With 6 Days to Go, Democrats Try to Stop a GOP Blowout
Vice president Joe Biden campaigns for congressional candidate Ann Kuster in Nashua, N.H., Monday, Oct. 25, 2010.
/ AP Photo/Jim ColeNew prognostications show Republicans easily overtaking the House next week, but Democrats are dispatching their top figures for a last round of campaigning and injecting fresh cash into the races, in an attempt to stave off a blowout.
Republicans could easily pick up 50 seats on Nov. 2, far more than the 39 needed to win the majority, according to the Hill. The newspaper's 2010 midterm election poll surveyed 17,000 likely voters in 42 toss-up districts, and the results mirror those of other recent projections.
Democrats face the potential of "a political bloodbath the size of which we haven't seen since the presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt," pollster Stuart Rothenberg wrote Tuesday.
Nate Silver at the New York Times projected yesterday that Republicans will gain 52 seats. "If Democrats were hoping for a late surge to improve their chances of retaining control of the House, there isn't any evidence of it yet," he wrote.
The CBS News Critical Contests analysis also shows Republicans in a strong position to take the House. CBS News show a net 33 seats Republicans are now favored to gain, plus 25 more toss-up races in Democratic seats remaining up for grabs. So if Republicans win in six of the 25 toss-ups, and they also net the 33 where we see them favored today, that would give the GOP the House.
Election 2010: Where Things Stand with One Week to Go
CBS News' 2010 National House Model: What Does the National House Vote Mean?
CBSNews.com Special Report: Campaign 2010
Nevertheless, Vice President Joe Biden said at a fundraiser yesterday for Democratic Rep. Tim Bishop (N.Y.) that he expects Democrats to "keep the Senate and win the House." Like President Obama, Biden is hitting the campaign trail this week.
Biden continues his campaign stops today with a trip to Philadelphia to stump for Democrat Bryan Lentz, who is running to replace Democratic Rep. Joe Sestak in Pennsylvania's seventh district (Sestak is now running for the Senate). Republican candidate Pat Meehan was expected to take the district, but recent polls show Meehan ahead by just a few points.
Lentz was recently caught in some controversy after acknowledging his campaign helped get a Tea Party candidate on the ballot in an attempt to siphon votes away from Meehan.
On the Senate side in Pennsylvania, Sestak still has a shot, but Republican Pat Toomey leads by five points in a new Muhlenberg College/Morning Call poll. Other recent polls similarly show Toomey with a single-digit lead.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) today released a new television ad in Pennsylvania called "Corning." It spotlights the job losses College Township, Pennsylvania suffered after a Corning factory moved its operation to China. The ad points to Toomey's support for special trade status for China.
"Toomey voted for tax breaks that send American jobs overseas," a narrator says. "Pat Toomey. He's not for us."
Meanwhile, the DSCC released a second ad in West Virginia, blasting Republican Senate candidate John Raese for his comfortable life in Florida.
"The Raeses have a mansion in Palm Beach. And signed an official form calling Florida their home," a narrator says. "So maybe he should be Florida's Senator. Because John Raese just doesn't get us."
Recent polls show Raese with a slight lead over Democrat Joe Manchin, who is popular as governor of the state but has suffered from being tied to President Obama.
Critical Contests: CBS News Election 2010 Race Ratings
See all Ratings for Senate, House and Governors in an Interactive Map (Updated Oct. 25)
In Wisconsin, Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold is trailing in recent polls his Republican challenger Ron Johnson. Feingold's latest ad relies on female Wisconsin voters to make the case for Feingold and against Johnson. The Republican, meanwhile, is running an ad that blasts Feingold as a party-line Democrat.
In Missouri, Democratic Senate candidate Robin Carnahan released an ad highlighting her support from local newspapers, while Republican Rep. Roy Blunt is running an ad that says Carnahan "supports a failing Washington agenda." Recent polls show Blunt with a solid lead.
In California, a new SurveyUSA poll shows Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer leading Republican Carly Fiorina by five points. Fiorina, meanwhile, stayed overnight in the hospital Tuesday after suffering from an infection related to the reconstructive surgery she underwent in July after winning a battle with breast cancer.
As Election Day nears, both sides continue to pour money into the races, but Democratic-leaning third party groups are finally starting to catch up to Republican-leaning third party groups, the Washington Post reports. As recently as a few weeks ago, conservative groups were outspending left-leaning groups seven-to-one. Last week, however, nearly four of every 10 dollars spent by independent groups went toward helping Democrats. The left-leaning groups investing in the campaigns include labor unions, environmental groups and others.
When it comes to spending by the candidates themselves, it turns out Democrats have a significant advantage over Republicans, according to the New York Times. Over all, Democratic candidates have outraised their Republican opponents by more than 30 percent in 109 competitive House races.
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Why should we reward politicians for failure. What has the GOP accomplished since Obama has been elected?
All I hear from republicans is how Obama' policies are going to create socialism and how they need to repeal healthcare reform. Well, where are there ideas and why did they step back from working on a bipartisan solution when they ad the opportunity?
Well, in the private sector their actions would be considered unaceptable job performance!
Why should I waste my vote on a GOP loser who only knows how to play the smear game and dos not have any solutions to the mess Bush and cronies created?
We tried the GOP with there famous "Contract with America" and lost!
Lets give Obama a couple of more senate seats so they can end the partisan politics and start mopping up the mess Bush and company left us!
"A pox on them....The bloodbath can not be big enough for me...."
Scream Republicon dinosaur, the asteroid approaches! RIP GOP!
While walking down the street one day a corrupt politician was tragically hit by a car and died.
His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.
"Welcome to heaven," says St. Peter. "Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high
official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you."
"No problem, just let me in," says the politician.
"Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from the higher ups. What we'll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend
eternity."
"Really?, I've made up my mind. I want to be in heaven," says the politician.
"I'm sorry, but we have our rules."
And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell.
The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him.
Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people. They played a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and the finest champagne.
Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly guy who is having a good time dancing and telling jokes.
They are all having such a good time that before the politician realizes it, it is time to go. Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises...
The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens in heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him, "Now it's time to visit heaven.."
So, 24 hours passed with the politician joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before
he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.
"Well, then, you've spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity."
The politician reflects for a minute, then he answers: "Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell."
So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell.
Now the doors of the elevator open and he's in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags as more trash falls from above.
The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulders.
"I don't understand," stammers the politician. "Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced
and had a great time. Now there's just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What happened?"
The devil smiles at him and says,
"Yesterday we were campaigning, Today, you voted.."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Please remember this when you vote. The honorable people running for office seem to have a hard time with telling the truth, so what's keeping them from breaking thier promises?
It also reminded me of why I decided not to go to law school-I want to go to heaven when I die.
Obama wants to eliminate tax privileges that only benefit the top 2 % of the people. He wants to eliminate all tax subsidies to off-shore American jobs. The ARRA is a down payment on our infrastructure, but note I said down payment. Reports by the American Society of Civil Engineers have pointed out time and time again that our infrastructure is in horrible shape. What will WalMart do if the Interstates collapse?
Obama wants clean energy. He wants environmental protections. Defracking endangers water supplies. Many people will sentenced to premature deaths because of polluted air and water. Health care costs will sky-rocket because of illnesses caused by pollution. Is this what we really want?
Obamacare specifically forbids insurance companies from denying medical care to children with pre-existing medical conditions, like autism or Downes syndrome. Obama care provides free mammograms. It provides prenatal and post natal care for all expectant mothers and new born babies - Obama care forbids charging women more for insurance policies.
The Republicans want to eliminate all these reforms. What sort of people would deny life-saving health care to new born babies?
Lest we forget, the Republicans want to eliminate Social Security and Medicare. People, especially the folks in the Tea party, need to start thinking about how they will survive without these programs. I might add they want to eliminate all banking reforms as well. So if you are depending on a 401(k), so nothing will stop the people running your 401(k) from taking your money and running off to Dubai.
People in this country need to do some real hard thinking between now and election day. We are not where we want to be. But do we really want to take a giant step backwards? That's a good reason to vote a straight Democratic ticket.
If I were a Republicon I'd simply say,"********!" and leave it at that. Being a Democrat I feel obligated to justify my statements.
The present deficit is 10.64% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In 1943 it was 24.05% of the GDP. In 1947 it was less than 1% of the GDP. It is also helpful to note that the value of the dollar in 1943 was $12.40 in 2009 dollars. Wars are expensive they don't create wealth they destroy it. If you are worried about the deficit let the Democrats get us an honorable peace that would cut expenses enormously.
If you are worried about the deficit make Republicorp's wealthy masters pay their fair share. Republicorp lie: "Obama is an ultra-liberal Marxist Socialist" FDR thought the wealthy's fair share was 79%. Obama thinks their fair share is 38%. FDR was a liberal. Obama is not. No matter how bad you think Democrats are Repulicons are worse. And remember Obama cannot get re-elected in 2012 unless the economy improves substantially by then. The Republicons on the other hand can guarantee a Republicon President and Congress in 2012 if all they do is prevent an economic recovery. Democrats are highly motivated to fix the economy. Republicorp is highly motivated to stop an economic recovery, at least for the next two years. Any questions?
jgg000101, We are getting out of Iraq, a time frame for getting out of Afghanistan has been set. The stimulus is the only reason you are not standing in soup lines and sleeping on sidewalks (like the last time the Republicans managed a real economic crash). As for healthcare you are better off with it than without it. Same for wall street and financial reform. The Republicans deregulated us into this mess and the administration is leading us out. A big mess takes time to correct. You can vote to send your money up to Rupert if you want, but I don't believe the majority is going to go along with you.
what has happened to the news stories of voter fraud in 4-5 states where voters have found they had allready voted for democratic politians before they place their first vote. 2 or 3 were Harry Reid's state, and the votes were for Reid. To me tht is news and investigations shold be done. Also, the 300,000 plus military personnel in NY and other states that are not going to get the chance to vote because the states didn't get the ballots out according to state laws. I wonder if this is because they know the military will vote out democrats?
Republicans have vowed to defeat Obama and the Democrats in 2012. It is the Republicans' primary (and only) goal for the next TWO years. Simply doing nothing about the economy will achieve this goal for the Republicans. For the unemployed, this means waiting at least TWO more years before the Republicans will even have reason to be concerned about high unemployment. It simply is not in the Republicans' best self-interest to do anything about the economy before the 2012 elections. Obama, on the other hand, must turn the economy around to win re-election in 2012. Doing nothing will make the 2012 elections an easy win for the Republicans. So unless your savings will last that long, VOTE DEMOCRAT!!! You would at least increase your chances of finding a job in the next TWO years.
How? Has your chance of finding a job increased in the last two years under Obama? How about in the two years before that in a Dem controlled congress?