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Home Front: Politix
Will governors elections render judgment on Obama?
2009-10-30
Republicans and Democrats are debating whether voting next Tuesday in Virginia and New Jersey governor's races will render a first judgment on President Barack Obama.

Republicans, looking ahead to 2010 congressional elections, hope the races will show they have signs of life as they try to claw back from devastating 2006 and 2008 losses.

In Virginia, which Obama won in 2008 to become the first the first Democratic presidential candidate to carry the state since 1964, Republican Bob McDonnell leads Democrat Creigh Deeds by double digits in the polls. He is widely considered a shoo-in in Tuesday voting.
Democrats, attempting to keep Republicans in a deep political hole, have doubts that the results from two states will tell much at all about the mood of the country.
Whereas, of course, if both Dhimms were to win, it would say everything about the mood of the country, and the MSM would spend weeks telling you about it.
Analysts say the results could provide some clues about Obama's standing among Americans.

In Virginia, which Obama won in 2008 to become the first the first Democratic presidential candidate to carry the state since 1964, Republican Bob McDonnell leads Democrat Creigh Deeds by double digits in the polls. He is widely considered a shoo-in in Tuesday voting.

In heavily Democratic New Jersey, incumbent Democratic Governor Jon Corzine has righted the ship and holds a narrow lead in the polls and may squeak out a victory over Republican Chris Christie, depending on how many votes independent candidate Chris Daggett pulls from Christie.

A wild-card race is under way in New York's 23rd district for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman, endorsed by former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, is running close with Democrat Bill Owens while Republican Dede Scozzafava trails.

Political analysts are trying to determine what the outcome will mean for the national picture and what, if anything, can be said about Obama, who is struggling to revive U.S. job growth, get a U.S. healthcare overhaul through Congress and manage wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Democrats have held Virginia's governor's seat for eight years and Larry Sabato, a political scientist at the University of Virginia, said a Republican victory in the state would be significant for the party.

Obama traveled to Virginia twice to campaign for Deeds but, in general, Democrats have not been able to come even close to generating the same type of enthusiasm among voters that Obama received a year ago.

"Obama is a factor here," Sabato said. "He's energizing Republicans and the turnout is going to be heavily Republican. The Democrats just aren't showing up."
Posted by:Fred

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