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October 23, 2009 —

Road to the White House

It’s 29% for  ex-Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, 24% for ex-Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, 18% for ex-Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, 14% for ex-House Speaker Newt Gingrich and 4% for Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, says the latest Rasmussen poll of presidential preferences of Republicans nationwide. Huckabee, a former Baptist minister, is especially strong among evangelical Christians…..Meanwhile, another GOP name is getting a mention for the 2012 top spot, that of US Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), who, notes The Hill newspaper, recently made trips to South Carolina and Iowa.

Vox populi

Some scandals are more equal than others. US Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), caught up in a salacious brouhaha when his name showed up on the telephone list of the late “D.C. Madam” in July 2007, has apparently weathered the storm. It’s 48% for Vitter, 36% for Charlie Melancon, his Democratic opponent, says a poll taken for the GOP by Southern Media and Opinion Research. Vitter’s approval rating -- 57% positive -- compares to 64% for Gov. Bobby Jindal (R), 54% for US Sen. Mary Landrieu (D) and 45% for President Barack Obama…..But North Carolinian John Edwards (D), a former senator, vice-presidential candidate and star of the National Enquirer’s scoops on his extra-marital affair, has experienced the biggest drop in a Gallup survey since 1992. The poll, taken October 1-4, after publicity about his wedding plan discussions with his mistress, found that nationwide, Edwards had an approval rating of 21%, down 27-points from his January rating of 48%.....Also in North Carolina, a Civitas Poll, released October 13, found that in a generic congressional ballot, 52% of voters said they would vote for a Republican for Congress, 39% said Democratic.

Virginia: House of Delegates races important

The latest survey on the Virginia governor’s race, released by Public Policy Polling (PPP) on October 21, gave Bob McDonnell (R) 52%, Creigh Deeds (D) 40%, a lead that’s been reflected in a number of other voter surveys in recent weeks. But there’s been little public attention on the contests for the House of Delegates. On October 13, PPP released a poll showing that 46% of the state’s voters plan to vote Republican for the House of Delegates, to 39% planning to vote Democratic. Republicans have a shrinking majority in the lower chamber: 55 seats (counting two independents) to 45 Democrats. Democrats had been hoping to pick up six seats and a majority. Of the 100 seats, all of which are up for election this year, 69 have contested races. With the statewide races trending Republican, it is unlikely the GOP will lose control, however. On the money front, the two parties have been evenly matched, with Republicans raising $11.2 million for Delegates races, reports the Washington Post, to $10.8 million for the Democrats. The outcome is very important, since the winning party will have the major say in congressional and legislative redistricting after the 2010 census.

Money summaries

In the latest Federal Election Commission reports, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) raised $24.2 million in the 3^rd Quarter, to the Republican National Committee’s (RNC) $23.2 million. The RNC, however, did raise more in September, $9.1 million to the DNC’s $8 million. But the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC, or “D-trip,” as DC insiders now call it), raised more than twice as much as the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), $7 million in September for the D’s, $3.4 million for the R’s.

South Carolina: Two GOP county chairs get hoof-in-mouth disease

Writing in praise of US Sen. Jim DeMint’s (R-SC) opposition to congressional earmarks,   two county Republican chairmen, Edwin Merwin Jr. and Jim Ulmer, recently wrote in the Orangeburg Times and Democrat, “There is a saying that the Jews who are wealthy got that way not by watching dollars, but instead by taking care of the pennies and the dollars taking care of themselves.” The statement was not well-received, provoking an outcry of criticism from Jews and non-Jews. State Sen. Joel Lourie (D), one of two Jews in the state’s legislature, said he was “outraged.” DeMint called the comment “thoughtless and hurtful.” Both Merwin and Ulmer have apologized.