Modern News

News just in from the AP Senator Evan Bayh will announce that he’s retiring from the senate:

Sen. Evan Bayh, a centrist Democrat from Indiana, is ready to announce he won’t seek a third term in Congress, giving Republicans a chance to pick up a Senate seat.”To put it in the words most Hoosiers can understand: I love working for the people of Indiana, I love helping our citizens make the most of their lives, but I do not love Congress,” Bayh said in comments prepared for an announcement later Monday in Indianapolis. His statement was obtained by The Associated Press from a Democratic official who declined to be named publicly.

The departure of Bayh, who was on Barack Obama’s short list of vice presidential candidate prospects in 2008, continues a recent exodus from Congress among both Democrats and Republicans, including veteran Democrats Christopher Dodd of Connecticut and Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island.

The announcements have sprung up in rapid-fire fashion amid polls showing a rising anti-incumbent fervor and voter anger over Washington partisanship, high unemployment, federal deficits and lucrative banking industry bonuses.

In his statement, Bayh, who won the seat to the Senate in 1998, seemed to attribute his decision to the bitter partisan divides that have dominated Congress in recent years, though he praised his colleagues as hard workers devoting to serving the public.

“My decision should not be interpreted for more than it is, a very difficult, deeply personal one,” Bayh’s statement said. “I am an executive at heart. I value my independence. I am not motivated by strident partisanship or ideology.”

Bayh said he believed he would have been re-elected this November, despite “the current challenging environment.” He said it was time for him to “contribute to society in another way,” either by creating jobs with a business, leading a college or university, or running a charity.

Bayh’s surprising announcement further hinders Democrats from keeping control of Congress and opens the door for a sweeping surge of anti-incumbent challengers.

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From ChuckDeVore.com

Today, Chuck DeVore called into the Jon and Ken show on KFI 640 and challenged Carly Fiorina to a debate which she refused to take:

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CLICK HERE  FOR TRANSCRIPT OF THE EXCHANGE

CLICK HERE FOR OUR DETAILED FACT CHECK OF CARLY FIORINA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — DeVore for California today responded to Carly Fiorina’s refusal to debate Chuck DeVore.

Fiorina’s refusal came during a live broadbast on KFI 640AM’s John and Ken Show this afternoon. After Fiorina was on the air for twenty minutes, the hosts allowed Chuck DeVore on an open line to challenge her to a future debate on the same program. Fiorina refused, instead choosing to reproach DeVore for his habit of telling the truth about her liberal political past. When the program hosts directly asked her whether she would debate on their show, Fiorina simply said, “Well, we’ll see.”

Following the exchange, Chuck DeVore said, “Democracy is all about debate. I’m ready to debate Carly Fiorina and Tom Campbell any time, in any forum. It’s a shame Fiorina wouldn’t say yes to the generous offer extended to her by John and Ken, but that’s her choice. Open debate is something I hear happens pretty often in the United States Senate, and people who would be Senators should get used to it.”

Leisa Brug Kline, DeVore for California campaign manager, said, “It’s a pity Carly Fiorina won’t debate Chuck DeVore, but not surprising. Her campaign depends on two things: on shielding her from unscripted challenges, and on preventing Californians from learning more about her liberal past. It will fail on both counts, and refusing to debate won’t change that.”

Joshua Treviño, DeVore for California communications director, said, “Carly Fiorina followed up her debate dodge with an outright lie to John and Ken, and to their listenership: she stated directly that she ‘did not back the Wall Street bailout.’ There’s so much direct evidence to the contrary, we’re including it in a separate section of this press release. If Carly Fiorina won’t tell the truth about her political past, we will.”

Treviño continued, “Still — we have to admit that a refusal to engage in substantive debate, plus a willingness to lie in public, does mean Fiorina might fit in all too well in D.C. We’ll see if the voters want that.”

Find transcripts from the show and much more on the DeVore Campaign @ ChuckDeVore.com.

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The political winds are shifting and as primaries continue to roll full steam, the closer we get to Nov., the more shifting we’re seeing take place. Stu Rothenberg of the Rothenberg Political Report has just moved Senator Even Bayh, who until now was considered safe, into the narrow advantage column citing former Sen. Dan Coats’ (R) likely entry into the Indiana Senate race along with “voters who are dissatisfied with the direction of the country and the party in power.”

Here are our latest Senate ratings.
#- Moved benefiting Democrats
*- Moved benefiting Republicans

Lean Takeover (0 R, 4 D)

• Lincoln (D-AR)
• Reid (D-NV)
• ND Open (Dorgan, D)
• DE Open (Kaufman, D)

Toss-Up (4 R, 3 D)

• KY Open (Bunning, R)
• MO Open (Bond, R)
• NH Open (Gregg, R)
• OH Open (Voinovich, R)
• IL Open (Burris, D)
• Bennet (D-CO)
• Specter (D-PA)

Narrow Advantage for Incumbent Party (1 R, 1 D)

• Burr (R-NC)
• Bayh (D-IN) *

Clear Advantage for Incumbent Party (2 R,1 D)

• Vitter (R-LA)
• FL Open (LeMieux, R)
• CT Open (Dodd, D)

Currently Safe (11 R, 10 D)

• Bennett (R-UT)
• Coburn (R-OK)
• Crapo (R-ID)
• DeMint (R-SC)
• Grassley (R-IA)
• Isakson (R-GA)
• McCain (R-AZ)
• Murkowski (R-AK)
• Shelby (R-AL)
• Thune (R-SD)
• KS Open (Brownback, R)
• Boxer (D-CA)
• Feingold (D-WI)
• Gillibrand (D-NY)
• Inouye (D-HI)
• Leahy (D-VT)
• Mikulski (D-MD)
• Murray (D-WA)
• Schumer (D-NY)
• Wyden (D-OR)

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Rasmussen Reports:

For incumbent Democratic Senator Blanche Lambert Lincoln, the opponents are interchangeable at this point in her bid for reelection in Arkansas. New Rasmussen Reports polling in the state finds her stuck in the mid-30s against any of five Republican opponents.

Her GOP rivals, including Congressman John Boozman who is expected to enter the race on Saturday, all earn roughly 50% of the vote against the two-term Democrat.

But worse for Lincoln in the latest survey is that her numbers continue to fall. In September and December, her support was between 39% and 41% in these match-ups. Last month, it slipped to 38% or 39% support against any of four Republicans. Now, her support ranges from 33% to 36%.

Boozman, the newest entrant in the race, runs strongest among likely voters in Arkansas for now, beating Lincoln by 19 points, 54% to 35%. State Senator Gilbert Baker also leads Lincoln by 19, 52% to 33%. State Senate Minority Leader Kim Hendren posts a 51% to 35% lead over the incumbent.

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A new Rasmussen Reports poll shows Marco Rubio with a healthy lead over Governor Charlie Crist in Florida’s Senate Primary. The poll released today, February 1st 2010, shows Rubio at 49%, Crist 37%. A comfortable lead, to be sure, but not one to be taken lightly.

A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of likely GOP Primary voters in the state finds Rubio leading Crist 49% to 37%. Three percent (3%) prefer another candidate, and 11% are undecided.

The new numbers mark a stunning turnaround. Crist was the strong favorite when he first announced for the Senate seat, and Rubio was viewed as a long-shot challenger.

But Crist’s support fell from 53% in August to 49% in October. By December, the two men were tied at 43% apiece.

Rubio leads Crist by 17 points among men and by seven among women. He also carries 52% of the conservative GOP vote, while moderates prefer Crist.

Here’s an interesting note from Rasmussen:

Democratic Senate incumbents who currently trail their challengers include Harry Reid in Nevada, Michael Bennet in Colorado, Blanche Lincoln in Arkansas and Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania. Barbara Boxer from California, Evan Bayh of Indiana and Russ Feingold of Wisconsin find themselves in more competitive races than usual.

Republicans lead open-seat Senate races in Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota and Ohio. Democrats lead in Connecticut, and the race is close in Illinois. North Carolina incumbent Republican Senator Richard Burr is ahead but potentially vulnerable. Following last month’s upset GOP Senate win in Massachusetts, political analyst Larry Sabato wrote that if the election were held today, “The (59-seat) Democratic majority in the Senate would be reduced to just 52 seats.”

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Reid may be severely behind in the polls and spending a lot of dough each month but don’t let those two facts fool you!

Reid has plenty of cash to pour into his race for a sixth term this year and though unlikely polls can change drastically over a few months in an election year. People need to stay focused and vigilant.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s campaign ended 2009 with less money in the bank than it had in September after financing an advertising blitz intended to buff his bruised image in his home state of Nevada, records released Friday showed.

After spending an average of $22,000 a day from October through December, Reid still holds a commanding fundraising edge over any of his potential Republican opponents in November.

The Democratic leader collected nearly $2 million in donations in the final three months of the year — his weakest fundraising quarter of 2009 by a narrow margin. That’s about the same amount of money his campaign burned through in the three-month period on ads and other expenditures.

Reid’s campaign ended the year with $8.69 million in his campaign account, down slightly from $8.73 million at the end of September.

The Senate leader, considered among the most vulnerable incumbents in the nation, has said he will raise $25 million for his campaign to win a fifth term in the Senate. He’s raised $15 million so far and will need to raise nearly $1 million a month to hit that target.

Donate to the Dump Reid PAC today!

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