Leaders in the Democratic Party are beginning to painfully face the reality that the summertime economic and political recovery that they and Barack Husein Obama (Peace be upon him) have promised “ain’t gonna happen” in time to save their phony baloney jobs in the House of Representatives.
More than two dozen party insiders, most of whom pleaded for anonymity, said that Democrats in and out of Washington are increasingly alarmed about the economic and polling data they have seen in recent weeks.
They no longer believe in the administration’s myth of a “recovery summer”. What has really caught their attention are indications that House Democrats once considered safe, like Rep. Betty Sutton, who occupies an Ohio seat that President Barack Obama won with 57 percent of the vote in 2008, are are on the verge of being tossed out on their kiesters.
In two close races, endangered Democrats are even running ads touting how they oppose their leadership.
According to one of Washington’s best-connected Democrats:
Democrats kept thinking: ‘We’re going to get better. We’re going to get well before the election. But as of this week, you now have people saying that Republicans are going to win the House. And now it’s starting to look like the Senate is going to be a lot closer than people thought.
A Democratic pollster working on several key races said:
The reality is that [the House majority] is probably gone.
His says that the Democrats’ problems are only getting worse:
It’s spreading.
However, Republicans have some catching up to do in the 68 days before the election. Republicans need to pick up 39 seats, and polls show most voters still have a downbeat view of the GOP’s ability to govern any better than Democrats. Republicans have been out-raised and out-spent at the national level and in many of the key races.
According to Chris Van Hollen, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
We have been saying for the past 18 months this will be a politically challenging environment. That being said, we will retain the majority in the House. All of what you are hearing is the inside-the-beltway chatter.
A top House Democratic strategist who agrees with Van Hollen admitted that pessimism is spreading rapidly, but mainly in Washington. This strategist thinks that the mood among individual Democratic candidates, many of whom enjoy a considerable cash advantage, is more optimistic.
Meanwhile, you can see the Democrats’ stress building in their campaign ads, like that of veteran Ike Skelton of Missouri, whose job is unexpectedly at risk. And then there are signs that professional Democrats are worried. Lobbyists are reporting a noticeable increase House committee staffers looking for jobs.
Democrats are at odds with each other on the best way to maintain control of the House, but mostly agree there are few good options beyond grinding it out in each individual race.
According to Indiana Democratic Party Chairman Dan Parker:
It’s individual Democrats that are going to have to defeat flawed Republican candidates. It’s important that Democrats succeed in individual races.
Democrats thought that they would be ab le to use their decisive fund-raising edge to bail out members over the final two months of the campaign. But, even though they have raised way more money than Republicans, Democrats are worried that when spending by outside groups is factored in, they will have little or no advantage in spending over the next two months.
Dems had hoped Obama’s popularity, and perceived appeal with base voters and donors,would draw the party together.
A state party chair said:
The concern I have is that the president is doing poorly in places you need him to perform strongly with your base. You need to have confidence in your leader.
Several House Democratics are furious with the White House for keeping the debate over a New York mosque in play for two weeks – and then announcing Obama will use a prime-time address next week to brag about Iraq, and not for a serious discussion concerning the economy. Democrats are upset that, by Labor Day, they will have spent nearly nine weeks this summer beating back negative or unhelpful story lines instigated, in part or in total, by the White House.
And, Democrats had hoped that by constantly blaming Boooosh!, they could convince swing voters not to install a Republican House again.
A former state Democratic Party chairman seems to have had an epiphany:
The problem is that a lot of the message talks to the base, and we’ve got to talk to the middle. You can only blame Bush for so long.
In some races, frightened Democrats are desperately trying to distance themselves from the national party, even if that means bashing Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
A second-term congressman from South Bend, Indiana, Rep. Joe Donnelly, is airing a new TV ad in his South Bend-area district boasting that he voted against “Nancy Pelosi’s energy tax on Hoosier families.”
Pennsylvania Rep. Jason Altmire is running one just like it, which features supporters praising the second-term Democrat for “stand[ing] up” to Obama and Pelosi.
In Washington, Democrats are floating a new strategy of trying to make the national conversation about Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), who would become the speaker of the House with a GOP takeover. The major problem with that strategy is that most voters have never heard of him.
A senior Democratic aide involved in party strategy said:
We want to elevate John Boehner. We want him and his ideas to be in the forefront.
I’m blinded by their intellect.
Democrats want this weak approach to somehow stoke excitement among its base voters. However, two different sets of data show Republicans with a big advantage when it comes to firing up the base. A new Gallup poll out this week shows 46 percent of Republicans and just 23 percent of Democrats to be “very enthusiastic” about voting.
Heading into Tuesday night’s races, 15.4 million Republicans had already voted in primaries, compared with 12 million Democrats who have turned out for primaries so far in 2010.
Jamie Franks, chair of the Mississippi Democratic Party, said:
Hopefully, we can rally the base and turn people out.
He also predicts that the Dems will maintain control of the House.
After the interview, Jamie left to feed the unicorn in his front yard.
What Democrats are watching most closely right now is the expansion of the field of at-risk seats. Such as those seats occupied by Reps. Allen Boyd of Florida, Jim Marshall of Georgia and Leonard Boswell of Iowa. All of whom were recently moved into the toss-up category by respected handicapper Charlie Cook.
Also, Reps. Ben Chandler of Kentucky and Stephanie Herseth Sandlin of South Dakota were both outraised by their opponents this past quarter, increasing concern about their races.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has already purchased ads to defend 54 seats that the party controls. Heading into the home stretch, it appears that their advertising budget is going to have to be expanded.
Sho’ ’nuff hate it for them.
Kingsjester's Blog 
November 2nd baby!!!
LikeLike
“I’m blinded by their intellect.” I love that! Love your sacrcasm! I am seeing few signs for Boswell around, in fact that are hardly any signs on front lawns…
LikeLike
The dems will base their campaigns on emotion (cuz that’s what they do) and not on facts (cuz that’s what they do) and they will lose come November…
Meanwhile, the NRSC under the brilliant leadership of Senator John Cornyn, R-TX has apparently not learned a dag burn thang from their previous disasterous backing of Specter and Crist —
“Sean Cairncross, the general counsel of the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, is headed to Alaska at the request of Sen. Lisa Murkowski to help provide guidance to the GOP incumbent”
The votes are still being counted in a primary election and he flies up to Alaska. Why? Is his email and telephone not working? The only guidance that daddy’s lil gurl needs is 1) To wait for all the votes to be counted. 2) Then graciously acknowledge Miller as the winner and pledge to wholeheartedly back him in the November election. 3) Go home and STFU…
LikeLike