Today's installment of campaign-related news items that won't necessarily generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers:
* The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee launched web and/or radio ads today targeting 21 vulnerable House Republicans as part of the ongoing fiscal talks. This one, for example, pressures Rep. Gary Miller (R-Calif.).
* South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) will not appoint a temporary "placeholder" to fill Sen. Jim DeMint's (R) seat upon his retirement. She will instead name one of five finalists to the seat, who would presumably seek a full term in 2014. Among the leading contenders is Jenny Sanford, the ex-wife of the former governor Mark Sanford.
* In Kentucky, Public Policy Polling found that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) is the least popular senator in the country, garnering only a 37% approval rating. That said, two years ahead of his re-election fight, he still enjoys narrow, four-point leads over possible Democratic challengers.
* It's not yet clear whether Newark Mayor Cory Booker (D) will run for governor next year, but other Democrats are not waiting to get into the race against Gov. Chris Christie (R). This week, state Sen. Barbara Buono (D) launched her gubernatorial bid, and has already hired David Axelrod's old firm.
* In Pennsylvania, Sen. Bob Casey (D) yesterday ruled out a gubernatorial campaign against Gov. Tom Corbett (R) in 2014. Plenty of other Democrats, including Rep. Allyson Schwartz, have expressed interest in the race.
* In Ohio, the latest Quinnipiac poll shows Gov. John Kasich's (R) approval rating inching a little higher, reaching an underwhelming 42%. The same poll, however, found that only 36% of Ohioans believes Kasich deserves a second term.
* And remember when the National Republican Senatorial Committee promised to cut off all financial support for Todd Akin's Senate campaign in Missouri? It turns out, the NRSC wasn't telling the truth. Asked about this yesterday, NRSC Chair John Cornyn didn't want to talk about it. Go figure.
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When you take all this in context together all that is going to be required for Democrats to make significant strides in the mid terms if for them to let the Republicans continue doing what they are doing. These people are digging themselves a deep dark hole and since it looks like a lot of the crazy leadership is starting to take the money and run I am not even sure the Tea Party can haul them out of it
Fine, but more must be done by Democrats to publicize and take advantage of the idiocy of the republicans and tea-baggers. Dems just can't sit back and let it unfold; people must be aware of what's going on. No complacency!
Unfortunately, not everyone hangs out on Maddowblog!
But we should not let our guard down. Be certain to GOTV in 2014 and 2016. I don't trust any Republican politician as far as I can throw them.
The Koch brothers are doing like the evangelists and are taking their show to the state level. So if you truly love freedom and democracy you need to vote at all elections!
You can bet that Rove and other servants of greed will be doubling their efforts to buy votes while also trying to suppress votes.
In essence the right wing has declared war against democracy and are hoping you will get lazy in the mid-terms.This will allow them to take over the state house and envoke new Jim Crow laws to suppress the vote. Killing unions will also become a state by state drive.
The republicans want to make this a republic owned by the rich and shameless ,run by the rich and shameless, for the rich and shameless.
Please drive us off the cliff, we will not perish but you will!
What?You do not fear the cliff? Dang I reckon you are some kind of educated liberal pot smoking peace loving hippie!
Watch that last step. That clif may become what it is--a speed bump in the highway of far right paranoia.
I too prefer the automatic cuts to the republican attack on all safety nets and all regulations. But then I am not a billionaire seeking to take us back to robber baron days.
Ah, Jenny Sanford, who seemed like a sympathetic figure until she started talking about how what she really missed about living in the governor's mansion was the prisoners who did all the work for her. I guess pining for your mansion and slaves is still popular with South Carolina Republicans.
What Democrats need to do in all state and federal races is to work very hard to find and back strong candidates who have positive messages. All races, especially secretaries of state, governor, state legislators, as well as national candidates for Senate and Congress need to be looked at. Winning back the states as well as the National Congress will require aggressive recruiting and funding to assure that good candidates run and to assure that they have adequate funding.
And, although we need to point out the faults of the Republicans now in office, we need to develop a positive message for each candidate. One of the main problems that Mitt Romney had was that his only message was that he was not Obama. He had no positive message of his own. Democrats need to be careful that they do not make this mistake in 2014.
(note to blog administrator: why do I still get a red line under Obama? Surely the President's name is in your spell checker by now. It is underlined in the above paragraph but not this one.)
I don't have twitter so I am going to have do this here.
Gov Haley appoint Stephen Colbert to the Senate! #spottedsalamander
Oh, no they turned John Cornyn into a chair. How many more, Oh, the tragedy of it all.