Wednesday’s political round-up

October 11, 2006

Today’s installment of campaign-related news items that wouldn’t generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers:

* In Connecticut, Ned Lamont (D) has narrowed the gap a little against Sen. Joe Lieberman (I), but only a little. A new Hartford Courant/University of Connecticut poll shows the incumbent leading by eight, 48% to 40%. Alan Schlesinger, the official GOP candidate, is a distant third with 4%. At this point, Lieberman enjoys 67% if the Republican vote, on top of 35% of Connecticut Dems.

* In Pennsylvania, a poll yesterday showed Sen. Rick Santorum (R) closing in a bit on Bob Casey (D), but a new Rasmussen poll shows the opposite: Casey now leads by 13 points, 50% to 37%. It’s slightly better than the 10-point lead Casey enjoyed in September’s Rasmussen poll.

* Florida’s gubernatorial race is looking increasingly discouraging, in large part because voters don’t seem to know who Rep. Jim Davis (D) is. A new Quinnipiac poll shows state Attorney General Charlie Crist (R) leading by 10, 53% to 43%. Nearly three in five respondents, 57%, said they still didn’t know enough about Davis. “He hasn’t come close to introducing himself to enough Floridians to win,” said Peter Brown, Quinnipiac’s assistant poll director.

* Speaking of Florida, the misery that has become Katherine Harris’ (R) Senate campaign is nearly over. A new Quinnipiac poll shows incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson (D) leading the controversial challenger, 61% to 33%.

* In Texas’s four-way gubernatorial race, Democrat Chris Bell has had some trouble with fundraising, but yesterday, Houston trial lawyer John O’Quinn helped out enormously by donating $1 million, and pledging to increase that amount by another $4 million very soon. “We are going to be big time on TV to increase our name recognition,” said Bell spokeswoman Heather Guntert.

* And in 2008 news, former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson is forming a leadership political action committee, which may be the first step on route to a presidential campaign. Thompson spokesman Tony Jewell said Tuesday that the PAC, as yet unnamed, will allow Thompson to raise money and stay involved in issues. Asked if the PAC was aimed at helping him lay the groundwork for a presidential run, Jewell responded, “Right now he’s just focused on the PAC. What comes after that we’ll have to see.” Thompson was also HHS secretary in the Bush administration.

***Darth Lieberman stuff***
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America, in her hour of perilous need, requires a net gain of “7” by Democrats in the Senate, to counteract “The Dark Lord of the Fourth Reich….”

  • In regard to Jim Davis in Florida, it’s hard for someone out of state to understand why people still don’t know enough about him, especially given the current climate among Florida residents:

    “Florida voters disapprove 59 – 37 percent of the job President George W. Bush is doing. Voters say 55 – 28 percent that the U.S. is losing the war in Iraq, and 44 – 39 percent that the U.S. is losing the war on worldwide terrorism. ”

    So is the problem lack of funds? Inept staff? Insufficient national support? Or is the candidate so lame that nobody sees him no matter how they dress him up?

    This is the best chance we’ve had in years to really stick it to the opposition so I hope they get their act together while there’s still time.

  • I know that the American people suffer a lot of plastic, blown-dry politicians who are known for their oratory skills and being telegenic, while having no brains, but thinking that the camera is kind to former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson is delusional. And Mike Huckabee is a close second on the telegenic/charisma scale. Of course, being Republicans and having Republican political values and politics, they’ve got a better shot at attracting repressed males than attracting some babes (think Bill Clinton).

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