VA-SEN: Influential Analysts Paint Grim Picture For Allen
In the wake of polls showing Dem Jim Webb edging ahead of GOP Senator George Allen, political analysts are beginning to paint a grim picture of his reelection chances. CQ Politics has just downgraded the race from "Leans Republican" to "No Clear Favorite." Says CQ: "Even though other Republican senators are as or more vulnerable than Allen, it can be argued than none has fallen further over the course of this year." Robert Novak, meanwhile, is even tougher: He's just shifted his rating of the race from "Leans GOP" to "Leans Dem," saying that Allen "is on the verge of losing his Senate seat." Novak labels Allen's effort a "circus campaign," and concludes ominously, "it is much easier to dump an incumbent in a circus campaign than it is in a serious campaign."
Hopefully this is a reprise of the Kaine results. Kaine was down a few points couple weeks before the vote and then came into win the governorship a few points ahead.
I sense some momentum for Webb in the final days. Let's hope the Dems pull out the stops in NoVA even with the problems in the electronic voting machines that have screwed up Webb's name.
November 1, 2006 7:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
I must be nuts for saying this, but Novak is right - Allen's campaign is a circus, from Mucaka to Starks assault yesterday.
November 1, 2006 8:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just saw the Allen crew tackling that blogger, and it wasn't a pretty sight; thuggery, racist comments, and anger management problems have certainly been on display in Allen's campaign.
The Kaine result may portend well for Webb, especially since he is a military veteran, and Bush is not polling well in Virginia. I hope the DNC gives Webb a fighting chance to win with some cash infusion.
November 1, 2006 10:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
First George Allen implodes over macacca and his hidden Jewish heritage and now John Kerry implodes over a joke. And of course Mark Warner earlier withdrew from consideration for personal reasons. The Midterm is looking like a dry run of 2008 and it's clearing the decks of presidential hopefuls. That's good, both parties need some new faces for 2008.
I don't put much stock in Novak's politics or predictions.
November 1, 2006 11:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
I also think that Hillary's silence on Lamont-Lieberman also will affect the 2008 race. It does not remove her in the way that Kerry and Kaine are removed, but it will give legs to any serious challenger , e.g. Clark and Edwards, especially the former who delivered a very timely endorsement. If Lieberman wins every time from now to May 2008 he will remind a lot of people about who contributed the most to how he got there.
global citizen
November 2, 2006 9:00 AM | Reply | Permalink