2009/2010
Posted: Wednesday, October 07, 2009 9:17 AM by firstread
Filed Under:
Congress, Democrats, Republicans, 2010, 2012
The Wall Street Journal looks at the correlation between the unemployment rate and Election Day. "Republicans are already harnessing voter unease over deficit spending and proposed changes to the health-care system. But they see the economy as the Democrats' main vulnerability… Officials at the National Republican Campaign Committee said they planned to use the weak employment numbers to hammer at 54 Democratic House members that Republicans deem the most vulnerable in 2010. Republicans are particularly targeting the 49 House lawmakers in districts carried last November by Sen. John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee."
A new Gallup poll has the generic Congressional ballot essentially tied. The bigger problem for Democrats: Republicans are leading among indie voters.
BTW, just 36% of DEMOCRATS!?!?!? approve of the job Congress is doing. A stunning 18-point collapse since last month.
VIRGINIA: It’s Oct. 7, just under a month until Election Day and Creigh Deeds is already looking for excuses? So does this mean he does NOT want Pres. Obama to campaign for him?
The Wall Street Journal suggests that the White House is taking itself out of public eye in regard to the Virginia gubernatorial race, "seeking to conserve its political capital and avoid close association with a candidate who might lose," although it still supports Democratic candidate Creigh Deeds. Calling Virginia a "testing ground for Democrats," The Wall Street Journal describes the gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia "an early indicator of Democrats' likely fortunes" in 2010.
In a round of "Battleground Virginia" interviews, the Virginia gubernatorial nominees touched on issues from taxes to abortion, and Republican candidate Bob McDonnell stressed that his campaign has been running on "kitchen-table issues such as jobs and roads." Democrat Creigh Deeds suggested that the national politics of his party have "made it very tough" for his campaign, as he still trails his Republican opponent in the polls. "We had a very tough August because people were just uncomfortable with the spending; they were uncomfortable with a lot of what was going on, a lot of the noise that was coming out of Washington, D.C.," Deeds said.
Governor Tim Kaine (D), chairman of the Democratic National Committee, called on Democratic gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds to continue to close the gap on his Republican challenger Bob McDonnell, saying "now it is up to Creigh in the late innings to make the simple sell for himself. ... And that's what will take this race to a winning race," The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports.
NEW JERSEY: New Jersey campaign donors have found a way to sidestep campaign finance laws in the state, as the New Jersey Star-Ledger reports that by looking at Virginia's campaign finance database, ironically you can find hundreds of thousands of dollars that have been funneled to support the New Jersey gubernatorial candidates--Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine and Republican Chris Christie. The Star-Ledger writes, "Some of that money came from companies barred from making big money donations in New Jersey. Other contributions came from those already maxed out in what they may give to candidates."
DELAWARE: Castle is in. Yesterday, Rep. Mike Castle announced that he will run for Vice President Joe Biden's Senate seat. "Castle’s decision gives Republicans a major recruiting win and a strong possibility of picking up a Democratic-held Senate seat for the first time since 2004," writes the Hill. "But Castle’s entry will not guarantee the seat goes to Republicans. Castle will most likely face a tough challenge from Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, the vice president’s son, who has been rumored to be contemplating a bid. He has been serving in Iraq over the past year… No reliable polls have been taken recently, but strategists in both parties acknowledge that a Castle-Biden showdown would instantly become one of the most competitive races in the country."
IOWA GOVERNOR: Republicans have scored a BIG recruiting coup in the all-important swing state of Iowa as former Gov. Terry Branstad will formally open a cmte to challenge Dem Gov. Chet Culver.
