A new Survey USA poll in South Dakota finds Mike Rounds (R) barely leading a three-way Senate race with 35%, followed by Larry Pressler (I) at 32% and Rick Weiland (D) at 28%.
Obama Needs a Catchy Slogan
Wall Street Journal: “The Obama presidency is littered with catch phrases and rhetorical devices, enthusiastically embraced and summarily discarded as tastes and political needs change. None has piqued the public’s imagination. Six years into his tenure, Mr. Obama is still casting about for a slogan as punchy and enduring as FDR’s ‘New Deal,’ Lyndon Johnson’s ‘Great Society’ — or even his own 2008 campaign mantra: ‘Yes We Can.'”
White House Shake Up Coming?
David Ignatius: “Presidents often need new energy and talent to refurbish their second terms. George W. Bush opted for such a shake-up in 2006, and it arguably saved his presidency. Barack Obama is now facing a similar moment, and there are signs he’s looking to make some personnel changes after the November congressional elections.”
Huntsman Not Running in 2016
Jon Huntsman told Politico that he would not run in 2016 and has no plans to run for governor again.
Said Huntsman: “I can’t describe a pathway through the early primary states up to Super Tuesday, and if you can’t find that pathway or describe what that pathway is, then you had [better] not be in the race.”
Obama Benched by Democrats
New York Times: “When he soared to victory by almost 10 million votes in 2008, President Obama won in states like Virginia that Democratic candidates had not captured since 1964. He was trumpeted as a transformational leader who remade American politics by creating a new electoral map and a diverse voter coalition to shape the Democratic Party for the 21st century.”
“But for now he has been reduced to something else: an isolated political figure who is viewed as a liability to Democrats in the very states where voters by the thousands had once stood to cheer him.”
Georgia is Bluer Than It Appears
Nate Cohn: “No other plausibly competitive state has seen a more favorable shift for Democrats in the racial composition of eligible voters over the last decade. The pace of demographic change is so fast that Michelle Nunn, a Democrat, is locked in a tight race against the Republican David Perdue for an open Senate seat — even with an off-year electorate that is favorable for the G.O.P.”
“The pace of demographic change might even be fast enough to outpace the polls.”
Orman Continues in the Lead in Kansas
A new SurveyUSA poll in Kansas finds Greg Orman (I) leads Pat Roberts (R) in the U.S. Senate race by five points, 47% to 42%.
In the race for governor, Paul Davis (D) tops Gov. Sam Brownback (R) by five points, 47% to 42%.
Dead Heat in Connecticut
A new Quinnipiac poll in Connecticut finds Gov. Dannel Malloy (D) is tied with challenger Tom Foley (R) in the race for governor, 43% to 43%.
Former GOP Official Suggests Executing Ebola Victims
Todd Kincannon, the former executive director of the South Carolina Republican party, said that people infected with the Ebola virus “need to be humanely put down immediately.” WPIX reports.
Said Kincannon: “The protocol for a positive Ebola test should be immediate execution and sanitation of the whole area. That will save lives.”
Quote of the Day
“Defend it? I’m proud of it. This is a part of American business, part of any business.”
— Georgia U.S. Senate candidate David Perdue (R), quoted by the Atlanta Journal Constitution, when asked about a statement that he “spent most of my career” outsourcing.
Supreme Court Will Review Arizona Redistricting
The Supreme Court said it will “consider a challenge by Arizona Republicans to the state’s congressional districting map,” the AP reports.
“Arizona voters created an independent redistricting commission in 2000 in an effort to take politics out of the process. But the GOP-led state legislature complained in a lawsuit that the Constitution exclusively gives power to draw maps for congressional districts to elected state lawmakers. A divided panel of federal judges dismissed the lawsuit, but justices said they will review the lower court ruling.”
4 Reasons We May Not Know On Election Night
It’s increasingly likely that we won’t know which party controls the U.S. Senate on Election Night:
- The Louisiana Senate race may go to a December runoff.
- The Georgia Senate race may go to a January runoff.
- It may take time to count all the votes in Alaska.
- If Greg Orman (I) wins in Kansas, he may wait for the best offer before deciding which party he’ll caucus with.
GOP Pulls Plug on Michigan
“Republicans are canceling TV ad spending planned for the final two weeks of Michigan’s U.S. Senate race, signaling that the GOP is investing in other races in its drive for the Senate majority,” the AP reports.
“Other outside groups, too, are bailing on Michigan, suggesting it’s fallen out of reach” for Terri Lynn Land (R) in her race against Gary Peters (D).
Nunn Keeps Race Close in Georgia
A new Public Policy Polling survey in Georgia finds David Perdue (R) just ahead of Michelle Nunn (D) in the U.S. Senate race, 45% to 43%.
Key finding: “Libertarian Amanda Swafford is polling at 5%, which would be enough to send the contest into a January runoff if it remains this close. Swafford’s support could reflect residual unhappiness among voters who supported one of Perdue’s opponents in the Republican nomination contest- 70% of them voted for Mitt Romney in 2012 compared to only 16% of them who voted for Barack Obama. They say they would support Perdue over Nunn 43/12 if they had to choose between the two, which would push Perdue’s overall lead to 48/45.”
Who is Joe Biden?
Jimmy Kimmel asks Americans on the street.
Crist Holds Small Edge in Florida
A new 0ptimus poll in Florida finds Charlie Crist (D) edging Gov. Rick Scott (R) in the race for governor, 40% to 39%.
A new Public Policy Polling survey shows Crist leading 45% to 43%.
A new SurveyUSA poll shows Crist ahead 44% to 42%.
Pryor Flubs Question on Ebola Crisis
Huffington Post: “A reporter on Monday asked Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR) whether President Barack Obama was doing enough to contain the spread of Ebola. It, um, did not go well.”
Quinn Leads in Illinois
A new We Ask America poll in Illinois finds Gov. Pat Quinn (D) leading challenger Bruce Rauner (R) by four points in the race for governor, 44% to 40%.
