NRCC Morning Reads For Oct. 28, 2014: New England May Be Fertile GOP Ground, Pair Of New Polls In IA
Good morning and welcome to NRCC Morning Reads. It’s exactly one week from the big day: Election Day 2014.
Washington Post Says “Midterm Momentum Belongs to the GOP”:
The Washington Post‘s Dan Balz and Peyton Craighill are out this morning with a look at a new ABC News/Washington Post that could spell trouble for Democrats:
“Republicans enter the final week of the midterm campaign holding higher ground than the Democrats, aided by public dissatisfaction with President Obama’s leadership, with the overall direction of the country and with the federal government’s ability to deal with major problems, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
‘Driving attitudes is a pervasive sense of a country in trouble. Overwhelming majorities say the country is badly off-track and give the economy negative ratings. Economic expectations are little better today than they were at this time four years ago.
‘Six in 10 say they cannot trust the government in Washington to do what is right — the same as a year ago in the aftermath of the government shutdown and the botched rollout of the federal Web site for the Affordable Care Act.
‘With multiple crises confronting the country — including the spread of Ebola in West Africa and cases here at home, as well as threats from Islamic State militants — a majority now says the government’s ability to deal with big problems has declined in the past few years. Among those who say this, more — by 3 to 1 — blame Obama and the Democrats rather than Republicans in Congress.”
New England Could Be Fertile Ground For GOP:
Michael R. Crittenden and Janet Hook of The Wall Street Journal wrote this morning on the possibility of strong gains for the GOP in an unlikely region: New England. According to Crittenden and Hook, “Not a single Republican represents a New England state in the House, contributing to the region’s reputation as a bastion of liberalism. But this year, independent analysts say, Republicans have a shot at picking up as many as six seats in Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire.”
News and Notes from the Campaign Trail:
- The NRCC is out with a slew of ads today in the following districts: AZ-01, CA-07, CA-52, FL-02, GA-12, IA-03, IL-10, IL-12, IL-12 (again), MN-07, MN-08, and WV-03.
- A new poll out today shows serious momentum in Iowa. According to a Loras College poll, Republican businessman Rod Blum has a slim lead over Democrat Pat Murphy 44 percent to 42 percent. In the 3rd district, Republican David Young leads liberal Democrat Staci Appel 46 percent to 44 percent.
- Illinois Congressman Rodney Davis was endorsed today by the Decatur Herald-Review. The paper said Davis “is the type of representative that could be a part of moving the institution away from inertia and back to governing.”
- The Minneapolis Star Tribune endorsed Republican candidate Stewart Mills in Minnesota’s 8th district. The paper called him a “fresh voice.”
Just 7 days until Election Day 2014 and those are your NRCC Morning Reads.
-Matt