West Virginia: Bill Maloney Closing In, Tomblin Launches Attack Ads

Image via WikipediaFrom Campaign Spot on National Review Online:

Earl Ray Tomblin became governor when Joe Manchin was elected to the Senate last year. Tomblin began the race as a heavy favorite against Republican Bill Maloney, but this race is turning out a lot closer than most expected: “Whatever the ad’s effect on voters, the Tomblin ad suggests the race has narrowed and that Tomblin’s once formidable double-digit lead has shrunk. A recent poll suggested Tomblin was leading by only 6 points, though it had nearly a 4 percent margin of error.”

Related articles

• WV-2011 Governor: 46% Tomblin (D), 40% Maloney (R) (PPP 9/1-4) (huffingtonpost.com)
• W.Va. redistricting plan easy on GOP (politico.com)
• Race for West Virginia Governor Tightens (politicalwire.com)
• Pro-coal Ralliers Protest Revoked EPA Permit (indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com)
• Remember The Miners Announces Celebrity Guests at The Bob Huggins Fish Fry (prweb.com)
• States Trending Red (bokertov.typepad.com)

Connecticut: How Bridgeport May Have Helped Democrats Steal Governors Race

Image of Bridgeport in Fairfield County, via Wikipedia

It would be two more days before Bridgeport reported its final results, forcing the state to wait to find out who would be its next governor. And that canceled moderator's report, obtained by Hearst Connecticut Newspapers, would become the first of three different tallies produced by or attributed to Bridgeport election officials as they counted votes during a sleep deprived, pressure filled period between Nov. 2 and Nov. 5.
None of differing tallies showed Democratic Gov.-elect Dannel Malloy losing to Republican Tom Foley or reduced his margin of victory to the threshold that would trigger an automatic statewide recount.

CT Post.com

Related articles

• Bridgeport mayor: Democrat for governor wins city (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Dem gets apparent edge in Conn. gov's race (msnbc.msn.com)
• "Republican Tom Foley Concedes Governor's Race; No Legal Challenge; Will Call Democrat Dannel Malloy To Concede After Press Conference" and related posts (blogs.courant.com)
• Democrat Malloy Wins Conn. Governor's Race (newyork.cbslocal.com)
• Bridgeport Mayor: Democrat For Gov Wins City (newyork.cbslocal.com)
• Connecticut Election Descends into Chaos (politicalwire.com)
• Foley Seeks Probe Into Bridgeport Voting (newyork.cbslocal.com)
• Connecticut Republican Foley Concedes Governor's Race to Malloy (businessweek.com)

New York: New Voting Systems May be Responsible for Confusion in Close Races

Two weeks after the Nov. 2 elections, two House races and three state Senate contests across New York remain too close to call. And the state's new electronic voting system, where optical scanners and paper ballots replaced lever machines, has emerged in each case as both the solution and the scapegoat.
In the House races, Democrats Tim Bishop in the first Congressional District and Dan Maffei in the 25th District have gone to court requesting a hand re-count of the paper ballots. Both narrowly trail Republican challengers with thousands of absentee ballots yet to count.
In the state Senate races, the Democrats' lead election lawyer has said questions about the electronic machines could form the basis of any potential challenges to the outcome of the contests.

Wall Street Journal

Related articles

• Gillibrand Emails for Recounting House Members (observer.com)
• Three Long Island Races Still Undecided (newyork.cbslocal.com)
• Seven House races still undecided (politico.com)
• Still counting (powerlineblog.com)
• "New York - Democrat of Long Island House Race Up for Grabs After Vote Error" and related posts (vosizneias.com)
• Tally error upends N.Y. congressional election (msnbc.msn.com)
• Maffei camp: Don't rush to judgment (timesunion.com)
• FACTBOX-Seven U.S. House races still undecided (reuters.com)
• The Caucus: Six House Races Remain in Limbo (thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com)
• Well Past Midterms, 9 Races Still Up for Grabs - 12 in 2012: Newt Gingrich (politics.blogs.foxnews.com)

New York: Altschuler Takes Lead over Bishop in Long Island Congressional Race

The close congressional race on the East End of Long Island, which incumbent Democrat Tim Bishop appeared likely to win, is now up in the air after the Suffolk County Board of Elections found it had misreported the unofficial results by nearly 4,000 votes.
Republican challenger Randy Altschuler, who if he wins would become the second Jewish Republican in the House, is now reported to be in the lead by 383 votes. Bishop had initially been reported to be ahead by 3,461 votes.

Related articles

• Incredible development: Altschuler is actually the leader in 1st CD Altschuler/Bishop race (wilderside.wordpress.com)
• Long Island House Voters Still In The Dark (newyork.cbslocal.com)
• Error In Tally Upends L.I. Congressional Election (newyork.cbslocal.com)
• Error in tally upends NY congressional election (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Why is it such a close call for Dem Congressman Tim Bishop? (and other Suffolk County results) (wilderside.wordpress.com)
• The Altschuler surprise (powerlineblog.com)
• Rep. Tim Bishop joins other House Dems waiting for final results (dailykos.com)
• Giffords ekes out victory, Altschuler in play (jta.org)

California: Vidak Leads Costa by 10 pts

Image via Wikipedia

In an election for US Representative from California's 20th Congressional District today, 10/25/10, Republican challenger Andy Vidak is atop incumbent Democrat Jim Costa, 52% to 42%, according to SurveyUSA polling conducted in English and in Spanish for KFSN-TV Fresno.
Costa has experienced across-the-board erosion since SurveyUSA's last poll 6 weeks ago: Among women, Costa had led by 14, now leads by 2. Among voters age 50+, Costa had led by 3, now trails by 14. Among voters without a college degree, Cost had led by 6, now trails by 11. 

Survey USA

Related articles

• Dem losing by 10 in California's Central Valley (hotair.com)
• Costa and Vidak spar over Vidak's position on AZ immigration law (fresnobeehive.com)
• Is Republican Andy Vidak mounting a challenge to Jim Costa? (fresnobeehive.com)
• Conservative interest group weighs in with anti-Costa mailer in CD20 (fresnobeehive.com)
• Outside cash flowing freely into the 20th Congressional District race (fresnobeehive.com)
• FDL's Hot House 100: (10/25 Update) Now Two More Congressional Races to Watch (elections.firedoglake.com)
• Support Andy Vidak in California's 20th Congressional District (redstate.com)
• "FDL’s Election Hot House: 98 Congressional Races Worth Watching" and related posts (elections.firedoglake.com)
• Poll: Gibson has taken a nine-point lead over Murphy (timesunion.com)

New Jersey: Little Hacks Pallone Lead Down to 7 pts

Image via Wikipedia
If Pallone is in this much trouble, how about the rest of the Democrats in the region?

A new Monmouth University poll shows 6th District Republican Congressional Candidate Anna Little has narrowed the gap between her and incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone.
The new poll shows Pallone leading by 7 points, 52% to 45% with a week left until Election Day.
A Monmouth Poll released three weeks ago showed Pallone up by 12 points.
The poll, conducted by automated telephone interviewing with 647 likely voters from October 22 to 25, has a margin of error of 3.9 percent.

Politicker NJ

Related articles

• Tea Party Republican Little gains ground on Rep. Pallone, poll says (nj.com)
• U.S. Rep. Pallone, tea party-backed GOP challenger Little agree to debate in Aberdeen (nj.com)
• Congressional candidate Anna Little's star rises among tea party faithful (nj.com)
• U.S. Rep. Pallone cancels appearance at public health care forum with challenger Anna Little (nj.com)
• Monmouth University partners with Biotechnology High School - News Transcript (news.google.com)

Pennsylvania: Toomey Regains the Momentum

The Morning Call/Muhlenberg College daily tracking poll of the race found Toomey leading Democratic Rep. Joe Sestak 47-42 percent, with 11 percent undecided.
In recent weeks, Sestak made up ground on Toomey in the closely-watched contest, but Monday's poll suggests that Toomey could be heading off that momentum. Three polls last week showed the Democrat and the Republican running in virtually a dead heat after Toomey had led the race for weeks. 

The Hill

Related articles

• "Pennsylvania Senate: New Muhlenberg Poll Favors Sestak" and related posts (senatus.wordpress.com)
• Still Tight in PA (talkingpointsmemo.com)
• Sestak, Toomey look for edge in southeast Pa. (sfgate.com)
• "Pat Toomey Up 10 Points Against Joe Sestak" and related posts (thepajamapundit.com)

Yoo-hoo NPR... Payback's Going to be a BITCH!

"NPR's decision to fire [the martyred] Juan Williams not only undermines that, it shows an ignorance of the fact that radical Islam and the terrorists who murder in its name scare people of all faiths, religions, and beliefs," Mr. Cantor said.
While in the minority, Republicans' YouCut program has been mostly advisory. The House GOP caucus has tried to offer the cuts as amendments to bills, but has been shut down procedurally by the Democratic majority.
But if Republicans win control of the House, the program could have real teeth. In their "Pledge to America" campaign agenda, House Republicans said they will hold weekly votes on specific spending cuts, and mentioned YouCut as part of that initiative.

Washington Times

Related articles

• Insane! Whoopi Goldberg Supports Juan Williams (socyberty.com)
• Juan Williams' Firing: Censorship or Partisan Games Between NPR and Fox News? (politicsdaily.com)
• Juan Williams, Bill O'Reilly, and Critical Thinking (psychologytoday.com)
• The Juan Williams Case (andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com)
• Did firing Juan Williams shut down a conversation about Muslims in America? (jilliancyork.com)
• FNC/RNC Doubles Down On Juan Williams (andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com)
• House GOP will add NPR defunding to 'YouCut' program (thehill.com)
• Juan Williams' real crime: Hack punditry (salon.com)
• Juan Williams of NPR & Fox seen by Black Students as Cultural Traitor (culturalhealth.blogspot.com)
• Bozell: NPR Firing of Juan Williams Is Outrageous, Congress Should Investigate (newsbusters.org)

North Dakota: Rick Berg's Lead Over Earl Pomeroy Balloons to 10 pts

Image via Wikipedia North Dakota Survey of 500 Likely Voters
October 18-19, 2010
 

Election 2010: North Dakota House of Reps
Rick Berg (R)	52%
Earl Pomeroy (D)	42%
Some Other Candidate	1%
Not Sure Rasmussen Reports	5%

Related articles

• North Dakota's Congressional Seat: Earl Pomeroy vs. Rick Berg (time.com)
• What's the matter with North Dakota? (powerlineblog.com)
• Desperate North Dakota Democrat Earl Pomeroy brags about voting with George Bush in new ad (fireandreamitchell.com)
• Democrat Earl Pomeroy Plays Up Bush Agreement In New Ad (towleroad.com)
• Adam Blomeke: Rick Berg Announces Support For Drilling In National Parks (huffingtonpost.com)
• Pomeroy loses ground in North Dakota (powerlineblog.com)
• Democrat Pomeroy Touts Ties to Bush (blogs.wsj.com)
• A North Dakota Dem Imperiled by Health Care (time.com)
• Vulnerable Dem Rep. Embraces Bush In Latest Ad (blogs.abcnews.com)
• A Democrat, in Campaign Ad, Embraces Bush (thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com)

New Jersey: SHOCK POLL Pallone 44; Little 43

And I had just posted a Pallone/Little story just minutes ago!
There are still quite a bit of undecideds in this race, and the old adage is that they will break about 2 to 1 AGAINST the incumbent. This is getting very interesting.

I also can't see Scott Sipprelle not winning his 12th district battle against Rush Holt if Anna Little wins her race (her district is much more Democrat than Sipprelle's 12th [although that too leans toward the Democrats]).

***

Republican numbers cruncher Adam Geller of National Research, Inc. shows Republican challenger Little with a shot to win in her challenge of a vulnerable U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch).
Commissioned by the Little campaign, Geller puts Pallone ahead of Little by one point, 44-43%, in a survey Geller conducted from Oct. 5-6.
The survey of 300 likely 6th Congressional District voters with a +/- 5.66% margin of error shows that district voters favor the generic Republican candidate by a margin of 43-39%. 

Politicker NJ

Related articles

• U.S. Rep. Pallone, tea party-backed GOP challenger Little agree to debate in Aberdeen (nj.com)
• Congressional candidate Anna Little's star rises among tea party faithful (nj.com)
• U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone ahead of GOP challenger Anna Little, poll says (nj.com)
• U.S. Rep. Rush Holt faces tight re-election battle, poll finds (nj.com)
• Desperate vandals: Scott Sipprelle has a chance (tigerhawk.blogspot.com)
• N.J. Republicans hope to ride Gov. Chrisitie's rising star to midterm success (nj.com)
• In the reality tv show called politics, there should be a show called the Next Best Political Upset (hotair.com)