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OBAMA'S COATTAILS

GOP Faces Tough Battles In Senate And Congressional Races
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Huffington Post | Katharine Zaleski | October 9, 2008 09:20 AM

Two big articles out today discuss the trouble Republicans are facing in Senate and Congressional races. CNN points out that as the economic news gets worse, Democrats could clinch the "magic 60" needed to prevent filibusters. Read below for more doom and gloom.

From CNN:

It's "the perfect storm," said Stuart Rothenberg, editor of the nonpartisan Rothenberg Political Report. "You've got Republican voters angry at Republicans, many Americans just petrified about the future...wanting change. And right now change appears to be coming in the form of Democrats."

Not so fast, say Republicans. And even Democrats admit it's too early to say whether they can pick up the necessary seats.

The New York Times is less generous to the GOP:

Top campaign officials for both parties, pollsters and independent experts say the intense focus on the economic turmoil and last week's bailout vote have combined to rapidly expand a Democratic advantage in Congressional contests. Analysts now predict a Democratic surge on a scale that seemed unlikely just weeks ago, with even some Republicans in traditional strongholds fighting for their political careers, and Democratic leaders dreaming of ironclad majorities.

In North Carolina, Senator Elizabeth Dole, a former Republican presidential contender and cabinet member, is teetering. In Kentucky, the opponent of the Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell, has drawn even in some polls, though Republicans say they believe he will win.

CNN has a list - via Senator Chuck Schumer- of the states where Democrats are leading :

• Virginia, where former Democratic Gov. Mark Warner is up by double-digit margins in a bid to replace the retiring John Warner;

• New Mexico, where Democratic Rep. Tom Udall is trying to replace the retiring Domenici;

• Colorado, where Rep. Mark Udall is trying to take the seat of the retiring Allard;

• New Hampshire, where former Democratic Gov. Jeanne Shaheen is trying to oust Republican Sen. John Sununu; and


The Kentucky Courier-Journal points out that challenge Senator Mitch McConnell is facing from Democrats in his race against Bruce Lunsford.

The national committee supporting Democratic Senate candidates took the unprecedented step yesterday of launching an attack ad against Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell -- indicating the Kentucky race is one the party thinks it can win.

The move comes after months in which the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee largely ignored Louisville businessman Bruce Lunsford's race against McConnell while sinking money into eight other campaigns across the country.

In Minnesota, the race between Democrat Al Franken and Republican incumbent Norm Coleman is tightening in Franken's favor:

Two new Minnesota Public Radio/Humphrey Institute polls find the state's U.S. Senate race is tightening.

Democratic challenger Al Franken went from 9 percentage points behind to 4 points ahead of Republican incumbent Norm Coleman after congressional approval of the Wall Street bailout plan.

In addition to bad polling news, Coleman's staff isn't contributing to a strong image of his candidacy. HuffPost's Sam Stein has video of Coleman's spokesman pushed into a corner after not being able to answer reporters questions about gifts received by his boss.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/09/congressional-gop-faces-t_n_133218.html