The two are not unrelated. I believe Fiorina will benefit from independent voters going to the polls for Whitman and Whitman may benefit from rank and file Republicans going to the polls for Fiorina. As long as nieither of them makes a serious gaffe in the next two months they both might get elected.
What this news means is that BOXER can be BEAT! It will take Meg voters in the polling booths to run the (R) gamut and thus resulting in BABBLE BABS BOXER death kneel.