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Polls Show Harry Reid Not Making Any Headway In Nevada
Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV)
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At some point, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's tanking poll numbers have to hit bottom. Despite being among the most powerful men in the government -- well, or maybe exactly because of it -- Reid can't seem to get his constituents back home in Nevada interested in reelecting him.
As the months go on, Reid continues to sink further and further the polls, but a new poll out today shows he hasn't found the bottom yet. With the addition of today's new Rasmussen poll of the Nevada race, the TPM Poll Averages of hypothetical matchups in Nevada now show Reid trailing all three of the likely GOP nominees by double digits, garnering less than 40% of the vote each case.
The message is clear: whatever Reid is doing to boost support in Nevada these days, it's not working.
Against former Nevada GOP chair Sue Lowden, the frontrunner for her party's nomination, Reid continues to see his poll numbers decline. The TPM Poll Average for a Lowden-Reid matchup now shows Lowden ahead by a margin of 50.3-38.6.
It's the same story when Reid is pitted against other GOP candidates in the polls. Even as other embattled Democratic incumbents, most notably Sen. Blanche Lincoln (AR) and Sen. Arlen Specter (PA), have seen their poll numbers against GOP opponents rise lately, Reid's numbers have continued to travel in a single direction since the beginning of the year: down.
The TPM Poll Average for a potential matchup with former state legislation Sharron Angle now shows Angle leading Reid by a margin of 45.3-39.6.
Against businessman Danny Tarkanian, Reid fares even more poorly. The TPM Poll Average for that race shows Tarkanian ahead of Reid by a margin of 50.5-38.3.
There is one piece of good news for Reid, however. A poll Monday showed that if the conservatives can't unifiy behind a single candidate and end up splitting between the Republican nominee and a Tea Party candidate, Reid could eke out a narrow win. In that hypothetical contest, Reid won the three way race with 36% percent of the vote. The anonymous Republican nominee got 32% and an unnamed Tea Party candidate got 18%.
But hoping for conservative collapse so you can squeak by with a win by default is not exactly the desired position for a powerful Democratic incumbent like Reid. He still has a great deal of time -- and a great deal of money -- to try and turn things around in his reelection bid. But polling shows that it's time for him to pull the rabbit out of the hat, whatever it may be. Each passing day seems to bring him closer to a career in lobbying like his predecessor as Democratic Majority Leader, Tom Daschle.
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JorgeOrwell
March 5, 2010 1:54 PM
Funny thing is, Harry doesn't give a damn. He will be handsomely rewarded by some lobby firm if he doesn't win. Why else you think he has sabotaged this HCR process?
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rbeats
March 5, 2010 2:18 PM in reply to JorgeOrwell
He will get a cush lobbying job to further gut the middle class of America. He has proven to do a better job of it than the Republicans.
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CranialRectalLoopback
March 5, 2010 2:06 PM
Excellent news. Harriet worthless. Anyone know who'd be his likely successor as Senate Majority Leader?
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JorgeOrwell
March 5, 2010 2:28 PM in reply to CranialRectalLoopback
Mitch McConnell?
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lousgirl84
March 5, 2010 3:46 PM in reply to JorgeOrwell
Yeah right.
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CranialRectalLoopback
March 5, 2010 8:33 PM in reply to JorgeOrwell
Don't think so. Democrats won't lose 10 Senate seats in 2010.
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JorgeOrwell
March 5, 2010 8:40 PM in reply to CranialRectalLoopback
They only need to lose 8. 2 are independents and things aren't looking good. Even Patty Murray is in trouble in my state. As I've said before, the only states that are bluer are California and Massachusetts. Don't forget the Scott Brown effect.
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JorgeOrwell
March 5, 2010 8:40 PM in reply to JorgeOrwell
Hope you are correct, though.
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JorgeOrwell
March 5, 2010 8:48 PM in reply to JorgeOrwell
Here are nate silvers predictions...
http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2010/01/senate-rankings-post-masspocalypse.html
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lousgirl84
March 5, 2010 9:54 PM in reply to JorgeOrwell
You do realize that link is from 1-22-10. Two months old.
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Dr Lemming
March 5, 2010 11:51 PM in reply to JorgeOrwell
I live in Washington State and think it is WAY too early to panic about Patty Murray.
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JorgeOrwell
March 6, 2010 11:44 AM in reply to Dr Lemming
Then you you know the East/West dichotomy well. Coakley was up by 20 points at one point and up 9 points just two weeks before the election.
Patty Murray voted NO on drug re-importation and receives the second highest amount of corporate pharma donations of ALL Senate Democrats ($144,000).
Yeah, its early, but her "mom in tennis shoes" image is fast becoming tarnished with votes like this. And in this political climate where Dems are seen as do-nothings, she is going to have to really step it up to show Washington voters she is on their side with regard to the Public Option and drug re-importation.
I'm an independent who voted for her last time around. Its hers to lose if she doesn't come through for us.
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traitorjoe
March 5, 2010 2:23 PM
We will have fewer numbers but be in better shape with Chuck Shumer as majority leader.
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glblank
March 5, 2010 4:47 PM in reply to traitorjoe
You that sure it'll stay in Dem hands?
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oleeb
March 5, 2010 2:51 PM
If I lived there I wouldn't vote for him either. What a useless windbag! Weak. Conniving. A tool of corporate interests. Who needs him? Might as well have a real Republican.
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kgb999
March 5, 2010 3:32 PM in reply to oleeb
Hate to break it to ya. He isn't going to lose. I do live there part time and he's one of the only democrats I still support. That said, if they polled me I'd say I'm not happy at this point, because I'm not. It's a complicated situation, but I'm just not seeing Reid losing his seat. And nothing I'm hearing from my friends in Nevada changes my mind.
Bear in mind that Lowden shut down the GOP convention in 2008 specifically to keep Ron Paul's delegates from going to the national event. Just stopped counting votes when they were going Paul's way and adjourned, instead assigning good "loyal" republicans. Tea Party types hate her ... like toe-to-toe battle hate. Kind of like progressives feel about Lincoln. Her nomination would almost ensure a third party challenger - which even in this environment has Reid winning in a walk. (But to be clear, I think Reid will win against Lowden in a two-way race as well). Tarkanian is a joke. If he gets the nomination, Reid will also win it in a walk.
Ensign and Gibbons are the dumper. As a result the GOP can't draw on their 2 most powerful people (Governor and US Senator) for fund raising or endorsements. There are many, many other issues in the state GOP right now.
IMO, the political analysis around here has gone to poop since Greg left. Seriously. Look at the frame they are putting on a poll taken in MARCH. No caveat about the unreliability of polls this far out. No deeper analysis. Compare this to how they covered the race in 2008. Now it's all "OMGZ LOOK! It's a poll. This is EXACTLY what's going to happen". No mention of the correct "Take this with a grain of salt because polls are notorious for being literally worthless at this point".
There is other stuff too, like when a TPM journalist casually tosses out a turd like "It's the majority leader's job to make sure the votes are there". Well. No. That's the majority whip's job. The majority leader's job is to ride herd on the bills, coordinate with the House leader, craft the strategy as to what to bring to the floor, etc. etc. There is no way to do both jobs well simultaneously. But here we are at TPM, where ignorance of process is now an editorial policy.
Oh and did you hear? The Tea Party movement (which started in 2007) just had their "one year" anniversary! I'm pretty sure Josh and his crew are now 100% inside the bubble. Kind of sad.
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robertgnv
March 5, 2010 6:31 PM in reply to kgb999
You have to live here to get a sense for it. People in Nevada are crazy but not stupid. Endless complainers but they still get things done.
It was all gloom and doom going into a special session of the legislature but in the end they just fixed it. Increased taxes, increased fees, and reduced some services, and it’s done.
Yes the get rid of Harry bumper stickers are endless, but this is just the anti establishment nature of things.
Big Big money in this state is not going to trade majority leader for freshmen senator.
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lousgirl84
March 5, 2010 11:14 PM in reply to robertgnv
Well I just saw one of Sue Lowden's campaign ads on Rachel Maddow's show and it is hysterical. She's a total bimbo loser. She knocks Harry for trying to ram a horrible government run healthcare down the people's throat, because is threatens "our" medicare.
I sure hope the folks of Nevada have more than box of rocks for brains.
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hollywood
March 6, 2010 3:55 AM in reply to lousgirl84
America is a box full of rocks.
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lousgirl84
March 6, 2010 8:33 AM in reply to hollywood
I'm beginning to believe it.
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JorgeOrwell
March 6, 2010 12:12 PM in reply to kgb999
Don't be so sure. There is very analogous race in our not too distant past. Anybody remember Speaker Tom Foley in the state of Washington?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Foley
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concerned parent
March 5, 2010 3:12 PM
He does not stand up and fight for his beliefs. That is why he is doing so poorly. I will be glad to see him go.
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lousgirl84
March 5, 2010 5:33 PM in reply to concerned parent
Actually he does stand up for his beliefs. He may be lackluster but he knows his job. I just sent his campaign some money. I'm not throwing my party under the bus. We need to win in 2010 and 2012. If you think throwing a candidate under the bus is good politics when we have a republican party ready to throw the whole country under the bus, you are mistaken.
Could we do better - yes. But right now, we are better if we stick together.
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CranialRectalLoopback
March 5, 2010 8:35 PM in reply to lousgirl84
No. You'll just your Senator throw your party under the bus.
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cjop
March 6, 2010 7:36 AM in reply to concerned parent
On the contrary. He is fighting for his convictions. He's another corporate whore. His problem was he couldn't sabotage HCR without making it look like that was what he was doing. But he got it done and his paycheck is in the mail.
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hollywood
March 5, 2010 3:16 PM
Well we can now see why Dems will never have any real power in America. The left wing bloggers just stabbed one of their most accomplished senators in the back because he didn't single handedly crush republicanism in a single year with 'almost' a 60 vote filibuster buster.
How sad that people who think the country needs to be more progressive actually move it farther to the right with their ignorant spite.
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JorgeOrwell
March 5, 2010 3:22 PM in reply to hollywood
Dude, he had a 60 seat majority! And recon should have been on the table all along. The Republicans have used it 17 times in the past!
Get a grip. Instead of attacking your fellow liberals, show some backbone and get on board with them. Geez! what ever happened to "YES WE CAN"?
Harry Reid has proven himself to be no friend to his base and that is why he is in trouble. If he had fought harder for them, he wouldn't be in this mess.
Do you continue to eat at restaurants that serve terrible food too?
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dudeguy
March 5, 2010 3:59 PM in reply to JorgeOrwell
"Instead of attacking your fellow liberals, show some backbone and get on board with them."
Exactly what I say to you to support passage of the HCR bill. ;)
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JorgeOrwell
March 5, 2010 4:09 PM in reply to dudeguy
If it includes antitrust regulation and a universal "government run plan" as candidate Obama and the Democratic Party Platform call for, I'm behind it 100%!
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JorgeOrwell
March 5, 2010 4:17 PM in reply to JorgeOrwell
;)
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lousgirl84
March 5, 2010 3:44 PM in reply to hollywood
I hear ya.
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FreeRider
March 5, 2010 3:48 PM in reply to hollywood
You are absolutely right. The drivel being spewed by the firebaggers is just that.
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concerned parent
March 5, 2010 4:04 PM in reply to hollywood
Such drivel, he did nothing with a 60 vote majority. He let a handful of senators make a complete mess of health care. Over 200 bills passed by the house sit idle while ole harry sputter tries to figure out how to vote his way out of a paper sack. I could care less about the gop, we need real leadership and people who know how to get bills passed. He is about inspiring as a stick, and at least you can use a stick.
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hollywood
March 6, 2010 2:22 AM in reply to concerned parent
You talk like you do not understand the 'rules of the senate' which is 60 solid votes to move your toe out of your ass. The rethuglicans have mounted an absolutely completely neverbefore seen all filibuster all the time. In this circumstance I think what has been accomplished is remarkable. Yes the only answer is recon and yes that is what is happening now. The Senate passed a bill by 60 votes and Obama has finally arranged a fix with the House through recon. Yeah! Sounds like the skipper got the boat into the dock in a record windstorm. Someday I will meet the man and shake his hand and thank him. I have a preexisting condition.
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aikbay
March 5, 2010 9:29 PM in reply to hollywood
Bullhsit. I used to be a Reid supporter. Reid let Baucus walk all over him in HCR. I still like Reid and I want him to win but let's get something clear - the left wing of the Dem. Party did not sabotage Reid. His conservative buddies in the senate did it. He also performed a major f-up by having Lieberhole be the DHS chair. If he had kicked him to the curb, he would have set an example of Lieberhole and how traitors are going to be treated.
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hollywood
March 6, 2010 2:24 AM in reply to aikbay
Yes. That's true. Probably.
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Dogger
March 6, 2010 5:33 AM in reply to aikbay
Exactly. Reid should have taken Lieberman's chairmanship away the minute that blowhole started to derail the party's agenda.
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Sailormarlowe
March 5, 2010 3:19 PM
Another democrap rapidly swirling toward the septic system. Heh heh.
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lousgirl84
March 5, 2010 5:27 PM in reply to Sailormarlowe
The only thing close to the cesspool is you. You are the cesspool - you and your girlfriends Sarah and Michelle.
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RobbyLove
March 5, 2010 3:21 PM
And when the dingbat makes comments like losing 36000 jobs is "good"...holy frijoles. The guy just keeps digging his own grave that much deeper.
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JorgeOrwell
March 5, 2010 3:25 PM in reply to RobbyLove
I know Grayson is a bit of a windbag and young, but he could teach old Harry a thing or two about politics.
STAND BY YOUR BASE!
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ns
March 5, 2010 3:23 PM
good riddance.
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GTFOOH
March 5, 2010 3:25 PM
Yucca Mountain could draw a bigger crowd and contribute to better health care than Harry has demonstrated!
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Juble
March 5, 2010 3:39 PM
No,it's not he will get a job as a lobbyist,he is setting up his family for positions in Corporations.Remember his kids & Grandkids know how to play the game.
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lousgirl84
March 5, 2010 3:45 PM
Harry has always been in a fight for his seat every election and he wins everytime. I'm just sayin.........and not saying this is like any other time.........
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Darrius
March 5, 2010 3:56 PM
Harry Reid is trailing his opponents because of the Senate rules. Unlike the Speaker he can not compel the Senate to actually take a vote on anything. The Senate literally holding the country back and as Majority Leader Harry Reid is the poster-child of the Senate.
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JorgeOrwell
March 5, 2010 4:22 PM in reply to Darrius
Repukes have used Recon 17 times in the past. Many during the Bush Admin. Harry has this same option. he could get a public option through and have citizens enrolled this summer if he REALLY WANTED it.
He is simply the poster child for the Democratic Party.
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JorgeOrwell
March 5, 2010 4:14 PM
"YES WE CAN"!
Call your Senators and demand they live up to the Democratic Party platform. Tell them, we need health care TODAY, in 2014 and beyond!
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
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eve cairo
March 5, 2010 4:52 PM
I don't understand a lot of the comments I'm reading here. Being unhappy with his job as majority leader does not mean that any sane person would want his nutcase opponent to win anything. Besides they only have these poll numbers because of the right wing health care insanity opposition.
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lousgirl84
March 5, 2010 5:28 PM in reply to eve cairo
Welcome to the world of idiots.
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JorgeOrwell
March 5, 2010 6:15 PM in reply to eve cairo
Well, Harry has every opportunity to win the base back. They have already agreed to Obama's wink and nod toward reconciliation. Why not just go for the whole ball of wax?
I guarantee you AND Harry, if he wants to keep his job, all he has to do is put the public option and antitrust regulation back in the bill and have IT take effect by this summer (NOT 2014) and folks of ALL stripes will rally to his campaign.
Hell, if he did that, independents like myself would probably throw money at him to boot!
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arias
March 7, 2010 12:06 AM in reply to JorgeOrwell
I wrote her about 3 weeks ago imploring her not having (at that time) signed Bennet's letter in support of the public option and trying to impress on her the fury of the popular zeitgeist that is directed specifically at senate Democrats for their dithering cowardice while still having the seat that became Scott Browns. Considering the subject of just about every email I receive being on her mailing list has been on HCR this past year, I tried to remind her that, despite her seat appearing safe, that should it not pass that such an assumption becomes increasingly imperiled even in a state as 'safe' as Washington should Massachusetts not be enough of an omen.
Although she has responded to me in the past, didn't receive any reply back on that one.
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JorgeOrwell
March 7, 2010 2:25 AM in reply to arias
Yeah, I always get the usual spin. When I found out that she AND Cantwell both voted NO on the drug re-importation bill, I knew it had to be some "donor" pressure. I used to respect Murray, but she is losing me. Cantwell? Never had much use for her. Pretty bluedog really.
If they don't start pushing for the PO, they are finished in this state. The public option has 65% approval in our state. These are two very powerful Senators. They could make it happen.
If they don't sign onto the Bennet letter, there will be a liberal independent who splits the ticket come November. There is already talk of some guy from Bellingham or Bellevue (?) getting ready to mount a campaign and he is prepared to use this as a primary attack. He has already made noise about them trying to take cover by simply not having the PO in the reconciliation bill. He's pretty well spoken from what little I heard on the radio.
We'll see....
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JorgeOrwell
March 7, 2010 9:03 PM in reply to arias
But really, you do have to call them. My buddy used to work closely with her office. He says emails just go into a deep dark cyber trash heap. They generate the form letter sent to all constituents.
You tie up their phone lines and they can't ignore you. Her office is now just sending people directly to VM these days. Must be working!
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jbentley4
March 5, 2010 4:53 PM
Is there any chance he could bow out, take an ambassadorship or some other position in the Administration, and let somebody with a better chance take a stab at holding the seat?
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FreemanW
March 5, 2010 5:00 PM
Yes We Can has morphed into
Shoulda woulda coulda
It would be difficult to point to a comparable legislative majority that so severely screwed themselves into a smoking crater the way the Obama / 111th Congress, 1st & 2nd Session have done.
It's all fine & good, for them.
The problem is that they are taking the rest of us down with them on their Kamikaze sortie.
I don't think it is possible (at this point) for them to pull out of their death spiral.
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FreemanW
March 5, 2010 5:03 PM in reply to FreemanW
But I'm an eternal optimist.
I hope that I'm dead wrong.
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FreemanW
March 5, 2010 5:05 PM in reply to FreemanW
I'm also a cynic and I don't think that the Democrats have either the desire or the gumption to do the right thing.
(the right thing being, what they repeatedly promised, and what the majority of the American people want, a strong public option)
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Jasper47
March 5, 2010 5:03 PM
I'm constantly amazed at how polls are presented. This poll, and for that matter ANY poll that purports to "average" other polls, is, for lack of a better term - junk.
I'm sorry, but it is.
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atlliberal
March 5, 2010 5:12 PM
The best thin Harry could do for his poll numbers is punch the Republicans in the face. figuratively of course.He needs to really put them in their place. they are the minority for goodness sakes not the super majority. He looks like the 90 pound weakling on the beach that gets the sand kicked in his face over and over again.
Getting the health care bill passed and telling the republicans to shut up and stop being such hypocritical babies just because they don't get to call the shots any more, would go a long way to restoring his approval.
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Jasper47
March 5, 2010 5:19 PM
Ok. Let's just say you found out that the unemployment figure for last month was off by say 7%. And the one before that was off by minus 2%, and this month's figure came in at plus 4%. What would you believe? How would you know?
Has there been a change, is the operative expression.
If the margin of error for a particular poll (or polling organization) doesn't list an MOE, you want to just throw it in the trash. Of course, you may be the one paying for the junker you bought. In that case you may want to get on the phone to "clarify" the methodology.
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sirclown
March 5, 2010 5:45 PM
The senate race in Connecticut was consistently deemed "lean Republican". Until Dodd bowed out, Blumenthal stepped in and polls showed it to be "safe Democrat". Any good leader should put his cause before himself. 8 months until Election Day. 3 months until the primary. I don't have any quarrel with Reid's performance as Senate Majority Leader but if he can't make up some ground fast, he's got to do the right thing for the party, bow out and let someone who could keep Nevada blue step up. We don't need another John Thune in the Senate.
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FreeRider
March 5, 2010 7:53 PM in reply to sirclown
Blumenthal, a very popular AG was waiting to step for Dodd. Please tell us: what popular statewide Democrat could take Reid's place?
I won't hold my breath for an answer.
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Fitgerald
March 5, 2010 6:31 PM
Majority leader Durbin?
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JorgeOrwell
March 5, 2010 6:35 PM
There's still time Harry!
http://www.actblue.com/page/dumplincoln?refcode=e1-design-c-fr-5-middle
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jward
March 5, 2010 7:00 PM
In my opinion Rasmussen and Mason Dixon skew right. Filter out Rasmussen and Mason Dixon above and you go from 50.3(Lowden)/38.6(Reid) to 48.3/41.5, AND you see that somewhere back in January there is the beginning of the lines coming together rather than going further apart--Lowden starts to go down a bit and Reid goes up. So I agree and I hope--"there's still time, Harry!"
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Fritz
March 5, 2010 9:14 PM
Somebody needs to tell Reid that it's time to quit. Every time he gets on TV he looks and sounds so pathetic, he only reinforces the image that the Democrats are too feeble to get anything done. He's an embarrassment. It's like having a zombie as majority leader of the senate. Harry .. go home and enjoy the rest of your life!
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jward
March 5, 2010 9:53 PM
He's not going to look "so pathetic" when he gets health care for million people passed.
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hollywood
March 6, 2010 2:31 AM in reply to jward
RIght! 30 million people can each send Harry Reid a letter to thank him for fighting and winning the supermajority that got them insured and on the road to a longer happier healthier life. He is a hero to help a single person in need. He has helped millions.
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JorgeOrwell
March 6, 2010 12:05 PM in reply to jward
You are correct. His bill will cover about a million people. Problems is, he needs to get health care for 50 MILLION uninsured.
Unfortunately, he and Obama want to force us into buying CORPORATE HEALTH CARE, with no options.
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sincityman
March 6, 2010 1:05 AM
I live in Las Vegas. I don't see Harry Reid losing.People are upset but at the end of the day they are not stupid to vote the senate majority leader out of office. The Tea party is going to split the vote with the Republican party. There are alot of Ron Paul supporter here in Nevada the tea bagger don't know but they are libertarian. Ensign has his own problems he seem to had a hard time keeping his wee wee in his pants and out of his best friend wife. The Repukicans are in bad shape they don't have a strong party leader.
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MarciaJ720
March 6, 2010 10:30 AM
Harry Reid has mishandled the healthcare reform from day one. He allowed too much Republican influence.
IMO, I feel Reid really does not want this healthcare reform to go through. He has shown himself to be much weaker than Nancy Pelosi and their respective approval numbers reflect it as well (Pelosi's are higher).
I think there is going to be a wave of in with the new and out with the old come November. I don't know how it will play out numbers wise, since I think the Teabaggers will drain from the Republican votes.
Harry Reid is already 71. I think these members of Congress should have to retire at 65. (I'm dreaming, I know).
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billpaustin
March 6, 2010 10:43 AM
I'm wondering if there is a sentiment against older Senators and Congressmen. Harry Reid represents the status quo, he lacks inspiring energy, and does not seem to really care.
In a society, the older and more powerful people are seen as controlling and supporting the existing system. Our existing system is totally corrupt and seems about to crash. That makes a lot of people mad, and the older "in charge" people are to blame. Sorry Harry.
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Max Thrax
March 6, 2010 1:09 PM in reply to billpaustin
Well, I have a sentiment against old white people in general....you might have a point. I think a lot of people might be feeling this way. Hard to feel sympathy for people who supported for decades all the policies that lead here, and are now complaining about the deficit and looking for groups(blacks, Mexican, the gheys, liberals, Hollywood liberals) to blame for their generation's failures. It's not a pretty picture, but I see it all the time.
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Jaymay
March 7, 2010 11:42 AM in reply to Max Thrax
Aw, stop playa hatin'.
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jward
March 6, 2010 11:46 AM
If you think Harry Reid "really does not want this healthcare reform to go through," you don't know a damn thing about Harry Reid. Do you think he wants people to grow up like he did--so poor his family NEVER SAW a doctor or dentist? That when his brother broke his arm the poor kid had to just lay in bed moaning for weeks and everybody tried not to hit against the bed? Read his autobiog. "The Good Fight."
P.S. His abusive and alcoholic father refused to let the kids make a peep when people came to the door of their shack--they had to keep quiet til whoever it was went away--might have an effect on his demeanor, very quiet with a fire burning within.
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Max Thrax
March 6, 2010 1:04 PM in reply to jward
Harry Reid is the JaMarcus Russell of the Senate. It's debatable whether the desire is there, what isn't debatable is that he is totally incompetent.
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jward
March 6, 2010 2:18 PM in reply to Max Thrax
And yet he got health care passed by 60 votes.
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hollywood
March 6, 2010 2:45 PM in reply to jward
Yes. He got healthcare passed with a supermajority during the most hateful stalling by the minority that the Senate has ever seen! He is so much tougher and smarter than people care to understand.
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JorgeOrwell
March 7, 2010 8:59 PM in reply to hollywood
If he is as smart as you say, he'll have a PO in the bill starting no later than this summer. He's got to know this 2014 start date is a real problem.
Hope he is as smart as you think.
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xargaw
March 6, 2010 8:34 PM in reply to jward
And all that was necessary was watering it down to a truly lousy bill that does almost nothing.
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Dr Lemming
March 7, 2010 1:15 AM
It's interesting how quickly Democrats eat their own. Have any of you armchair critics ever actually run for office?
My big beef isn't with Reid per se as with the silly strategy of selecting a leader from a swing state. I really don't think Reid can effectively represent Nevada at the same time as championing a strong blue agenda. That was a train wreck that could be predicted many a mile away.
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desmoulins
March 7, 2010 1:58 AM
it's time for him to pull the rabbit out of the hat,
Its March. Its Rasmussen. Take a deep breath.
At this point, campaign fundamentals are much more important than horserace polls. Fundamentals: first money, then organization, and then message. On one and two, Reid is miles ahead of his opposition. And on three, his opponents will spend most of the next four months moving farther and farther to the right, which gives him plenty of time and space to deliver his message.
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desmoulins
March 7, 2010 2:03 AM
One other fun fact from the poll itself. Rasumussen writes (twice) that Only 23% of the state’s voters consider themselves part of the Tea Party movement.
Interesting sample, when 23% of your projected electorate puts themselves to the right of the Republican party.
Interesting analyst, when you consider that result to be surprisingly moderate, as evident in the bizarre use of "only."
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drwu
March 7, 2010 5:33 PM
Reid has the charisma of a dead turtle.
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Scyth
March 7, 2010 6:12 PM
Good. ANYTHING to get rid of the worst Majority Leader of the modern era.
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