Here is what is happening on the campaign trail today:
Virginia Governor--Deeds surges into the lead: There has been some rapid poll movement in the Virginia Democratic gubernatorial primary. The last four non-campaign-funded polls, all conducted entirely within the last week, show Creigh Deeds moving into a slight lead.
The four-poll average is currently Deeds 28.8%, Mcauliffe 27.8%, and Moran 24.5%. With such rapid movement and so many undecideds, it would appear that any of the three can win. However, the trend from Pollster.com shows that Deeds is surging:
Deeds would have to be considered the new favorite, given that trend. The primary is on Tuesday, June 9th.
New York Senate--potential Gillibrand challengers continue to decline: Representative Carolyn McCarthy will not challenge Senator Kirsten Gillibrand in the Democratic primary:
Rep. Carolyn McCarthy will not challenge Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in a Democratic primary. McCarthy, a thorn in Gillibrand's side of late, had said she would take on the newly appointed senator in 2010 if no one else did.
But McCarthy has reversed course, citing personal issues.
Representative Carolyn Maloney is the one remaining potential candidaate who could mount a credible primary challenge to Gillibrand. Earlier this week, Maloney received a phone all from Vice-President Joe Biden, presumably encouraging her not to challenge Gillibrand. Clearly, pressure to not challenge Gillibrand is coming from the very top.
Pennsylvania Senate--Arlen Specter begs health care industry for donations: Arlen Specter made an unusually public call for donations while speaking at a conference for the American Association of Homecare today:
In an unusual move, Specter pleaded with a roomful of conference attendees Wednesday: Please write me a check. Members of Congress give talks at industry meetings all the time but they rarely - if ever - straight up ask for dough in public, especially when reporters are lurking about.
Specter was finishing up brief speech about healthcare reform to an audience of medical equipment suppliers when he closed his remarks with a fundraising pitch.
"My last [campaign] cost $23 mil. So I'd like you to consider giving me a hand with it. Campaign contributions are limited in the federal system so I have to get 50,000 contributors and the people in your industry have a reason to know my work and analysis of the situation. If you can see your way to help out, I'd be very much appreciative," Specter said.
The American Association for Homecare is a pretty run of the mill industry group, employing a few lobbyists and making a wide variety of campaign donations to members of Congress from all over the partisan and ideological spectrum. While one might think it was unseemly to ask members of a business organization for donations in public, remember this is the same Arlen Specter who said he switched parties because his chances of winning the Republican primary were "bleak." Clearly, Specter is willing to do whatever it takes to stay in office, expect maybe hide the fact that he will do whatever it takes to stay in office.
New Jersey Governor--Corzine starts out behind: Democratic incumbent Governor Jon Corzine trails newly minted Republican nominee Chris Christie by 8.6% according to Pollster.com:
The really bad news is that Corzine has been under 40% for 13 consecutive polls, dating back to mid-January. Corzine does not have the benefit of being able to wait until 2010 for the economy to recover, but he did just announce a deal to avert any government worker layoffs.
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