October 29, 2006
Special Sunday Brunch -- 9 Days To Go
A quick rundown of can't miss Sunday developments
- This week's Newsweek poll continues to show Dems in a strong position but the poll also found some small movements toward the GOP. Dems led the generic ballot among LVs 53-39% and among RVs, the Dems led 49-38%. Last week, the Dems' generic ballot lead in this poll was 18 points. And for the third poll in a row, Pres. Bush's job rating inched up two points to 37%. Also of note from the poll: 55% of RVs say they've seen the stem-cell TV ad starring Michael J. Fox; 62% of those who saw believe the ad was "acceptable" while 32% said the ad was "too extreme."
- Have the Dems caught up to the GOP in terms of GOTV? Some Dems believe so, others are skeptical. NYT's Nagourney has the details. BTW. check out the "snow bird" GOTV effort being made in FL 22.
- DCCC sent a release late Saturday proclaiming the following: "Iraq to dominate the final days of the campaign." From the release: “In the final week of this campaign, individual Republican support for the war in Iraq will be central to the closing argument against them." The release then listed a dozen GOP candidates they planned to target on the issue.
- L.A. Times' Hamburger and Wallsten write on Karl Rove's last minute tactics: "Rove is giving a virtuoso performance designed to prevent the Democrats from taking control of the House and Senate or, if that is no longer possible, to hold down the size of the Democratic victory to make it easier for the GOP to come back in 2008. His plan is three-pronged: to reenergize any conservatives who may be flagging; to make sure the GOP's carefully constructed campaign apparatus is functioning at peak efficiency; and to put the resources of the federal government to use for political gain." This piece does not mention that the authors of this piece also have a book titled "One Party Country The Republican Plan for Dominance in the 21st Century."
- Bush: L.A. Times' Brownstein writes on Bush's campaign war-time rhetoric and notes that unlike his wartime POTUS predecessors, Bush accentuates the differences to a greater degree. ... Yesterday, Bush campaigned in IN 09 with Rep. Mike Sodrel, the one Indiana GOPer the party believes is the most savable.
- Did we know Judith Miller was back in Iraq?
- Joe Biden's back in Iowa this week, campaigning with IA 02 Dem nominee Dave Loebsack in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday, 10/31.
- CT SEN: The New York Times endorses Ned Lamont arguing that Joe Lieberman hasn't shown a "capacity" to grow and change.
- MD SEN/MD GOV: Don't be surprised if the GOP tries to push back hard on today's Washington Post poll showing Dems Ben Cardin and Martin O'Malley sporting double-digit leads over Michael Steele and Bob Ehrlich respectively. The last time the Post polled Maryland, some complained the poll over-sampled African-Americans.
- MO SEN: The DSCC is up with two new I.E. ads (ad 1 and ad 2)both of a populist/jobs nature. Can someone say, "Reagan Democrats"? Meanwhile, a new Research 2000 poll for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has the race tied, not "basically" tied, but "actually" tied at 47%.
- MT SEN: According to Bob Novak, Sen. Conrad Burns (R) made a "personal appeal" to the WH for the party to come back in to help him.
- NJ SEN: A Research 2000 poll conducted for the Bergen Record has Dem Bob Menendez leading GOPer Tom Kean Jr. 48-42%.
- TN SEN: Ah, Facebook. Remember the Bob Corker daughter who was caught in a, um, interesting pose? Well, one local columnist wonders if this is now fair game considering where this race between Harold Ford Jr. and Corker has gone recently.
- KS 02: Dice roll? The DCCC is up with its first ads in against Rep. Jim Ryun (R).
- LA 02: Remember embattled Rep. Bill Jefferson (D-LA 02)? If his chief foe's polling is correct, he's headed for a runoff. State Rep. Karen Carter's campaign released a poll (conducted by Brilliant Corners) showing her and Jefferson tied at 25%. And in a runoff matchup, she led Jefferson by 20 points.
- CO GOV: Could Bill Ritter lead to a clean sweep of every statewide office? Right now, only the incumbent/appointed GOP AG is leading (but is polling at just 42%).
- ID GOV: Shocker! A Mason-Dixon poll has the GOV race "basically" even with GOP Rep. Butch Otter up by just a point over '02 Dem nominee Jerry Brady. In the hot open House seat, the GOPer leads by just 2 points.
- IL GOV: Another Blagojevich scandal... really? A new Research 2000 poll conducted for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has Blagojevich up 9 points over GOPer Judy Baar Topinka despite having upside down favorable ratings. How unhappy are IL voters with their GOV choices? The little-known indie candidate is polling in double digits!
- IA GOV: Des Moines Register endorses Dem Chet Culver.
- MA GOV: Worst kept secret in Boston? The Globe endorses Deval Patrick
- NV GOV: If it's possible, things are getting weirder in this race. Now GOP Rep. Jim Gibbons, "accused by a Las Vegas cocktail waitress of assaulting and propositioning her, said Saturday he'd be willing to take a polygraph if needed to prove his innocence," according to an AP report.
- TX GOV: Gov. Rick Perry (R), while polling under 40%, still has a double-digit lead in a new Houston Chronicle/Zogby Int'l phone poll. Perry has 38% to Chris Bell's (D) 22% and Carole Strayhorn's (I) 21%. Kinky Friedman registers with just 11%.
Posted at 09:30 AM
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