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Republicans are suddenly buoyant about fall election chances
US News & World Report ^ | 6/22/06 | Paul Bedard

Posted on 06/22/2006 2:39:58 PM PDT by Gothmog

The roller-coaster mood swings of Republican strategists are surging back with growing confidence that the fall elections won't be the disaster for the party that Democrats are predicting.

Buoyed by President Bush's two-week bump up in the polls, a congressional victory in California, and new polling that finds Republicans holding their own or challenging in races Democrats have focused on, some strategists are reviewing their earlier expectations of major losses in the House, Senate, and statehouses.

A recent surprise poll that has Republicans hopeful came in the Michigan gubernatorial race where Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm is now behind GOP challenger Dick DeVos.

Just three months ago Granholm held a 17 percent lead and last fall was up by 23 percent.

But a May EPIC-MRA poll put DeVos ahead 46 percent to 45 percent, and a newer poll has him leading by 8 percent, 48 to 40. "Looks like we may steal a big governorship from the Dems in Michigan!" a Bush adviser e-mailed.

"That would be sweet. Could also be important for '08 and the ability of our GOP nominee to win this state," he added. Democrats, however, are not looking at defeat there, and say that Granholm is just starting to take on DeVos.

Still, the Republicans are not depressed anymore and are "starting to rise to the battle," said a Republican National Committee insider, who explained that last week's trip by President Bush to Iraq and the clearing of Karl Rove in the CIA spy case have boosted GOP spirits.

Some GOP officials, however, warn against too-early celebration. "Things have finally gone our way for two weeks," said a Republican official, "but we don't want to overstate this." The official said GOP strategists are cautious because they fear the expectations for a comeback will rise too high and could be dashed with any unexpected bad news in the coming weeks.

Another said "we've simply gone from being in reverse to being in neutral." Said another, until three weeks ago "there had been an uneasiness in our circles. This gives people a feeling that things are changing, that's all."


TOPICS: Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2006; electioncongress; electionushouse; electionussenate; gop; midterms; predictions
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Some good news
1 posted on 06/22/2006 2:40:03 PM PDT by Gothmog
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To: Gothmog

Hillary should be helpful with her idea of a national speed limit of 55 mph.


2 posted on 06/22/2006 2:42:13 PM PDT by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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To: Gothmog

color me shocked.....u mean the msm was wrong...geeeeee.

its gonna all come down to turn out..well we turn out...i will...im not happy with us but we are better then them not by much though


3 posted on 06/22/2006 2:42:25 PM PDT by skaterboy
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To: Gothmog

And the really good news is that (Lin)colon Chaffed RINO-RI would lose the Republican primary were it held today!


4 posted on 06/22/2006 2:46:26 PM PDT by MIchaelTArchangel
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To: Gothmog

Howard Dean - The gift that just keeps on giving.


5 posted on 06/22/2006 2:47:29 PM PDT by dfwgator (Florida Gators - 2006 NCAA Men's Basketball Champions)
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To: Gothmog
Great news, but me must vote in November. We cant let the RINO's keep us at home.
6 posted on 06/22/2006 2:47:59 PM PDT by 12th_Monkey
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To: Gothmog
a congressional victory in California

Which the dims spun as an actual "win" for them.

7 posted on 06/22/2006 2:48:09 PM PDT by Graybeard58 (Remember and pray for Sgt. Matt Maupin - MIA/POW- Iraq since 04/09/04)
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To: MIchaelTArchangel

Actually I just posted this on another thread. From National Review:

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=ZmUzNTgwZDZmMjI3ODQ3MjhlMjNiMmJkMjU3ODE1NWM=

"Next week is a big one for Senator Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island: He must decide whether he's going to run for re-election as a Republican or as an independent. The deadline is 4 pm on Wednesday — almost exactly a week from right now. If Chafee doesn't believe he can win the GOP primary against challenger Steven Laffey, he may decide to forgo the whole thing and create a three-way race between himself, Laffey, and presumptive Democratic nominee Sheldon Whitehouse. This would create an interesting dilemma for Elizabeth Dole and the NRSC, which has already pumped a lot of cash into Chafee's re-election: Would they still support a guy who doesn't want to compete for their own party's nod?Under Rhode Island law, Chafee wouldn't actually have to drop his formal Republican affiliation: He could still say that he's a member of the party, but that he's not seeking its nomination. This may not pass the smell test, but since when has Chafee ever been required by Washington's GOP establishment to pass the smell test?"


8 posted on 06/22/2006 2:48:26 PM PDT by Gothmog
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To: Gothmog

Credit conservative talk radio!


9 posted on 06/22/2006 2:48:32 PM PDT by Don Corleone (Leave the gun..take the cannoli)
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To: Gothmog

What a great Christmas present it would be for us Michiganders if we could not only get a new Governor but a new Senator as well. Debbie ("Dangerously Incompetent") Stabenow must go.

If anyone has any suggestions on how we can get the word to fellow Michiganders that we have become a doner state because Republicans are in charge in Washington and we are sending two Democrats to represent us, I would appreciate it.


10 posted on 06/22/2006 2:48:45 PM PDT by kempster
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To: Gothmog
Well, as the race gets closer, it will naturally tighten as the GOP gets off their duff and starts to campaign under their self imposed Queensbury rules, whereas the democrats campaign everyday of the years, smearing and lying on holidays, at funerals, etc.

Furthermore, there have been indicators that despite the GOP's best efforts to blow it, the democrats have bad ideas and are untrustworthy and it shows. The final indicator is that Dick Morris made a prediction of disaster for the, and he is almost always wrong nowadays (has not been the case in the past).

11 posted on 06/22/2006 2:49:18 PM PDT by KC_Conspirator
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To: Gothmog
"Suddenly?"

As if "Republicans" are stupid enough to believe the polls...

12 posted on 06/22/2006 2:49:46 PM PDT by Reactionary (The Barking of the Native Moonbat is the Sound of Moral Nitwittery)
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To: Gothmog
..the fall elections won't be the disaster for the party that Democrats are predicting.

Why would they believe the enemy's prediction anyway?

13 posted on 06/22/2006 2:50:25 PM PDT by paudio (Universal Human Rights and Multiculturalism: Liberals want to have cake and eat it too!)
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To: Gothmog

"suddenly"?

I've been buoyant all along! ;-)


14 posted on 06/22/2006 2:52:21 PM PDT by pillut48 (CJ in TX)
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To: Gothmog
Another said "we've simply gone from being in reverse to being in neutral." Said another, until three weeks ago "there had been an uneasiness in our circles. This gives people a feeling that things are changing, that's all."
Changes maybe occurring but we shall see. The true test of change will be if the 'true'tm conservatives start to change and come on board and stop their forever wailing and moaning about staying home or 3rd party aspirations.....
15 posted on 06/22/2006 2:54:48 PM PDT by deport
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To: Gothmog

I just wish the President would start to open his mouth and respond to the insane attacks from the left. He could really do some good if he just SAID SOMETHING! Did anyone notice how his approval rating went up last year when he gave a few speeches defending his positions? Then he stopped. He'd better dust off the bully pulpit and try to help the GOP!


16 posted on 06/22/2006 2:55:20 PM PDT by PhillyRepublican
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To: Gothmog

Republicans just need to remember that while our soldiers fight insurgents on the ground in Iraq we need to fight the enemy here at home. Just keep in mind how the Democrats would steal the face and honor of our soldiers as they have already by hyping situations like Abu Grab. The Dems have been setting themselves up for a loss by positioning themselves in a hopeless position of being not just antiwar but antiAmerican. All you have to talk to one of "them" and you know they have not just a low opinion of President Bush but of the whole country. They quickly point to the European examples of tollerance and social enlightenment. They have long stepped over the line from being vocal patriots to being hateful traitors. I belive when a US citizen can no longer offer the benefit of the doubt to his or her own soldiers before offerring sympathy and comfort to the enemy then they have lost the right to be called a citizen. We need not only worry about illegals but also about those who hate this country and strip them of their citizenship and send them to live with those they so admire abroad.


17 posted on 06/22/2006 2:57:36 PM PDT by Maelstorm (Liberals only win when you accept their false premises at face value.)
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To: Gothmog

So things change quickly in politics? Who knew?!


18 posted on 06/22/2006 3:00:18 PM PDT by mainepatsfan
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To: Graybeard58

I hope they have several more similar type of "wins" this November.


19 posted on 06/22/2006 3:00:56 PM PDT by mainepatsfan
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To: Gothmog

De Vos, the Michigan governor candidate, is running positive campaign commercials, ala Reagan in 1984. It's very effective. The MI rats don't know how to respond.


20 posted on 06/22/2006 3:03:06 PM PDT by sergeantdave
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