Posted on 09/17/2014 5:30:01 AM PDT by LeoMcNeil
The Washington Post is now predicting the Democrats have a 51% chance of retaining control of the Senate. Just a couple months ago the Republicans were 80% likely to win the Senate. From the GOP perspective, they’ve gone from a very likely win to at best a 50-50 race. The Washington Post decline in Republican fortunes mirrors other prediction services, all of which show a Republican drop off from a month or two ago. We’re less than seven weeks away from the November election. Campaigns are just getting heated up and people are just starting to think about paying attention. Nevertheless, there is cause for concern for Republicans.
It’s easy to dismiss these predictions based on state polling. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to poll with any accuracy. Cell phones are part of the problem, predicting election day turnout has made things even more difficult. Nevertheless, it’s been clear over the past few weeks that there hasn’t been a shift towards Republicans. If anything, in several states, there has been a shift towards Democrat candidates. Historically 2014 should be a wave election for the opposition party. We have a President who on a good day polls in the lower 40’s. His signature program is opposed by 60% of the country. His foreign policy is increasingly seen as a disaster. The economy is stagnate. All of this points to an opposition party victory, in this case a victory for the GOP.
It’s still early of course, the GOP wave of 2010 didn’t become evident until October. However, you have to wonder what the Republican Party is selling to the American public. What is the national GOP message? The answer is simple, there isn’t one. The Republican Party is banking on a victory for no other reason than Obama and the Democrats are unpopular. This is a spectacularly foolish decision on the part of the GOP. They’re basically counting on people to vote for a Republican for no other reason than the candidate isn’t a Democrat. What that person will do in office for six years or what the GOP plans to do over just the next two years appears to be irrelevant in the minds of the GOP campaign wizards. These wizards, mind you, have lost three of the last four elections.
If the Republican Party wants to be successful this year and in the future they actually have to stand for something. Instead, the party is sitting back trying to be as inoffensive to the liberal media as possible. They’re hoping the Democrats implode. While each election is local, without a basic national platform how can the GOP expect to win in November? Most Americans understand that their vote in a local election amounts to little more than a rubber stamp for whichever party the candidate is part of. Without a basic national platform, what exactly are voters voting for if they vote Republican? Opposition to Obama perhaps, but in Senate races what about the four years after Obama is gone?
The Republican Party is so afraid of telling the country what they believe that they’re willing to waste a golden opportunity to win the Senate. The campaign wizards who have lost three of the last four elections are all based in Washington and New York. They’re afraid of the liberal media and they’re afraid of the power of the press. Rather than defeat the left at their own game, the party is swayed by the insular political press. In reality, conservative ideas aren’t offensive outside of the beltway and Manhattan. The Republican Party should be embracing basic family values and conservative economic policy. These issues have receptive audiences in Iowa, North Carolina and in other states with contested Senate races. Instead of sharing its vision, the Republican Party says nothing. In saying nothing, they’re on the way to losing in November.
The ONLY thing I can think of is “Hey we’re not Obama”... thats pretty much it...
Show us where there has been any significant change in GOP campaigning?
This story is lefty propaganda.
Indeed.
Understand this - the GOPe doesn’t want a landslide win.
That would make them accountable to DO SOMETHING to stop the Obama agenda,
which, for the most part, they don’t really oppose -
they just want to be in control of a bit of the spending,
go to the cocktail parties,
and get all the perks of Congressional membership.
Like you or someone said, too many RATS jumping out of windows, the pollsters were told to fix up some good news, and I don’t think it’s below Nate Silver to sauce his own data up for the cause.
I can’t disagree with that;)
My take as well. Take a look at today's Quinnipiac University polls for the Iowa Senate and the Colorado Governorship. The GOP is up big in both polls. Surprisingly big.
I think this whole "standing for nothing" business is just total crap. It may apply to the national GOP but what counts is the individual races.
Do we really have candidates running for Governor or the Senate who are just talking about Obama and the failure of the Dem agenda? I seriously doubt it. Anyone who believes that needs to provide some evidence.
I'm really tired of the whining.
Frankly, I don't even think it matters. The choice is now essentially between extreme progressive vs. progressive lite. The only difference is that progressive lite prefers to gradually phase in its extreme progressivism. I firmly believe we are at the point where the answer to our country's problems are no longer poliltical but spiritual. Which doesn't bode well. Pray for revival.
I am too. This whole strategy is to ramp up GOP divisions prior to the election so that people stay home in a hissy fit.
More years of Hairy Reid gives me a hissy fit.
I’ve stopped reading these doom and gloom articles. They come out every election season. They are meant to depress conservative votes. I have better things to do than worry about how the GOP is going to “blow it” (if its even true, which it very likely is not).
You could be right. I don’t think elections here mean much because once voter fraud became okay, there is no hope of changing anything by voting.
Depressing thought.
The GOP Party is almost dead. Here in NY it’s been dead for years, ever since Ed Cox took over and failed to inspire the party committee’s accross the counties. He was/is only interested in the title to help him get more coctail party invites.
This is why I like the Tea Party - it’s grassroots and helps GOTV.
You just have to look at Obama’s re-election to see what you’re saying. I pretty much lost confidence in the American voter after that, so yeah...Dems could pull it off in Nov.
The Republican Party is so afraid of telling the country what they believe that they’re willing to waste a golden opportunity to win the Senate. The campaign wizards who have lost three of the last four elections are all based in Washington and New York. They’re afraid of the liberal media and they’re afraid of the power of the press. Rather than defeat the left at their own game, the party is swayed by the insular political press. In reality, conservative ideas aren’t offensive outside of the beltway and Manhattan. The Republican Party should be embracing basic family values and conservative economic policy.
...
I agree, but I don’t think it’s an accident or incompetence on behalf of the GOPe. They know exactly what they are doing. They despise the rank and file outside the beltway.
Gloom, despair, and agony on me
Deep, dark depression, excessive misery
If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all
Gloom, despair, and agony on me.
(Apologies to Buck Owens and Roy Clark)
GOPe: “Pheww!!! For a while there, I thought we were actually going to have to do something to oppose Obama in his last two years! I’m glad that’s not an issue anymore!”
Nevertheless, it’s been clear over the past few weeks that there hasn’t been a shift towards Republicans. If anything, in several states, there has been a shift towards Democrat candidates.
And, this statement is based on what data? Thanks.
And, the adaptation from my college days:
Gloom, despair, and DiffEQ on me
Deep dark depression, excessive misery
If it weren’t for DiffEQ,
I’d have a 4.0
Gloom, despair and DiffEQ on me!
Is it possible that both DIMs and GOPe “lose”? WDC does desperately need fumigated from the weasels on both sides.
Sorry, but I see no evidence supporting conservatives like Cruz gaining stature under the weak-kneed R leadership. Instead, Cruz gets slammed for doing the right thing - such as the budget showdown.
It is seriously screwed up when the party that stabs you in the back then screams at you that you "must" support them. (Not you - but the GOPe)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.