Here's today's run-down of the Congressional races:

Coleman Ad: I'm For Hope
Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) has this new ad in which he talks about how he's taken his negative ads down, and he believes in hope:

It should be noted that the NRSC is still continuing to run attack ads against Al Franken, thus allowing the negativity to continue while keeping Coleman's hands nominally clean. And he seems to acknowledge this, too: "I can't control every ad out there, but I'm proud to approve this one."

Dem Ad: Don Young Is Doling Out Pork For Other People
Check out this new DCCC ad against Don Young, which goes into the federal investigations against him and the suspicious circumstances surrounding earmarks like the Coconut Road in Florida. But the real message here is that Don Young is using his pork-granting superpowers to benefit other states:

"So what's Alaska getting?" the announcer says. "According to one non-partisan watchdog, one of America's most corrupt members of Congress."

DSCC Ad: Don't Be Fooled By Gordon Smith Tying Himself To Dems
The DSCC has a new ad in Oregon, figuratively punching out Sen. Gordon Smith (R) for running ads in which he tied himself to the likes of Barack Obama, Ted Kennedy and John Kerry in an effort to woo voters in this blue state:

"So don't be fooled," the announcer says. "We know whose corner Gordon Smith's really in -- and it's not ours."

Poll: Shays Narrowly Trailing Dem Challenger
A new SurveyUSA poll finds Rep. Chris Shays (R-CT), the only Republican House member from the New England region, trailing Democratic challenger Jim Himes 48%-45%, within the ±4.1% margin of error. Shays has had to fight some very tough races from 2004 onwards, and the Dems have a decent chance of reducing New England's GOP House delegation from one to none.

Poll: Sam Graves Well Ahead
SurveyUSA also has Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO) leading former Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes (D) by 51%-40%. Graves' has run his campaign based on virulently anti-gay ads and an effort to tie Barnes to "big city" values in a mostly rural district. And it appears to be working out just fine for him.

Poll: Dems Holding Open Swing Seat
Another SurveyUSA poll shows House candidate Kurt Schrader (D-OR) ahead of Republican candidate Mike Erickson 51%-38%, for the open seat of retiring Dem Congresswoman Darlene Hooley. George W. Bush narrowly carried this district in 2004, and Republicans might have had a decent shot at it -- but Erickson has been badly damaged by allegations that this pro-family values conservative paid for his then-girlfriend's abortion back in 2000.