : : Aside from Dennis Kucinich, any other likely district shoppers in 2012?



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. In-state shoppers will include Mass Dem or PA’s Critz/Altmire. Out of state? Kucinich only one we know of. ^



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Q7! RT :
Q: when will u stop rooting for the steelers?



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. Never! If I could make it through last two years of legal troubles & still be a fan, I’m in it for life. ^



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Thanks so much to ! That’s the end of our Q&A, come back next week for from !

Read our previous Twitter Q&A transcripts with Steven T. Dennis here, Jennifer Bendery here, Steve Peoples here, John Stanton here, Stu Rothenberg here, Paul Singer here, the talented photo department (Tom Williams, Bill Clark, Doug Graham and Andrew Satter) here, Ambreen Ali here, Kate Ackley here, Lauren Whittington here, Daniel Newhauser here, Kyle Trygstad here and Emily Heil here.

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