A new Garfield Institute poll of young voters aged 18-29 finds they prefer President Obama over Mitt Romney, 50% to 37%, but that Obama’s support has slipped significantly from the levels the president enjoyed in the 2008 presidential race.
Obama Has Big Lead Among Latinos in Swing States
A new Latino Decisions poll shows President Obama way ahead of Mitt Romney among Latino voters in the key swing states of Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Nevada and Virginia.
“In Florida, the poll found Obama leading Romney by a margin of 53% to 37%, a slight increase from a 50% to 40% lead Obama held over Romney in a January 2012 Latino Decisions/Univision News poll in Florida. In the five states combined Obama lead Romney 63% to 27%, however in southwestern battlegrounds of Arizona, Colorado and Nevada Obama performed even better. In Arizona Obama received 74% to 18% for Romney, in Colorado he was favored by 70% to 22% and in Nevada 69% to 20%. In Virginia, Obama lead 59% to 28% over Romney among Latino registered voters.”
Alex Burns notes Obama “won the Latino vote by 36 points nationally in 2008, which is the
same margin he leads Romney overall across these five swing states.”
Over at Wonk Wire
Check out the latest at our sister site, Wonk Wire:
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Daniels Swears Off Politics
As reported earlier this week, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) was formally elected the next president of Purdue University.
The Indianapolis Star notes Daniels said that “he would recuse himself of any activities of partisan activity or political commentary. Last January, Daniels gave the Republican response to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address.”
Another Poll Shows Obama Slightly Ahead
A new Pew Research poll mirrors two national polls cited earlier and shows a very close presidential race with President Obama just ahead of Mitt Romney, 50% to 46%.
Key findinds: “The slide in economic optimism points to Romney’s most important advantage in the race. Nearly half of registered voters (49%) say Romney would do the best job of improving economic conditions, compared with 41% who favor Obama. Yet Romney trails Obama by wide margins on connecting well with ordinary people, honesty and truthfulness, consistency, displaying good judgment and several other personal dimensions.”
The Little Blue Book
Just published: The Little Blue Book: The Essential Guide to Thinking and Talking Democratic by George Lakoff and Elisabeth Wehling.
Romney Takes Softer Stand on Immigration
Mitt Romney “offered what he called a strategy for ‘bipartisan and long-term immigration reform’ in an address to a convention of Latino elected officials in Florida,” the New York Times reports.
“In the speech, which also touched on the economy, Mr. Romney dropped the confrontational tone he took on immigration during the Republican primary. Instead, he promised to work in a series of areas to help immigrants and their families while discouraging people from coming to the country illegally.”
Bryson Resigns as Commerce Secretary
John Bryson “announced his resignation as President Obama’s commerce secretary on Thursday following an episode in which he had a seizure and was involved in a sequence of automobile accidents,” the New York Times reports.
“Bryson offered no further information about his health or the status of the legal case following the episode earlier this month.”
Christie and The Boss
The Atlantic: “Chris Christie is, even in moments of tranquility — of which, in his life, there seem to be none — a torqued-up, joyously belligerent, easily baited, and preternaturally exuberant son of New Jersey, so bringing him to a Bruce Springsteen concert is an exercise in volcano management. Christie, in the presence of Springsteen — whom he would marry if he were gay and if gay people were allowed to marry in the state he governs — loses himself. He is, as is well known, a very large man — twice the width of Mitt Romney — but he is a very large man who dances at Springsteen concerts in front of many thousands of people without giving a damn what they think.”
“This concert is the 129th the governor has attended… The depth of Christie’s love is noteworthy in part because most politicians — certainly most politicians of national stature — are either too dull or too monomaniacally careerist to maintain fervent emotional relationships with artists. And when they do, the objects of their affection resemble them ideologically or dispositionally — think of the loyalty that Pat Leahy, the liberal senator from Vermont, has for the Grateful Dead. Christie’s passionate attachment to Bruce Springsteen is something different, and much more complicated.”
Lawmaker Says People are Dumber
Bloomberg Businessweek invited four retiring members of Congress, including Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY), to speak candidly about what being a member of a highly partisan Congress is really like.
Said Ackerman: “Society has changed. The public is to blame as well. I think the people have gotten dumber. I don’t know that I would’ve said that out loud pre-my announcement that I was going to be leaving. [Laughter] But I think that’s true.”
Romney Campaign Held Meeting at Racy Nightclub
Campaign finance filings show Mitt Romney’s campaign held a meeting at a racy Arizona nightclub that boasts a “specialty champagne bar in the co-ed bathroom,” according to BuzzFeed.
“The Mint” also specializes in making “all types of events imaginable” which include models, dancers, and showgirls along with body painting in a nightclub that calls itself “half restaurant” and “half ultra-lounge.”
Quote of the Day
“Each and every day that I’ve been a United States senator, I’ve been discussing issues meeting on issues, in secret meetings with kings and queens and prime ministers and business leaders and military leaders talking voting working on issues every single day.”
— Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA), quoted by the Boston Globe.
Another Poll Shows Michigan Competititve
A new Mitchell Research survey in Michigan finds President Obama with a tiny lead over Mitt Romney, 47% to 46%.
Said pollster Steve Mitchell: “I think this will be a battleground state. I think it is a purple state. It leans a little to the left but this election will be competitive here.”
The State of the Money Race
First Read: “After all the reporting from a couple of weeks ago that Romney outraised Obama in May, well technically that isn’t correct. In the true apples-to-apples comparison for the campaigns, the Obama camp outraised the Romney camp last month, $39.1 million to $23.4 million. What’s more, the Obama camp has $109 million in the bank as of May 31, while the Romney camp has $17 million.”
“But where Team Romney outraised Team Obama was with the major party committees (the RNC’s $34.8 million vs. the DNC’s $20 million) and the victory funds. What’s going on here: A larger portion of the pro-Obama money is coming in the form of contributions to the campaign (where the maximum donation is $5,000), while a larger portion of the pro-Romney dough is coming from donations to the RNC (max is $30,800) and Romney’s victory fund.”
Rick Klein: “This election won’t be determined by either side running out of money. But a few data points suggest that the Obama campaign isn’t spinning by saying it will be outspent, as unthinkable as that is for an incumbent to have to worry about. Mitt Romney is coming off a record-setting, $6 million to $8 million day in Michigan — yes, Michigan — with a super, mega fundraising weekend coming in Utah this weekend… It’s only June, and already Romney has erased, if not reversed, the financial edge of the most prolific fundraiser in American politics.”
Romney’s Guest List Leaks
ABC News “has obtained access to parts of the schedule for the three-day retreat with Mitt Romney in Park City, Utah, this weekend. If you’re massively wealthy and favor Romney over Obama, or if there’s a possibility you might be No. 2 on the Republican ticket, or if you fancy being considered for the veep spot, this fancy resort town nestled in the Deer Valley is the place to be.”
Could Marijuana Drive Obama Voters to the Polls?
The Wrap notes that’s Stephen Colbert’s theory.
Romney Sons Talk Pranks
Mitt Romney’s five sons — Tagg, Matt, Josh, Ben and Craig — talked with Conan O’Brien last night about some of their father’s more memorable pranks.
Obama Ground Game to Counter Romney Money
President Obama’s campaign officials say “they are braced for an election decided by a razor-thin margin and are counting on their political organization in key states to overcome what they expect will be Mitt Romney’s money advantage,” Bloomberg reports.
“The president’s political advisers said that outside political action committees supporting Romney are likely to pour as much as $1 billion into the race, outspending Obama and the Democrats.”
Obama advisers “said their advantage will be their extensive operation to identify and turn out Obama voters. The campaign, for example, has 35 offices in Ohio and 40 in Florida, two crucial swing states in November.”
