Digest

Digest
Friday, October 29, 2010

The Foundation
"I know no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves." --Thomas Jefferson


Government & Politics

What to Watch For Tuesday

Harry Reid is sweating TuesdayAs Tuesday's mid-term elections near, Democrats are facing historic losses in Congress. Granted, this isn't because voters love the GOP -- far from it. It's because Democrats have done an even more abysmal job of governing than Republicans did. Here are a few races to watch.

Nevada: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is trailing in most polls to Sharron Angle, who came out of nowhere to win the GOP primary thanks to backing by the Tea Party. Despite having a massive campaign war chest in a state that Barack Obama won by 12 points just two years ago, Reid could very well join Tom Daschle as Democrat leaders who lost re-election.

Illinois: Obama may be in for particular embarrassment in his home state, as GOP Congressman Mark Kirk leads Democrat Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias for Obama's former Senate seat. Normally, Illinois would be in the "safe" column for Democrats -- not this year.

Delaware: Can Christine O'Donnell pull off the upset against Democrat Chris Coons to take Joe Biden's former Senate seat? It's not likely, as she trails by double digits in the polls. However, the Leftmedia have taken a particular interest in taking out O'Donnell, which makes us wonder if this race is closer than it seems.

Alaska: Incumbent Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski has mounted a surprisingly successful write-in campaign after losing the primary to Tea Party-backed attorney and Army vet Joe Miller. If voters can remember how to spell her name, she has a chance to become the first winning write-in candidate since Strom Thurmond (R-SC) in 1954.

Democrat Senate incumbents are likely to lose in Arkansas and Wisconsin, and Democrats are certain to lose seats that retiring senators Evan Bayh and Byron Dorgan are vacating in Indiana and North Dakota, respectively. In Pennsylvania, Democrat Joe Sestak is trailing conservative Republican Pat Toomey, and in West Virginia, popular Democrat Gov. Joe Manchin is neck-and-neck with businessman John Raese in his bid to assume the late Robert Byrd's seat. Manchin is campaigning hard against Obama, who is deeply unpopular there.

Two late-concluding Senate races that bear watching are in California and Washington. If Republican Carly Fiorina can knock off the loathsome Barbara Boxer in the Golden State, and if Dino Rossi can eke out a win against Patty Murray in Washington, Republicans may well pull off the 10-seat swing they need to take control of the Senate.

In the House, Democrat prospects look even worse. Multiple committee chairmen are sweating it out, including Jim Oberstar of Minnesota, Ike Skelton of Missouri and John Spratt of South Carolina. Even Barney Frank, chairman of the powerful House Financial Services Committee, is in trouble in Massachusetts. Republican Sean Bielat, a Marine and businessman, is charging hard, and Frank is stuck below 50 percent in the polls, which is dangerous territory for a long-time incumbent. Michigan's 85-year-old John Dingell, who's been in Congress since 1955 and is the longest-serving member in that body's history, is also in a tight race against Dr. Rob Steele, a fiscally conservative cardiologist bent on repealing ObamaCare.

Veteran political guru Charlie Cook says of the number of seats Democrats will lose, "To be honest, I think the odds are higher that it's over 60 than under 40." Republicans need to take 39 net seats to gain control of the House. Cook declared that he'll be "sacking groceries" if that doesn't happen. Across the nation, the electorate is riled up. According to Rasmussen, "65% of Likely U.S. Voters say if they had the option next week, they would vote to get rid of the entire Congress and start all over again." Sounds good to us.

Perhaps Michelle Obama summed it up best: "This year's elections are just too important to sit out. There's so much at stake right now for our future and for our children's future."

Fellow Patriots, this is a critical election, the first of many battles in our fight to restore Essential Liberty and the Rule of Law. Be sure to bring a few like-minded friends to the polls with you.

[The Patriot Post (PatriotPost.US)].