Re: the NJ Star-Ledger's endorsement of independent Chris Daggett, the paper is in some hot water for doing so.

The Star-Ledger is a sponsor of the next gubernatorial debate in New Jersey, at the end of this week. NJ State election rules prohibit debate sponsors from making endorsements before the debate.

Oops. What sanction they may face is not yet known, but it is a bit of an embarrassment to say the least.

Did Reid not get a primary challenge, then? Too bad, that.

Oh well. Even if the GOP manages to capture his seat, I won't be able to find it within me to shed a tear for him.

I'm surprised Reid doesn't have more support among Republicans, he sure works hard for them.

Good riddance.

On the "going negative" prospect. It's unseemly, but it's exactly what we should do. But the Republicans are so negative, we don't have to get particularly dirty. But it's high time they had to stand behind the ludicrous, moronic, retrograde stands they've taken.

Call me crazy, but I think the predictions of a hard-right swing next year are premature. If we pass health care and the economy an job market recover (not guarantees, but clear possibilities) AND we make sure the voters remember who led they way and who stood in the way, I think the mid-terms could shape up very differently.

"Carly Fiorina was asked about her own associations with Palin. She told reporters, 'I've never met Sarah Palin. Next question'."

Ouch.

Steve,

There an ad on this site that says, "Sign the Petition - Stop Government Run Healthcare."

Wha?

Please, Sarah Palin! Please come to Virginia and stand next to Bob McDonnell for just a few photos! I'm begging you! And while you're at it, spout some of your insane bat-shittery!

Sadly, the reason Bob McDonnell doesn't want her here has nothing to do with her craziness. It's that she's a woman and belongs at home doing womanly things.

I know it is fun to have a daily 'Campaign roundup' post looking at local races, but should we also not have a daily status check of campaign finance reform?

Call me a cynic, but the outcomes of ALL the races above are immaterial, unless there is a movement to clean out the system. And what better forum for a daily debate than Steve Benen's blog.

As Rep. Marcy Kaptur said on Bill Moyers last week, "People wonder, 'Well, why doesn't Congress get along?' Because they are made into arch enemies by the type of fundraising system that is embedded in the very guts of the institution. So, you've got to clean that out."

Mark my words: Should he gain the nomination, Tom Cambell might well defeat Boxer next year. To be sure, he has been spurned before by California's GOP. But that's only because California republicans are batshit-purists. Still, they're sick of losing. The office is up for grabs. Boxer's support is not deep, and Cambell is a very smooth talking corporate whore. To anyone who might scoff, I ask: who is the governor of the Golden State? Cambell is undoubtedly be the most formidable candidate she could possibly face.

I always wondered if the title of Harry Reid's book: "The Good Fight" was meant to be ironic.

among voters who know both candidates, Meek actually enjoys a narrow lead.

Yes, but you probably can't extrapolate "voters who know both candidates" to the electorate as a whole.

Meek has 25% name recognition which is undoubtedly higher among Democrats than among Republicans. So it's not surprising that he is competitive among that subgroup. What I find surprising is that he doesn't lead by much even in that group of voters.

Establishmentarian GOPers don't seem to like Sarah very much. Don't they know that she has millions of supporters who read, ahem sorry, we don't know that for sure, but anyway, millions of supporters who at least buy books!?

If Harry Reid loses to an R in the next cycle, this could be a big benefit to Dems. Dick Durbin, a strong Obama ally would probably inherit the Majority Leader position. Good ol' Harry has not shown the slightest interest in using the 60 seat Majority he has been handed, Durbin seems to be a more reliable Democrat who wants the Democratic Agenda to get passed. Harry is a Democrat from a Red State who has to compromise a lot and often works against Democratic priorities.

Jinchi,

you beat to the punch.

i would agree that it's much more likely that democrats would have heard of meek than republicans. however i do think the race will be much closer than a lot of people think especially if marco rubio can do some damage to charlie's image.

Majority Leader Durbin faces a 52-2-46 Senate, not a 58-2-40 Senate, and he's going to get more done?

In general I don't think the loss of any Senate seats--even the worst of the Blue Dogs like Nelson--to Republicans is good. But I make an exception for Reid. We need someone who will at least try to break filibusters. There won't be a chance of having new leadership as long as Reid gets reelected.
Though it's quite possible it won't make a difference, the senate being such a broken institution.

Elinor Ostrum has done absolutely nothing to deserve the Nobel Prize in economics.

"a growing sense in Democratic circles that it's going to have to go negative next year."
Maybe, but Deeds negative reaction over "the thesis" seems to have backfired, with people asking why didn't he put up more positive proposals instead. It's hard to know what to do. I think though, that McDonnell is mostly better at the smooth guy image and Deeds is less polished. This is not fair and promotes "bad results", but people subconsciously notice these traits first and foremost.

I'd hate to lose a Democratic Senate seat, but if Reid losing to a Republican in Nevada is what it take to get a new Majority Leader, I guess I can swallow the bitter pill.

Tom Campbell was a law professor at Stanford, on extended leave, when as a Congressman he decided that lying about a blow job was a "high crime and misdemeanor" that justified impeaching President Clinton.

He's a party hack, and it will be brought out if he gets the nomination for Governor OR Senate.

The star ledger's endorsement of Chris Daggett is great news. I wish the republicans would stop the Bush/Rove Fear mongering. There is obviously a consensus that a vote for Daggett is not a vote for Corzine.

Daggett is a viable candidate and there are many of this who are voting for him because we know he can win and is the only candidate who can change this state. The Star Ledger's endorsement echoes and re-affirms that opinion.

We need people to get involved and spread the word about Chris Daggett.

Learn 15 ways to help and get started now.

I love the Star-Ledger endorsement, because the paper said it was NOT so much a reflection on the two-party duopoly's candidates as it was on the two parties.

Nice to see a newspaper recognizing that.