A new High Point University poll in North Carolina finds Sen. Kay Hagan (D) just ahead of challenger Thom Tillis (R) in the U.S. Senate race, 42% to 40%, with Libertarian Sean Haugh at 6%.
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Peters Up in Michigan
A new Public Policy Polling survey in Michigan finds Gary Peters (D) leading Terri Lynn Land (R) in the U.S. Senate race, 47% to 40%.
In the race for governor, Gov. Rick Snyder (R) edges challenger Mark Schauer (D), 46% to 44%.
Shaheen Still Ahead in New Hampshire
A new Public Policy Polling survey in New Hampshire finds Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D) leading challenger Scott Brown (R) in the U.S. Senate race, 50% to 44%.
In the governor’s race, Gov. Maggie Hassan (D) leads Walt Havenstein (R), 52% to 43%.
Bush, Palin to Stump for Roberts
Jeb Bush (R) will come to Wichita on Sept. 29 to stump for Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) in a tight Senate race that has drawn national attention, the Wichita Eagle reports.
On Thursday Roberts will be joined by a special guest. A source close to the campaign confirmed that guest is Sarah Palin.
Treasury Announces Rules on Corporate Inversions
Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew “announced new rules aiming to make it more difficult for United States companies to relocate overseas to lower their tax bills and wipe out the benefits for those that do. It is the administration’s latest move to sidestep a paralyzed Congress and tackle a politically charged element of President Obama’s agenda,” the New York Times reports.
Said Obama: “While there’s no substitute for congressional action, my administration will act wherever we can to protect the progress the American people have worked so hard to bring about.”
Wall Street Journal: “Some experts have questioned how much authority the Treasury Department actually has in the area, and legal challenges to Monday’s actions remain a possibility.”
Most Americans Say Global Warming Caused by Humans
“While few Americans regard the environment as the nation’s foremost challenge, most say it should be a priority, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll. And more than half say global warming is caused by human behavior, the highest level ever recorded by the national poll.”
Kissing Congressman’s New Ad Features His Wife
Rep. Vance McAllister (R-LA), the married lawmaker who was caught on camera earlier this year kissing a congressional staffer, is airing a new forgiveness-themed TV ad featuring his wife, NBC News reports.
In the 30-second spot, the McAllisters sit side by side as the congressman’s wife Kelly says that she is “blessed to have a husband who owns up to his mistakes.”
Pence Draws Presidential Attention
The Wall Street Journal looks at Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) as a possible 2016 presidential candidate.
“The Hoosier chief executive isn’t as well known nationally, and some will question whether his record is too far right to be a plausible general-election candidate. But he’s generating a small groundswell, particularly among GOP social-policy activists, some of whom think Mr. Pence hits the sweet spot for 2016.”
“He is reliably conservative on fiscal and social policies, and rose to a position of power in Washington, where he led the conservative Republican Study Group in the House of Representatives and helped found the tea-party caucus. Yet he deployed a more soothing style and wasn’t as polarizing as some House conservatives… Now, as a heartland governor for the last two years, he has a record outside of Washington, in a state that’s surging economically.”
Congress on Track to be Least Productive in 60 Years
“Say this about the 113th Congress: It’s managed to live down to low expectations,” Roll Call reports.
“With only a lame-duck, post-Election Day mop-up session left before a new Congress takes office in January, the 113th is on track to be one of the least productive congresses — in terms of laws passed and signed by the president — in 60 years.”
Creepiest Political Ad of the Year?
The nominee is titled “Dating Profile” and was put out by a Republican-affiliated Americans for Shared Prosperity.
Nia-Malika Henderson: “So yes, this ad is, um, strange. Probably sexist too — but mainly it’s just weird and bad. Very, very bad.”
He For She
Emma Watson, of the Harry Potter movies, gave an impassioned speech on feminism at the U.N. Headquarters in New York over the weekend to launch the “HeForShe” campaign.
It’s definitely worth watching.
Clinton’s Next Stop is New Hampshire
Hillary Clinton “will attend a fund-raiser later this month for a prominent New Hampshire Democrat, the latest indication that the former secretary of state is laying the groundwork for a second presidential run,” CNN reports.
Extra Bonus Quote of the Day
“Politics has become too personal.”
— Vice President Joe Biden, quoted by the New York Times, on why Washington doesn’t work well anymore.
Control of Congress Matters to Most
A new Gallup Poll finds that 40% of Americans say the specific party that controls Congress matters a great deal to them, while 29% say it matters a moderate amount and another 30% say it generally doesn’t matter to them.
Outside Spending Sets New Midterm Record
Morning Line: “Back in April, we wrote that outside spending was on a record-breaking pace. Well, on this first day of fall — and with 43 days still to go until Election Day — outside spending has now surpassed the mark for most money ever spent in a midterm election. In fact, the $228 million (and climbing) spent by outside interest groups is not only the most ever spent in a midterm, but it’s also more spent in any election except the 2012 presidential election… The fact is: this is a whole new world. There should be a red line drawn on anyone’s timeline when reporting on election spending to signify Jan. 21, 2010, the date the Citizens United Supreme Court ruling was handed down, opening up unlimited money to flow into elections from unions and corporations.”
An Unstable Senate
Ron Brownstein: “If Democrats lose their majority this year, it will extend a striking pattern: Since 1980, neither party has controlled the Senate for more than eight consecutive years. That persistent volatility marks a distinct change from most of the 20th century. Given the underlying trends in voting behavior, it’s likely the Senate will continue to experience fragile and fleeting majorities. And that points toward both more partisan conflict and mounting pressure to rewrite Senate rules–like the filibuster–in ways that strengthen the majority.”
Predict the Senate
Democratic polling firm Hickman Analystics has a useful Senate prediction tool to test your assumptions about some of the closer races.
Rand Paul Opens Political Office in California
“Signaling that he may be edging closer to a 2016 White House run, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said Saturday he plans to open an office in the San Francisco Bay Area, one of the nation’s strongest Democratic bastions – and a convenient link to Silicon Valley,” the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
