Thursday, October 12, 2006
CQ on IN-02
From CQ Politics:
So how many times did Donnelly have to clean Chocola's clock in the polls before these national groups started considering Donnelly to be a genuine threat? 4? 5?
The article is a little problematic in places. At one point, CQ says that Donnelly's position is greatly helped by liberal interest groups, as if every conservative astroturf group in the country isn't lining up to cut ads for the Count.
This is, however, maybe the first article I've read this cycle that's actually willing to blame some of Chocola's woes on... Joe Donnelly. Everyone wants to blame G-dubs, the economy, Major Mismoves, evil liberals, or voter dissatisfaction, but no one seems to remember that Donnelly's building off of the serious effort he put in last cycle, and has been pounding the pavement since long before the election season traditionally begins. Furthermore, he's quite simply a great fit for this area: he reflects its demographics, its economic populism and what can only be called its "social Catholicism" (emphasis on both the social safety net and culture of life issues). He's a moderate Democrat of the very ilk most of these people have been voting for forever.
Interestingly, though, there is one thing other than Donnelly that no one, including the candidates themselves, seem to be focusing on that's making a huge difference in this race for Joe: Iraq.
IRAQ IRAQ IRAQ.
Every poll backs me up on this: people here care about Iraq in a big way, they hate it, they want us out, and they're made as HELL at the Count for supporting it. Iraq is a deal-breaker for a huge section of the voting public, your truly included.
And they will vote him out of office for it.
The rugged national political environment for Republicans in general — and a well-funded attack campaign from Democratic and liberal groups — are the chief reasons why two-term Republican Rep. Chris Chocola of Indiana’s 2nd District faces a tougher race in his rematch with Democratic lawyer Joe Donnelly than he did in their first faceoff two years ago.
CQPolitics.com has moved its rating on the Indiana 2 race to No Clear Favorite from Leans Republican.
So how many times did Donnelly have to clean Chocola's clock in the polls before these national groups started considering Donnelly to be a genuine threat? 4? 5?
The article is a little problematic in places. At one point, CQ says that Donnelly's position is greatly helped by liberal interest groups, as if every conservative astroturf group in the country isn't lining up to cut ads for the Count.
This is, however, maybe the first article I've read this cycle that's actually willing to blame some of Chocola's woes on... Joe Donnelly. Everyone wants to blame G-dubs, the economy, Major Mismoves, evil liberals, or voter dissatisfaction, but no one seems to remember that Donnelly's building off of the serious effort he put in last cycle, and has been pounding the pavement since long before the election season traditionally begins. Furthermore, he's quite simply a great fit for this area: he reflects its demographics, its economic populism and what can only be called its "social Catholicism" (emphasis on both the social safety net and culture of life issues). He's a moderate Democrat of the very ilk most of these people have been voting for forever.
Interestingly, though, there is one thing other than Donnelly that no one, including the candidates themselves, seem to be focusing on that's making a huge difference in this race for Joe: Iraq.
IRAQ IRAQ IRAQ.
Every poll backs me up on this: people here care about Iraq in a big way, they hate it, they want us out, and they're made as HELL at the Count for supporting it. Iraq is a deal-breaker for a huge section of the voting public, your truly included.
And they will vote him out of office for it.
