Here's tonight's run-down of the Congressional races: Dems are continuing to hammer the Republicans on the economy, as the GOP faces some more bad poll numbers.

GOP Rep: I Wouldn't Have Picked Palin
Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL) told the Chicago Tribune, "Quite frankly, I don't know" whether Sarah Palin is qualified to be president. In a very frank admission, Kirk added, "I would have picked someone different." As the Tribune noted, Kirk was initially a vocal supporter of Palin's nomination when it was first announced. (Via Progress Illinois)

Dem Ad: Coleman's Attacks Against Franken Are Ridiculous
The DSCC has this funny ad out, mocking the GOP's attacks against Al Franken:

"Al Franken sank this ship! Crashed these trains! And he hates puppies!" the announcer says. There is one problem, though: This ad is reminiscent of the humorous "Steele hates puppies" ad from the 2006 Maryland Senate race -- and Michael Steele lost by ten points.

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Here's today's run-down on the Congressional races: GOP candidates are on the defensive on the economic crisis in a big way -- and in their fumbling efforts to respond are digging themselves in deeper and deeper.

Coleman Keeps Saying Government Could Net Huge Profit On Bailout
Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) is defending his bizarre statement on Monday that the proposed $700 billion bailout for Wall St. could make the government a profit of 10 or 20 times the principal. "If you buy assets at close to fire-sale prices and the market stabilizes, you'll see an improvement in assets," Coleman said -- forgetting that this bailout is structured in such a way as to specifically avoid buying assets at fire-sale prices, and the securities being bought would be unlikely to return to their hypothetical maturity valuations.

GOP Candidate's Staffer Uses Fake Name At Dem Candidate's Press Conference
The press secretary for House candidate Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) has been caught calling into a press conference by Democrat Gary Trauner, using a fake name and identifying herself as a Trauner supporter so as to better asked a pointed question about the Dems' energy policies. This seat has been in GOP hands since the 1978 election, but Trauner's near-win back in 2006 makes this a very competitive race for the open race this time around.

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Obama To Promote His Version Of Faith-Based Social Programs
Barack Obama will be speaking today in Ohio, where he will deliver a speech calling for an expansion of government cooperation with faith-based programs. The Obama campaign's e-mail to reporters says that religious charity programs would be held to all civil rights standards in hiring and who they serve, while the Associated Press adds that religious organizations would still be able to discriminate in non-taxpayer funded areas.

McCain Speaking To Sheriffs Today
John McCain will be speaking this morning to the National Sheriffs' Association conference in Indianapolis -- possibly a sign that his campaign views Obama as a serious threat to carry the red state of Indiana, or that he aims to pitch himself as a Nixon-style "law and order" candidate. He will then travel to Mexico and Colombia, where he will likely promote the principles of free trade.

NRA To Go After Obama This Year
A right-wing group is set to mount a major offensive against Barack Obama: Namely, the National Rifle Association. The NRA is planning to spend $40 million on the presidential campaign, with $15 million on ads portraying Obama as a threat to Second Amendment Rights.

McCain Takes Money From Swift-Boat Backers
USA Today points out this morning that John McCain has had no problem accepting $70,000 in donations this cycle from backers of the Swift Boat Veterans For Truth in 2004, despite his condemnation of the group at the time. On top of this, it should be noted that the McCain camp has included Bud Day, an active participant in Swift Boat commercials, in their "Truth Squad" to go after Wesley Clark's criticism of McCain's national security credentials.

Rasmussen: McCain Ahead In Florida
A new Rasmussen poll of Florida gives John McCain the lead in this large swing state. The numbers: McCain 48%, Obama 41%, with a ±4.5% margin of error. Other recent polls have put Obama ahead, leaving the situation ambiguous.

Poll: Dem Ahead In Deep-Red House Seat In Kentucky
A new SurveyUSA poll suggests that Democrats could be poised to pick up a deep-red Kentucky House district that voted 65% for President Bush in 2004. In the district of retiring GOPer Ron Lewis, Democratic state Sen. David Boswell has a 47%-44% edge over Republican state Sen. Brett Guthrie, within the ±4.3% margin of error.

Kentucky Democrats are already feeling emboldened by their big win in the gubernatorial race this week, and are looking for more Republicans to challenge. Democratic state Senator David Boswell has told the Herald-Leader that he is planning to run against GOP Congressman Ron Lewis.

Lewis won his first race for Congress in the very Republican year of 1994, and did not face any remotely competitive challenger until 2006, when he defeated a conservative Dem by a 55%-45% margin.

GOP Rep. Ron Lewis hasn't faced a seriously competitive race since he first ascended to the House in 1994, but Lewis' rusty campaign skills and a tough challenge from Dem Mike Weaver have combined to make a Dem upset a suddenly distinct possibility in this western-Kentucky district, CQ Politics reports. CQ has now changed its rating of the race from "Likely Republican" to "Leans Republican," meaning a surprise Dem victory is s "plausible possibility" in this district, which President Bush carried by 65% in 2004. Key reasons: Lewis' failure to engage Weaver early on; the dominance of Iraq; and Weaver's refusal to commit support to Nancy Pelosi as speaker. CQ's full analysis here.

GOP Rep. Ron Lewis denied Tuesday that he had made a pledge to only serve for eight years when first running for Congress in 1994 — eventhough he did make the promise. The Lexington Herald-Leader reported yesterday on a letter Lewis sent to constituents in 1998 explaining why he planned to renege on his term-limit promise. Acknowledging the discrpency, Lewis released a statement Thursday stating that while he may have abandoned the original pledge, since 1998 his "position has remained consistent" that he is not bound by term-limits.

GOP Rep. Ron Lewis entered Congress with a 1994 special election win that foreshadowed Republican gains in the general election that year. Since then the former Baptist minister has been somewhat of an inevitable electoral force in the largely rural 2nd district, winning his last three elections with nearly 70% of the vote.

However, political observers believe this year that Dem candidate Mike Weaver’s campaign might actually give Lewis a run for his money, forcing the incumbent into a fight to maintain his seat. More after the jump.

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