Free Republic

According to the latest Rasmussen state polls, Mitt Romney is in position to win the presidency; he should win at least 279 electoral votes. Romney leads in Florida, Ohio, Virginia, Colorado, and New Hampshire; Obama leads in Nevada. Wisconsin and Iowa are tied. Were Romney to win both Wisconsin and Iowa, he’d secure another 16 electoral votes, putting him at 295 electoral votes...

ANALYSIS - Suddenly, Republican Mitt Romney has a viable path to victory in the tight battle for the White House. Democratic President Barack Obama still appears to have the upper hand in the state-by-state fight to cobble together the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency in the November 6 election. But Romney’s recent surge in the polls after his strong performance in his first debate with Obama on October 3 has propelled the Republican into the lead or within striking distance in enough states to give him a reasonable chance of beating Obama to the finish line. Ohio,...

Kingmakers in the Republican Party are closing ranks behind Mitt Romney, saying they have no concerns about the GOP nominee’s recent push for independent voters. Their remarks contrast with the right’s occasional knee-jerk reactions earlier this year when Romney was struggling to gain traction against President Obama. In the last week, Romney has made statements suggesting a shift on Wall Street regulatory reform, immigration and healthcare. But right-wing leaders who throughout the GOP primary held his feet to the fire on those issues have united behind their nominee with less than a month until Election Day. They deny that he’s...

..............Incredible as it may seem to most outside observers, Mitt Romney is actually what currently passes for a moderate in today’s Republican Party..... Romney was sold – in the teeth of opposition from a significant section of the Republican grass roots – as the pragmatic choice, the compromise they had to make with ideology to secure victory. And when he loses, those activists are going to go as vengefully crazy as Cain’s Rhode Island Reds. Anyone who doubts the reaction of the GOP stalwarts to Romney’s impending defeat should bear in mind this single, if chilling, fact. Most of them...

White House Chief of Staff Rahm 'Dead Fish' Emanuel is at it again with an outrageous claim that for Republicans to take back Congress in November would be 'dangerous.' The Obama Administration and the Democrats in Congress must be getting very worried about the upcoming November midterm elections. Every poll shows Democrats trailing Republicans in support, and most citizens give very low marks to the Democrat-controlled Congress. The fact that Congress controls the purse-strings of the federal budget and that Democrats have had complete control over both houses since 2006 indicates a dire scenario is coming for the majority Party....

A majority of state Republican Party chairs have signed a letter supporting Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele, citing his accomplishments in the post. "The charge of any national chairman is to raise money and win elections," the letter said, signed by 29 state committees plus Guam and the District. "With over $100 million raised, victories in Virginia, New Jersey and Massachusetts, and victories in 29 of 37 special elections, Michael Steele has demonstrated that under his chairmanship the RNC has the ability, focus, and drive to lead Republicans to a sweeping victory in November."

If you have been watching the unfolding of this cycle, you know now that IT has started. The bounce back is here. The bounce back is real. Conservative voter intensity is building thanks to our great economy and the Democrats insulting attempt to antagonize Christian conservatives and values voters with taunts over the Florida matter. The AP is now talking about their side “having a good chance” to take TEN of the FIFTEEN House seats and FOUR of the SIX Senate seats they need to control both Houses. Ten of Fifty? Four of six? That sounds like they know what’s...

This is a LIVE THREAD for discussion of the impending certification of final results in the Washington State Governor's race, between Dino Rossi (R) and Christine Gregoire (D). The Secretary of State is required to certify the final results this evening. As of 4:28 P.M. PST, Gregoire leads by 29 votes with 2521 votes from 4 or 5 counties left to be reported. King County (the Dem's stronghold) has apparently made its final report. Washington State law requires a machine recount if the certified results show a difference of less than 2000, which now seems almost certain. It also requires...

Measured another way, Bush won 53% of the 538 electoral college votes available this year. Of all the chief executives reelected since the 12th Amendment separated the vote for president and vice president — a group that stretches back to Thomas Jefferson in 1804 — only Wilson (at 52%) won a smaller share of the available electoral college votes. In the end, for all his gains, Bush carried just two states that he lost last time. Another trend explains why all of this might matter to more than just historians: Throughout American history, the reelection of a president has usually...

GOP flexes muscle, gets tort reform House Republicans win fight over capping lawsuits AUSTIN (AP) — After more than a week of long days and bitter infighting, Republicans showed just how formidable their grip on the Texas Legislature is with their final passage Friday of a House bill designed to limit lawsuits. House Democrats rigorously opposed the measure, every step of the way. The vote came after lawmakers concluded debate late Thursday night on almost 200 proposed amendments to sweeping legislation intended to transform civil litigation in the state. The process was marred by scandal, partisan politics and fiery debates...

Election victors reaping rewards Austin lobbyist Toomey appointed to be Perry's chief of staff 11/16/2002 By GEORGE KUEMPEL and PETE SLOVER / The Dallas Morning News AUSTIN - The election last week brought a big victory for Texas Republicans, and it continues to pay dividends for top state business lobbyists, too. AP Mike Toomey Mike Toomey of Austin became the latest of several lobbyists to land important assignments in the highest reaches of state government with his appointment Friday as Gov. Rick Perry's chief of staff. Earlier in the week, House Speaker-apparent Tom Craddick selected two lobbyists as part...

The continued Republican control of the House and the recapturing of the Senate constitute a major political victory for George W. Bush. With the exception of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936, first-term presidents usually lose seats in Congress in their midterm elections--massive losses in the case of Bill Clinton eight years ago. As the leader of the war against terrorism, President Bush turned back the usual course of history despite a soft economy. Democrats suffered two massive blows early in the evening in their bid to hold onto the Senate. In New Hampshire, Rep. John E. Sununu (R) saved a...

Divided Congress will remain Bush obstacle Experts predict partisan bickering to continue despite GOP advances 11/06/2002 By DAVID JACKSON / The Dallas Morning News WASHINGTON - So much has changed in the last two years, but apparently that doesn't include politics. Despite a string of successes in Tuesday's elections, President Bush will still be wrestling with a closely divided Congress. Although Republicans kept control of the House and won back the Senate, the Senate's rules would give Democrats many opportunities to frustrate Mr. Bush's plans for judges, tax cuts, prescription drugs and homeland security, analysts said. "Neither party is...

MSNBC's Question of the Day is a very simple Yes/No: "Do you think the GOP will retake the Senate?" You can FREEP this three different ways (You can do one, two or all three):1) Simply vote in the poll. It's already 61-39% pro-GOP.2) Email a short comment (pithy, as O'Reilly would say; they won't air something that'll take up 5 or six screens) either from the poll page or directly to question@msnbc.com. Emails will be read throughout the day until 6 pm ET.3) Call in at the times they announce they're taking calls. This will happen throughout the day. I...