
The office of Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) has released a statement confirming that a person made a threat against the Senator's office, and that the person has been arrested.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Whoops, hot mic. Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) was caught by a microphone on the Senate floor yesterday, telling a colleague "this stuff's rigged" and badmouthing his party's strategy for the lame duck session.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)The AP has declared Sen. Michael Bennet the winner of the Colorado Senate race, hours after Bennet held a victory press conference. The Denver Post and 9News had previously called the race for the Democrat.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Here's a quick update on the statewide races that may or may not be seeing recounts, election contests, graphology examinations, Brooks Brothers riots, etc.:
• In the Alaska Senate race, it's not a recount so much as a protracted and unusual vote count -- it could take weeks to sort through the 41% of ballots that were write-in votes, to determine how many them constitute valid, legal votes for incumbent GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowsi against Republican nominee Joe Miller.
• In the Connecticut gubernatorial race, Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz (D) has declared that Democrat Dan Malloy will win the race, without a recount. Republican Tom Foley is not conceding, maintaining that his campaign's internal numbers have them on track for a 2,000-vote win.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)There are still votes to count, and the tally remains close. But Sen. Michael Bennet is declaring victory over Republican Ken Buck in the Colorado Senate race.
With 2,884 of 3,246 precincts reporting, Bennet leads 47.72%-46.81%. The Denver Post and 9News have both declared Bennet the winner, though the Post notes that if the final vote totals are within .5% of each other, an automatic recount will be required.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)With Harry Reid's victory in Nevada, Democrats have kept control of the Senate. But how narrow will their majority be? As things stand now, Democrats have 49 seats, Republicans 46, and two independents who caucus with the Dems. Let's take a look at the three outstanding Senate results:
• In Alaska, the Anchorage Daily News reports, things are looking good for incumbent Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski in her write-in bid against Tea Party-backed (and Sarah Palin-backed) attorney Joe Miller -- but it's far from over. The total write-in votes lead Miller by a margin of 41%-34%. This could now go to court over the scrutinizing of all those write-in ballots, which must be sorted to find how well the voter spelled out "Lisa Murkowski," and determining what ranges of error are permissible:
Alaska's computerized voting system shows how many voters filled in the oval for a write-in candidate but not the actual name the voter wrote in. The write-in ballots are only opened to look at the name if there are more of them than votes for the leading candidate, or if the number of write-in ballots is within .5 percent of the frontrunner.PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)
That count would begin Nov. 18 and be expected to last three days. The campaigns have been getting ready for the court challenges over "voter intent" that would be expected to follow. Minor misspellings are probably OK but simply writing "Lisa M,"; for example, could be a problem.
As we head into Election Day, one thing is clear for Senate Democrats: It's going to be bad. Seriously. There's no going anywhere but down. But how far down?
It's unlikely that Democrats will manage to lose their majority outright, since they're starting at the high mark of 59 seats. But things sure look rough. Open seats in Indiana and North Dakota seem to be gone already, along with incumbent Sen. Blanche Lincoln in Arkansas. Republican seats that seemed like potential Dem pickups much earlier in the cycle -- North Carolina and open seats in Florida, Kentucky, Missouri, New Hampshire, and Ohio -- are clearly out of reach.
[TPM SLIDESHOW: Stranger Than Fiction? TPM Casts The 2010 Midterms Movie]
The few bright spots for Democrats are open seats in Connecticut and Delaware, where very weak Republican candidates Linda McMahon and Christine O'Donnell have spared the Dems from total humiliation. So with that in mind, let's take a look at some other key races to watch tomorrow.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)A new Fox News poll of the Colorado Senate race shows Republican Ken Buck with a four-point lead over Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet, 50%-46%.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)A new PPP Poll of the Colorado Senate race shows Republican Ken Buck with a one-point lead over Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet, 49%-48%.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)The new Marist poll of Colorado gives Republican Ken Buck a narrow lead in the Senate race against appointed Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet. Meanwhile, Democrat John Hickenlooper continues to lead American Constitution Party candidate Tom Tancredo in the gubernatorial race, aided by vote-splitting from the beleaguered spoiler Republican nominee Dan Maes.
In the Senate race: Buck 49%, Bennet 45%. In the previous Marist poll from a month ago, Buck led by a stronger margin of 50%-42%. The TPM Poll Average for the Senate race gives Buck 48.0%, Bennet 45.5%.
In the gubernatorial race: Hickenlooper 47%, Tancredo 42%, Maes 5%. In the previous Marist poll from a month ago, Hickenlooper had 48%, Tancredo 29%, and Maes 19%. The TPM Poll Average for the gubernatorial race gives Hickenlooper 47.1%, Tancredo 42.1%, and Maes 6.9%.
The survey of likely voters has a ±4% margin of error.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)A new Rasmussen poll of the Colorado Senate race finds Republican Ken Buck leading Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet 48%-44%.
When Rasmussen took a look at this race two weeks ago, Buck was ahead 47%-45%. Recent polls have suggested that the Republican's lead in the contest has been dwindling.
The TPM Poll Average has Buck on top 47.9%-45.4%. The margin of error for the latest survey is ±4.0 percentage points.
For more on the race, check out TPMDC's full coverage here.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Sen. Michael Bennet may be the incumbent in Colorado, but he's been running his campaign like an outsider. And though both Michelle Obama and Bill Clinton have recently stumped for him in the state, yesterday he explained to CNN why he doesn't think President Obama's presence would be helpful.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)A number of recent polls of the Colorado Senate race all suggest the same thing: this is going to be a close one. Four separate pollsters have all shown Republican Ken Buck's lead shrinking -- or disappearing altogether.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Colorado Republican Senate nominee Ken Buck has made his first public comments since Sunday, when he drew headlines for comparing being gay to alcoholism on Meet The Press. In a meeting with supporters Wednesday, Buck tried to put that comment behind him, and urged his backers to stay focused on the economy. Then he said global warming is a big ol' hoax.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)A rape case that Colorado Republican Senate candidate Ken Buck refused to prosecute in 2005 was in the media last week, and is on the airways this week, in a new ad from the Women's Voices. Women Vote Action Fund.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Fox News polls of the Colorado Senate and gubernatorial races released today show both races tightening as the election approaches.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)A new Ramussen poll of the Colorado Senate race shows Sen. Michael Bennet (45%) trailing Republican Ken Buck (47%) by just 2 points, prompting the pollster to shift the race from "Leans Republican" to a "Toss-Up."
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Colorado Senate candidates Ken Buck (R) and incumbent Sen. Michael Bennet (D) met for a debate on Meet The Press this morning and sparred on the budget, the Tea Party and flip-flops. But the most controversial moment came when host David Gregory asked Buck if he believes that being gay is a choice. Buck responded that he thought it was a choice, but allowed that "birth has an influence over it, like alcoholism and some other things."
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Colorado Republican Senate nominee Ken Buck has probably become accustomed to taking heat from progressives and pro-choice groups for his abortion stance -- he opposes it even in cases of rape or incest. But today, it's pro-lifers who are taking their shots at Buck, holding a rally in Denver and accusing him of breaking campaign promises.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)The conventional wisdom suggests that Democrats are "running scared" from health care reform. But the truth is that most Democrats have nothing to be afraid of -- and those who do, by and large, voted against it. Of course, some of the vulnerable Dems who voted for the bill are happy to avoid the subject. But a surprising number are running on reform, in ads, op-eds, and debates in their states and districts.
While it's true that a number of the most conservative and vulnerable Dems are outwardly repudiating their party's leadership, Speaker Pelosi herself yesterday sought to set the record straight on Democratic pride in reform.
"It's important to note -- and I say this all the time -- the plural of anecdote is not data," she told reporters. "At least 200 members are out there boasting the benefit of the health care bill. At least. There may be some who did vote for the bill who are not talking it up -- they didn't vote for it. There are others who are soft peddling it, maybe, because other issues are working for them better. "
Below the top five examples of Democrats turning the CW on its head.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)The candidates for Senate in Colorado met at a debate last night, took shots at each other and both offered unexpected answers to questions ranging from jobs to Afghanistan -- including the declaration from Republican Ken Buck that Afghans are too "backward" to create an industrialized democracy.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)A number of new polls in Colorado show Republican Ken Buck ahead in the Senate race, and Democrat John Hickenlooper maintaining his big lead in the three-way gubernatorial contest.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)The new Fox News poll of the Colorado Senate race gives Republican nominee Ken Buck a narrow lead over appointed Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet.
The numbers: Buck 47%, Bennet 43%. The survey of likely voters has a ±3% margin of error. There is no previous Fox News poll of this race. However, this poll was conducted through a Rasmussen offshoot, Pulse Opinion Research, which performs made-to-order robopolls. In the previous Rasmussen poll from two and a half weeks ago, Buck led by a similar four-point margin of 49%-45%, but with fewer undecideds.
The TPM Poll Average gives Buck a lead of 47.2%-43.4%.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Taking a break from his ad war with Sen. Michael Bennet, Republican Ken Buck's latest ad in the Colorado Senate race is a positive spot appealing to older voters.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)A new CNN/Time poll of the Colorado Senate race shows Republican Ken Buck leading Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet 49-44.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Last week, we reported how Republican Colorado Senate nominee Ken Buck and groups backing him were going after Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet with a number of ads knocking the incumbent on spending. Now, Bennet and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee are countering with ads attacking Buck on social issues.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Before a rowdy crowd on Friday, Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet (D) and Republican Senate nominee Ken Buck squared off in a debate that touched on the economy, health care, abortion, 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' and other issues.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Sen. Michael Bennet (D) might want to stick to watching his Netflix this week. Turn on the TV in Colorado, and he's bound to see one of the many, many ads his opponents are attacking him with. The ads come from different groups, but share a common theme: they hit Bennet hard on spending, and on his votes for the stimulus and health care reform.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)A new arm of the conservative group Club for Growth has rolled out a $1.5 million television ad campaign today, with spots targeting "the liberal, out-of-touch" records of five Democratic Senate candidates. Let's take a look.
First up -- Nevada. The TPM Poll Average shows Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid leading Republican Sharron Angle 47.3%-44.7%. Club for Growth's ad suggests that Angle "understands what Nevada is going through." While she lives in her "middle class Nevada house", Reid is living in the "million-dollar Ritz Carlton in Washington."
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)The latest Rasmussen poll of the Colorado Senate race shows Republican Ken Buck leading incumbent Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet 49%-45%, including leaners. Those numbers are unchanged from Rasmussen's last poll of the race on August 29.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)In their first debate, incumbent Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Republican nominee Ken Buck fought over flip-flops, boots and shoes.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)
Campaign season doesn't really heat up until September ... which means now. That means all the scandals and ads and ups and downs you've heard and read about in the last several months were just stage-setters. Most voters really begin paying attention now.
It's looking like a tough year for Senate Democrats, almost of whom are polling below 50 percent. Several weeks ago, many Republicans -- including NRSC Chair John Cornyn -- thought Republicans wouldn't be able to retake the Senate. Today, it's a distinct possibility. There are a number of critical races, but you should really keep an eye on these 10.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Less than 48 hours after President Obama announced a plan to create a $50 billion national infrastructure investment bank, Republicans -- and at least one Senate Democrat -- have set it up for long odds. Republicans denounced it as another "stimulus" bill, and resumed their calls for broad tax and spending cuts. Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO), in a fight for his political life, said he'd only support the proposal if it constitutes no new spending.
"I will not support additional spending in a second stimulus package. Any new transportation initiatives can be funded through the Recovery Act, which still contains unused funds," Bennet said in a statement. "Public-private partnerships that improve our infrastructure are a good idea, but must be paid for, should not add a dime to the deficit, and should be covered by unused Recovery Act dollars. We must make hard choices to significantly reduce the deficit."
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Democratic incumbent Sen. Michael Bennet is leading tea party favorite and gaffetastic Republican nominee Ken Buck in the Colorado Senate race, according to a new poll out today.
The survey of 751 likely voters by Democratic pollster FM3 and Republican pollster Public Opinion Strategies shows Bennet leading Buck 43-40. The pollsters describe the race as a "dead heat" and note that "a Libertarian candidate garners 5% of the vote - greater than the margin between the two major party candidates."
Indeed, past polling of the race has shown the race to be very, very close. The TPM Poll Average shows Buck ahead 46.0-42.8, which is basically too close to call this far from election day.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has a new ad in the Colorado Senate race, going after Republican nominee Ken Buck on the perennial issue of Social Security -- and a more peculiar issue from the Tea Party movement, his past support for repealing the direct election of Senators. The ad is a clear sign that Dems will try to hang GOP candidates on the statements they made during the primaries, when they were busy appealing to the Tea Partier primary voter base.
"Listen to Ken Buck on Social Security," the announcer says, followed by video of Buck at a Tea Party candidates forum back in March: "It is fundamentally against what I believe."
"Listen to Buck on whether he'd rewrite the Constitution and end our right to vote for our own Senators," the announcer also says, again followed by Buck footage from June: "The short answer is yes."
Buck has since disavowed that statement on the direct election of Senators, and says he doesn't propose changing that Constitutional Amendment.
The TPM Poll Average gives Buck a lead of 46.0%-42.8% over incumbent Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)American Crossroads, the conservative group backed by Karl Rove and former Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie, has a whole set of new ads in four key Senate races.
First up is an ad in Nevada, against Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). This spot continues the theme from American Crossroads's previous ad, complaining about stimulus spending going to help other states.
"Really, Harry," the announcer says. "How about some help for Nevada?"
The TPM Poll Average of the Nevada Senate race puts Reid ahead of Republican Sharron Angle by 46.6%-43.7%.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)The new Rasmussen poll of the Colorado Senate race shows Republican Ken Buck leading Sen. Michael Bennet 49%-45%.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) has his first ad for the general election campaign -- and it's a direct attack ad against his Republican opponent, Ken Buck.
In the ad, the announcer shows video of various right-wing statements that Buck has made, such as when he said of Social Security, "I don't know whether it is constitutional or not. It is certainly a horrible policy." Buck is also shown stating his position on abortion: "I am pro-life and I'll answer the next question, I don't believe in the exception of rape or incest."
"Ken Buck asked the right question," the announcer says, cutting to video of Buck asking defiantly at a rally: "I'm an extremist? I'm an extremist?"
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (1)Incumbent Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) may have survived that tough primary challenge, but a new poll shows he's still got an uphill climb ahead of him to retain the Senate seat he was appointed to last year. A Reuters/Ipsos survey of 453 likely voters in Colorado found Republican nominee Ken Buck leading the Senate race 49-40.
There is no previous Reuters/Ipsos survey for direct comparison.
National Democrats hoped that Bennet would beat his Democratic challenger, Andrew Romanoff, because they say Bennet has a better chance of winning the seat he was appointed to after Democrat Ken Salazar resigned to become Secretary of the Interior. On Aug. 10, Bennet handily defeated Romanoff, kicking off a general election fight with Buck, a tea party favorite. The matchup is the one that national Democrats wanted.
Polls so far have shown the Democratic plan for the race has not played out. The TPM Poll Average shows Buck ahead 46.4-42.4.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has released its first ad in the Colorado Senate general election, reinforcing Sen. Michael Bennet's campaign's argument that Republican nominee Ken Buck is too extreme for Colorado, and highlighting Buck's one-time support for repealing the 17th amendment.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)