Hard Work Fails To Lift Dodd's Poor Poll Numbers

Wed Nov 18 — 2:57pm

The Hartford Courant writes today of a recent Quinnipiac University poll where 54 percent of the respondents disapprove of Sen. Chris Dodd's job performance - better than the 58 percent who disapproved this past spring but worse than the 49 percent disapproval rating in September.

They write, "Those are not good numbers for a veteran senator facing re-election next year. Dodd supporters question the poll numbers and say they may not tell a true story because registered voters, not likely voters, were surveyed. But that's whistling in the dark."

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Bad News for Baucus

Tue Nov 17 — 6:38pm

Montana Senator Max Baucus has seen his approval rating slip 20% to only 44% currently approving of his job.

Check out the full story here.

 

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San Diego Station Calls Out "Stimulus"

Tue Nov 17 — 2:31pm

Hot Air has the scoop on a San Diego television station that noted the stimulus has only brought one job to the area.

More here.

 

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Health bill could hurt Delaware

Mon Nov 16 — 6:17pm

Considering his comments on video about not planning to read the bill should this be a surprise?

From the Delaware News Journal today on how the health care bill could hurt the state:

"Sen. Tom Carper, a member of the Finance Committee, voted to pass the bill Oct. 13. Though the Delaware Democrat worked extensively on shaping the legislation, he did not propose an amendment to address what he now describes as 'a basic inequity.'

'I don't think it was on my radar screen,' he said Friday."

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The Day criticizes the "political motivations" behind Dodd’s financial reform plan

Mon Nov 16 — 2:32pm

An editorial from The Day criticizes the "political motivations" behind Dodd’s recently-unveiled financial reform plan. "Yet we cannot ignore the political motivations of the banking chairman. Sen. Dodd suffered major political damage over the perception he was too cozy with the financial industry and benefitted from its large campaign contributions. In his attempts to save his political career and remake his image as a populist crusader against the evil financial industry, Sen. Dodd is perhaps pushing the regulatory needle too far."

And Victoria McGrane of Politico delves into the "fights erupting" over Dodd’s bill, including from influential fellow Democrats. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd said he wanted to produce a "bold" and "sweeping" financial reform bill. In other words, he’s got a bill that’s going to tick everyone off.

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Iowa Poll Shows Sen. Grassley Still Popular

Mon Nov 16 — 2:30pm

Despite the anti-incumbent mood nationwide, a new Des Moines Register poll finds 57 percent of Hawkeye State voters approve of the job performance of Chuck Grassley. Sen. Charles Grassley's approval among Iowans has so far endured this fall's turbulent environment for elected officials, the new Des Moines Register Iowa Poll shows. The five-term Republican's approval held steady at 57 percent since September, while approval for other statewide officeholders declined.

"There are a lot of leaders and members of Congress that would like to bottom out at 57 percent job approval," said Stuart Rothenberg, editor and publisher of the national Rothenberg Political Report. "When you are talking job approval approaching 60 percent, in this day and age with the mood of the electorate as it is, you're talking about someone who is stunningly popular among the voters."

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Rep. Mark Kirk in the News

Mon Nov 16 — 2:19pm

Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun Times writes on the development of the once-unthinkable scenario: Democrats losing the Senate seat once held by President Obama in next year’s election. About a year ago, thousands jammed Grant Park in Chicago to celebrate Barack Obama's election to the White House, a communal civic defining moment. But those giddy days are long gone as Democrats in Illinois face the potential of losing the Senate seat President Obama once held next November. The Illinois primary is Feb. 2, and the Democrat and Republican races are ripening, with the deadlines to file or withdraw nominating petitions now passed. Democratic Party leaders in Washington -- and the Obama White House -- failed to recruit a candidate strong enough to scare Rep. Mark Kirk -- the Republicans' best bet -- from the race.

This weekend, Congressman Mark Kirk, used the Republican weekly radio address this weekend to criticize Nancy Pelosi’s trillion-dollar health care bill.

Kirk also made headlines this weekend criticizing the idea of bringing terrorists to Illinois.

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Bloomberg: Reid’s Health Overhaul Bill Likely to Split Senate Democrats

Mon Nov 16 — 2:01pm

As the health care debate shifts to the Senate, the headline of Kristin Jensen and Laura Litvan’s story in Bloomberg speaks for itself: "Reid’s Health Overhaul Bill Likely to Split Senate Democrats." Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will unveil legislation to overhaul the U.S. health-care system as early as this week. The floor debate that follows is likely to divide his Democratic Party. Reid wants to include a government-run insurance program that would let states opt out, which may cost him Senate votes. His version probably won’t require employers to cover workers and will be funded through a tax on high-end insurance plans, which would put him at odds with House Democrats.

Speaking of health care, John Brummett of the Arkansas News explores the unfortunate timing from the perspective of Blanche Lincoln, who will soon be forced to make some politically unhelpful votes on an unpopular piece of legislation less than a year before she faces voters in her conservative-leaning state.

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NRSC Statement On North Carolina Senate Race

Fri Nov 13 — 8:35pm

For the second time this year, Congressman Bob Etheridge (D-NC) rebuffed the recruiting efforts of national Democrats and announced today he was not running for the U.S. Senate in 2010. Etheridge’s decision comes in the same week that another highly-prized DSCC recruit, Cal Cunningham, also declined to enter the Senate race.

Etheridge had been recruited by the DSCC for months, and was considered their strongest potential challenger to Senator Richard Burr.

As you report on this development, please consider the following quote from the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), as well as some background information on the DSCC’s unsuccessful attempts to recruit Etheridge:

"The Democrats’ continued setbacks in North Carolina leave a major hole in their recruiting class. It’s clear that experienced Democrat officials on the ground in North Carolina have a much different view of this race than party officials in Washington. It’s no surprise though that the Democrats are having such a difficult time fielding a strong challenger considering, in the words of his 2004 opponent Erskine Bowles, ‘nobody works harder or smarter for North Carolina than Richard Burr does.’" - Colin Reed, NRSC Spokesman

 

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Video: Sestak defends bringing Gitmo terrorists to NYC

Fri Nov 13 — 5:53pm

Today on Fox News Democrat Congressman and Senate hopeful Joe Sestak (D-PA) defended the Administration’s decision to bring Guantanamo Bay terrorists to New York City.

To watch the interview, please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G-pifXhwG4

NRSC spokeswoman Amber Wilkerson Marchand said this in response:

"Those who think elections don’t matter will have an important wake-up call when Khalid Shaikh Mohammed walks into the very American city where he helped slaughter thousands of innocent Americans, and they shouldn’t forget that Joe Sestak helped roll out the welcome mat. Supporting the Administration’s decision to bring terrorists to American shores may play well with Congressman Sestak’s MoveOn.org base, but it won’t appease the family members of Americans killed on 9/11. As he vies for the Democrat Senate nomination in Pennsylvania, there’s no doubt that Joe Sestak’s misguided support to allow Khalid Shaikh Mohammed to come to American soil will be a critical issue before voters in the Commonwealth next year."

 

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