Posted on 09/28/2010 8:41:38 AM PDT by chippewaman
Raese (R) Races Ahead in WV Senate race By Sean Trende - September 28, 2010 A week ago, Public Policy Polling (D) broke shocking news -- according to their sample, businessman and two-time candidate John Raese was leading Governor Joe Manchin in the race to replace Senator Robert Byrd. Now Rasmussen Reports confirms the PPP finding. Its latest sample of the race, taken September 27 among 500 likely voters, shows Raese leading the Governor 48 percent to 46 percent. Sixty-nine percent of West Virginia voters approve of the job Manchin is doing, but only 30 percent approve of the job Obama is doing. His situation is becoming untenable because voters have a chance to get both things they want -- Manchin in the governor's mansion, and Raese as a vote in the Senate against the Obama administration.
(Excerpt) Read more at realclearpolitics.com ...
This is going to be close either way. The Republicans may yet make it to 51, although Washington and California seems to be trending away from the GOP. There’s still a month to go. Let’s keep it up!
Manchin had the choice to defer the special election to 2012 and appoint a Democrat. His personal ambition drove him to call the special election early so that he can run for the seat.
If the Republicans take this seat, Manchin's decision will be second-guessed for a long time. On the other hand, if Manchin chose to defer the election, we would be hearing charges of the Democrats denying the people a choice.
-PJ
100+ seats will change hands in both houses from D to R or I in November... at least.. Most likely 125-150 range.
Only the bluest of blue districts will be safe for the D’s
Appointing a two year place holder had more than just political risks-- Robert Byrd assumed room temperature with more than six months left on his term. Under those circumstances, West Virginia requires an actual election to fill the vacancy.
Manchin would have not been on very questionable legal ground had he tried to count the six months from the time he actually declared the vacancy, a couple of weeks after Robert Byrd was dead.
Some Democrat operatives were actually urging that he take that route to avoid the risk of a special election. But in the end, Manchin did the right thing by calling the special election. I give him credit for that.
Some people felt that there was enough wiggle-room in the law to allow Manchin to avoid calling a special election in order to save the seat for Democrats. There are several threads here on the subject (Google site:freerepublic.com robert byrd special election).
It was interesting to watch West Virginia come to the decision to hold the special election, and then watch how the "sure thing" evaporated.
-PJ
Cowabunga!
That’s right...they (the radicals of Obama) thought he was such a shoo in, there wouldn’t really even be a race!
WRONG
Some,West Virginians were awakened after the Obama debacle.
“Some,West Virginians were awakened after the Obama debacle.”
They’ve been awake for quite some time. Obama has a 30% approval rating in West Virginia, one of the lowest in the nation. Now it’s time to turn out the vote for John Raese.
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