Issue #101

by Art Kelly

1. The latest Rasmussen Reports shows Republicans with a significant lead for Congress 45% to 36%, but the newest Gallup Poll shows Democrats on top 49% to 43%.

Both polls show the GOP with about the same level of support, 45% and 43%, but the results are dramatically different in Democratic support, 36% and 49%.

Rasmussen also found 19% undecided, but Gallup measured that at 8%.

2. The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has so far failed to capitalize on a golden opportunity to defeat liberal Congressman Bob Etheridge (D-NC) with conservative Renee Ellmers.

Etheridge, who has a lifetime American Conservative Union rating of 22.4% and a 2009 rating of 4%, was re-elected with 67% in both 2008 and 2006. Barrack Obama carried the district with 53% in 2008, but George Bush won it with 54%.

While the 2nd Congressional District in North Carolina may not appear to a prime target for a conservative pickup, two developments changed the situation.

First, when three students approached Etheridge to ask if he supported the Obama agenda, the Congressman grabbed one of them by the wrist and neck and demanded to know who the young men were. The incident was captured on videotape and posted on YouTube.

Second, Renee Ellmers, 46, a nurse and articulate Tea Party activist, emerged to provide an attractive alternative to the 69-year old cantankerous Etheridge.

A Civitas Institute Poll taken shortly after Etheridge assaulted the student showed Ellmers in the lead 39% to 38%.

But instead of taking advantage of these developments, Politico reports that one unnamed NRCC strategist said the race was “not in our top 40 or our top 60 or anything like that…I think there was an initial excitement that resulted from the video, but there was a quick realization that the campaign wasn’t ready for prime time.”

Quite the contrary, in meetings with conservative leaders in Washington, D.C., Ellmers was extremely well spoken and very knowledgeable on all the issues.

John Gizzi of Human Events noted that Ellmers’ background in health care gave her special qualifications in fighting against Obamacare, which she wants to “dismantle, defund, and repeal.”

Because the NRCC is doing very little to support Ellmers, she has only $42,000 currently on-hand for her campaign. Etheridge has $1.2 million in the bank.

The Chairman of the NRCC is Congressman Pete Sessions (R-TX).

3. New Rasmussen state polls:

Kentucky Senate
Rand Paul (R) 49%
Jack Conway (D) 41%
Other candidates 4%
Undecided 6%

Ohio Senate
Rob Portman (R) 45%
Lee Fisher (D) 39%
Other candidates 5%
Undecided 11%

Ohio Governor
John Kasich (R) 48%
Gov. Ted Strickland (D) 43%
Other candidates 3%
Undecided 5%

Nebraska Governor
Gov. Dave Heineman (R) 71%
Mike Meister (D) 18%
Other candidates 2%
Undecided 8%

Connecticut Senate
Richard Blumenthal (D) 53%
Linda McMahon (R) 40%
Other candidates 3%
Undecided 4%

Idaho Senate
Sen. Mike Crapo (R) 64%
Tom Sullivan (D) 27%
Other candidates 3%
Undecided 6%

Maine Governor
Paul LaPage (R) 39%
Libby Mitchell (D) 31%
Eliot Cutler (I) 15%
Other candidates 3%
Undecided 12%

Alaska Governor
Gov. Sean Parnell (R) 53%
Ethan Berkowitz (D) 34%
Other candidates 7%
Undecided 6%

Pennsylvania Senate
Pat Toomey (R) 45%
Joe Sestak (D) 38%
Other candidates 6%
Undecided 12%

Pennsylvania Governor
Tom Corbett (R) 48%
Dan Onorato (D) 38%
Other candidates 5%
Undecided 10%

Wisconsin Governor
Scott Walker (R) 48%
Tom Barrett (D) 44%
Other candidates 4%
Undecided 4%

Wisconsin Senate
Ron Johnson (R) 47%
Sen. Russ Feingold (D) 46%
Other candidates 2%
Undecided 6%

Washington Senate
Dino Rossi (R) 48%
Sen. Patty Murray 45%
Other candidates 3%
Undecided 3%

California Governor
Meg Whitman (R) 47%
Jerry Brown (D) 46%
Other candidates 4%
Undecided 3%

Texas Governor
Gov. Rick Perry (R) 50%
Bill White (D) 41%
Other candidates 2%
Undecided 7%

Republicans lead in 14 of the 15 races.