I think Democrats are going to do much better than expected in the mid-term elections.

[kentuck]

Because Republicans that are favored are all within the margin of error, according to the polls. And they continue with their negative campaigning and there seems to be a sense of desperation in some of their races. There's a bit of nervousness in their supporters.

Also, there is quite a bit of enthusiasm in some of the races with women candidates and this is contagious in some of the neighboring states, for example, Mary Burke in Wisconsin, Michelle Nunn in Georgia, Alison Lundergan Grimes in Kentucky, and Kay Hagan in NC. I would not be surprised to see all these women win their race. And I believe their enthusiasm will cross borders and help other Democrats.

That may be an odd theory but I believe that will be the major reason Democrats will do better than expected.

[Populist_Prole]

1. Me too

I'm seeing the vibe you speak of as well. The only thing casting doubt is the stupid media, which is irrelevant anyway.

[Electric Monk]

2. Campaigning as Republican Lite is asking to FAIL

[Brigid]

4. TJ served as Minister to France.

I think he saw the French Revolution brewing.

[The Wielding Truth]

36. Yep. We should be warning all that the thieving Republicans will take your savings just like last

time they had power. God this is a scary time. They will continue to sell off the country and we, citizens, will be their chattel. It is their promise to us and they keep their word when it comes to braking the backs, and taking the rites of the common citizen.

Seniors say good bye to your social security! We are pushing ourselves into a corner where we will have to fight. Voting is better than smashing heads.OUR revolution is to VOTE!!!!

There are more of us. If we vote, we win.....

There are more of us. If we vote, we win.....

There are more of us. If we vote, we win.....

There are more of us. If we vote, we win.....

There are more of us. If we vote, we win.....

There are more of us. If we vote, we win.....

Every single voter must get out and VOTE!!!

[kentuck]

38. But which is the Republican Lite..

...is the question?

[A Simple Game]

77. It is getting harder to tell in many cases isn't it? n/t

[brewens]

75. We had a Democratic congressman in Idaho running for reelection in 2010.

Walt Minnick. He ran an ad saying he voted against "Obamacare". I would have liked to have kicked his ass both for the vote and ad. Why do that? He wasn't going to get Republicans to vote for him. They want an actual Republican that will help them control the House. Sure enough, he lost.

That's what happens. The Republican elect a total douchebag that embarrases eveyone and the Democrats ramp efforts up and knock them off. Then the Republicans make an all-out effort to get it back. He had two years to do something to really impress Democrats in my part of the state. Worrying about pissing off conservatives wasn't going to get him anywhere, they were pulling out all the stops to come after him anyway.

[Blue_In_AK]

3. If I hear "voted with Obama 97% of the time"

or "the deciding vote on Obamacare" one more time, I might be tempted to shoot my TV. I was astounded that Dan Sullivan used those exact phrases even in his final televised debate with Mark Begich Thursday night. Not an original thought in his head, just Republican talking points.

[BillZBubb]

6. Was Begich able to counter those phrases and destroy the repub?

If not, that is a symptom of the Democrats inability to articulate their position.

My reply would have been simple: "Yes, I proudly voted with the President to fix our dysfunctional health care system. Republicans, like my opponent, voted against Social Security when it was proposed. They voted against Medicare. They were wrong then, and they are wrong now."

[Blue_In_AK]

21. Mark was outstanding in the debate,

and, yes, he was able to counter it. Politifact rates him as one of the most independent Senators in DC, so he was able to refute that 97% thing pretty quickly. I don't always agree with Mark, but there's no doubt that he is much more connected to Alaska and Alaskans than Ohio Dan is. One thing that i'm with him 100% on is his opposition to arming Syrian rebels, since we're kind of unclear on who to trust over there, and his opposition to 'boots on the ground" in that part of the world. Dan Sullivan was an assistant secretary of state under Condi Rice and is a major hawk. We don't need that.

Mark came prepared with all kinds of specific policy ideas, described all of the good things he's done in DC for the state, and had a quick answer for every jab that Dan threw. I was very impressed and even more glad that I had voted for Mark early. What i point out every chance i get is that even if Mark isn't perfect, and even if we don't agree with him 100% of the time, we know him -- he grew up here, people loved his father, he was on the Anchorage assembly and was mayor, he's been a good senator working hard for Alaska's interests. He'll talk to anybody and frequently calls in to Anchorage's right-wing radio talk shows and takes questions. Dan Sullivan has not held elected office, instead working inside DC as mentioned above, and then installed up here as Sarah Palin's attorney general, even though no one knew who he was, and has been deep into the corrupt Sean Parnell regime as first his attorney general and then DNR commissioner, where he championed really bone-headed ideas that were particularly galling to Alaska Natives, being anti-subsistence and against local input on major resource projects. He's really just a flak for the big moneyed interests.

For a look at where the money is coming from, check out this: http://www.adn.com/article/20141101/outside-groups-invest-alaska-senate-control Dan Sullivan's parents were the second and third largest donors to Karl Rove's Crossroads groups in August, and his brother is on the board of the US Chamber of Commerce. Freedom Partners Action Fund is a Koch Brothers organization. Given that huge sum of money from those groups, it's pretty obvious who he'll be answering to if he gets elected.

[BlueStater]

23. Why is working with the President supposedly a bad thing?

That's what people voted for in 2012! My fucking God. What they didn't vote for was their elected officials to act like a bunch of whiny children who obstruct every goddamn thing Obama does. And people want to put these asswipes back in power? The lack of logic there is just ridiculous.

[Blue_In_AK]

40. I always want the moderators to say something like

"And who would YOU vote with 97% of the time, Mr. Conservative?" In fact, the moderator of our public TV debate the other night did ask that question, and every single person that Sullivan came up with in his response was a Republican. Then at the end he threw in, "and I'd work with Democrats, too." Yeah, right. LOL.

[calimary]

91. "and I'd work with Democrats, too." Oh yeah, THAT'S rich.

Yeah, like I'll believe that. This elan carr CON is claiming the same thing here in Henry Waxman's district. Yeah, SUUUUUUUUUURE he'll work with Democrats. He's a CON. He'd go lockstep straight to the GOP and bend over and genuflect and then turn around and screw me as one of many constituents he would ignore. Yeah SUUUUUUUUUUUUURE he'll reach across the aisle. And I'll be Queen of Siberia.

[Blue_In_AK]

92. Yes, that was roughly my reaction.

[csziggy]

7. I had a pollster call with very leading questions to that effect

Asking if it would change my opinion of Gwen Graham (running to oust Steve Southerland, FL-Tea Party) to hear that she accepted a $10,000 donation from Nancy Pelosi. My response was, well it made me think WORSE of Steve Southerland to learn he had accepted more than $100,000 from the Koch Brothers' fake grassroots groups.

Another question, asked in breathless, shocked tones, was if I knew that Gwen Graham had campaigned for Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi AND Howard Dean! "So what," I said. "So did I! I'll be even happier to vote for Gwen knowing that we worked for the same goals." After that the pollster stopped trying to be dramatic and just droned out the questions.

Right after that Southerland's ads started using the same talking points. Asshat! I hope we can kick him out and get some sanity in, even if Graham is not as liberal as I'd like. If she is as good as her father, she will be brilliant - her father is Bob Graham, former Florida Senator and Governor.

[IronLionZion]

37. It seems like every Dem was the deciding vote on obamacare

and the Dem party was all united with the socialist president on everything.

[corkhead]

5. I agree with you. We are quietly winning the ground game. Why would you go out of your way to brag

about how well the gotv is quietly being orchestrated because you are only showing your hand to your opponent.

I was sent an email yesterday asking me to "pledge to vote Tuesday", which I thought was brilliant because I could tell them not to waste resources on me for a GOTV initiative so they can use that time and effort on someone else.

[vadermike]

8. GOtV

GOtV may save us some seats but probably not AR KY . It may save us in AK LA GA IA CO .. I think we hold NC NH. MT WV SD are done. KS will go to Orman

[kiri]

41. A vote for Mitch is a vote for Ebola.

A group has printed up T-shirts for the Senate election in Kentucky.

1. Vote for good Health
Vote for Grimes

2. Vote against Ebola
Vote for Grimes

3. Vote for Ebola
Vote for McConnell
(superimposed on a really ugly picture of McConnell's face covered with boils)

People wearing these T-shirts will be standing near voting places in red districts.

[caber09]

9. Tues will be a letdown...

I hope you are right and I am wrong, I think the GOTV will not be as great as we are hearing in the end, and how sure are we that these newly registered, or non-midterm voting Dems are going to the polls and actually pulling the D lever so to speak...especially in the South, where a lot of Ds have not changed their registration and vote straight R no matter what.........I admire your theory and confidence, I just don't see it happening, we have heard about GOTV efforts and enthusiasm etc in the past, only to be left pissed off come Tues night and disappointed. For some reason I was very confident like you in 2012, and knew all the close polls were BS, I don't have the same feeling this time around though

[RBInMaine]

11. CAN YOU PLEASE TAKE YOUR DEBBIE DOWNERISM SOMEWHERE ELSE !! ENOUGH DAMN IT !!

Yours is the very attitude that is WRONG. People are working very hard. How about some positiveness. Please, consider taking an upper. We just are not interested in stinking rotten Debby Downerism.

[caber09]

22. Des Moines Register has Ernst up 7 points....

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/iowa-poll/2014/11/01/iowa-poll-joni-ernst-leads-bruce-braley/18345157/

Even Daily Kos calls her pretty reliable, with a pretty good track record....with the amount Braley is ahead supposedly in early voting (15%+)...if that is real, its almost impossible for Ernst to comeback and win....if Ernst wins this seat that means a lot of Ds voted early...for her....it seems before every election we hear about GOTV and left shaking our heads come election night, again I hope I am wrong and you are right...I see the handwork, I see the early voting numbers...if these numbers are true we will have a better night than expected, we need to hold CO NH NC, and hopefully AK & LA.....I do think Nunn can win in GA though...Grimes is a pretty good candidate, if she beats McConnell that would be a dream come true....when I see all these places in trouble, along with a better map for 2016 for us....I get angry....Rockefeller in WVA, Harkin in IA....Rockefeller prob holds on in a slightly closer election than usual, and Harkin wins another landslide...if only they went for 1 more term, the map would look a little easier and we could've been more on offense.

[emulatorloo]

89. That poll is an outlier. Other polls show very close race

[noiretextatique]

90. i haven't seen anything remotely positive about Ernst on Daily Kos

and certainly nothing about her being reliable or having a good track record.

Daily Kos Elections Morning Digest: Joni Ernst takes her ...
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/08/15/1321731/-Daily-Kos-Elections-Morning-Digest-Joni-Ernst-takes-her-black-helicopter-out-for-a-spin
This is the kind of thing that people who think "The Report from Iron Mountain" is an actual government report would say. Ernst probably believes the NAFTA ...
Joni Ernst, cynical tea party conspiracy theorist
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/09/25/1332307/-Joni-Ernst-cynical-tea-party-conspiracy-theorist
Oh, Iowa. You already have Steve King. Why would you want to inflict this on the entire state? [Republican Senate candidate Joni] Ernst has alleged that ...
Joni Ernst showed vindictive side in ouster of veterans from ...
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/10/14/1336480/-Joni-Ernst-showed-vindictive-side-in-ouster-of-veterans-from-county-board
Joni Ernst has been running for Iowa Senate as the kind of Republican woman who's tough enough to castrate hogs and serve in the National Guard, but also a ...
Joni Ernst is giving out hugs to DC media, but still won't ...
http://omnifeed.com/article/www.dailykos.com/story/2014/10/27/1339474/-Joni-Ernst-is-giving-out-hugs-to-DC-media-but-still-won-t-talk-to-Iowa-press
Joni Ernst may not be talking to the Iowa press, but she's apparently letting style reporters from the Washington Post ride along in her RV as she travels ...
Daily Kos: Joni Ernst
http://www.dailykos.com/news/Joni%20Ernst
When I first saw Joni Ernst’s ad about her growing up castrating hogs on an Iowa farm, I simply saw it as a clever way to make a point about fighting ...
Joni Ernst insists that Iowa workers don't need a living wage
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/09/29/1333085/-Joni-Ernst-insists-that-Iowa-workers-don-t-need-a-living-wage
Iowa Republican Joni Ernst tried to make it sound like something other than what it is, but at a debate in her campaign for Senate, she repeated her ...
POLITICAL ZANIES: Joni Ernst of Iowa - Daily Kos
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/10/04/1334301/-POLITICAL-ZANIES-Joni-Ernst-of-Iowa
As Joan McCarter of the Daily Kos reports, Iowa Senate candidate Joni Ernst is the latest entrant in the Tea Party's shoot-from-the-lip style of Zany ...
Joni Ernst: Gov't might 'move people off agricultural land ...
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/08/15/1321706/-Joni-Ernst-Gov-t-might-move-people-off-agricultural-land-and-consolidate-them-into-city-centers
Joni Ernst might get moved off this beautiful agricultural land and consolidated into a city center!
Joni Ernst wants to inflict pain on needy people
http://m.dailykos.com/story/2014/10/17/1337100/-Joni-Ernst-wants-to-inflict-pain-on-nbsp-needy-nbsp-people?detail=email
Iowa Republican and U.S. Senate candidate Joni Ernst has been very clear about her opposition to raising the minimum wage, and now audio has surfaced from a 2013 ...
Daily Kos at Daily Kos
http://blogspot.davidwalters.dailykos.com/
Reposted from Daily Kos Elections by Jed Lewison. ... Senate candidate Joni Ernst of Iowa says she has not seen "proven proof." ...

[Laelth]

64. Personally, I am interested in facts and in the truth.

If those facts and truths are depressing, so be it. I'd rather see the world for what it is.

But, that's just me.

-Laelth

[A Simple Game]

78. Wow, it's just a post on DU why do you let it get to you? Or, WHY DO YOU LET IT GET TO YOU? n/t

[Hekate]

15. Good ole Eeyore, munching on thistles again. Take a break. nt

[mahina]

33. We've ALSO heard while working about GOTV efforts, only to be blown away by the turnout

and had sore feet from dancing with joy.

Recently.

And it's looking that way this time too.

From where I'm sitting.

But I'm up for a fight if it's needed, for sure, and definitely not giving up.

[catbyte]

68. Absentee voting is up 9% over 2010 in Detroit. That has Rick The Dictator Snyder's people

VERY nervous. I am cautiously optimistic.

[Bluenorthwest]

10. I agree.

nt

[RBInMaine]

12. This is NOT 2010. These are CLOSE races. We can hold our own with good TURNOUT !

[elzenmahn]

80. That's exactly what it takes...

...when Dems turn out, Dems Win.

If anybody out there is reading this and tempted to sit this one out, consider this: sitting on the couch is the same thing as a vote for a Republican - that's exactly what they want. Look at the recent images of Governor Chrispy Creme Christy berating the guy a few days ago (as he's prone to do) about holding back the hurricane funding. Or for that matter, all of the ridiculous ads coming out that insult the intelligence of the voters - remember those stupid "Yes To The Dress" ads, or better yet, those "I've got tats and I'm a Republican" commercials? How about the images of Rick Scott, Sarah Palin, Mitch McConnell (we have a real chance of knocking this guy out of the Senate - GOTV!) and the countless other corporate puppets that don't give one damn about you?

Getting tired of having your intelligence insulted by a political party that thinks we have none? Tired of bullying, and of the complete lack of regard for we the people?

Here's our chance. GOTV, and get to the polls yourself. And tell the prognosticators where they can take their predictions.

[gollygee]

13. I have never seen a GOTV effort like this year

I have had so many people at my door, flyers, emails, phone calls, it's crazy. I usually get one person, maybe two, stopping by the house, but this year I've had more like 8 to 10.

[progressoid]

14. I am cautiously optimistic.

Clearly we are going to lose a few, but I believe it will be better for us than the talking douches on TV think.

[femmocrat]

16. I do too.

I don't trust the polls.

It is encouraging that you think Grimes will win!

[LibinMo]

17. From your mouth to God's ear...

I plan to vote, even in my red district. I too am hoping Dems will do well.

[Hekate]

18. Thanks, Kentuck. So much nicer to read a positive post than the usual doomsayers. nt

[UTUSN]

19. R#14 & K n/t

[BlueStater]

20. I'd really like to believe that.

Unfortunately, there definitely seems to be an anti-Democratic mood across the country. Even the comment sections on CNN.com are now full of right-wing, Obama-hating douchebags.

[caber09]

24. Agreed, not good....

I cannot fathom how the electorate is going to hand the keys back to the same people (actually worse in many cases!) who drove us into the ditch....the media and public seem to have short memories and forgive Rs/take out frustration on D's alot faster.

[Le Taz Hot]

61. This is a discussion board

and, speaking as someone who has been here since 2001, you are entitled, in fact, ENCOURAGED to have your own opinion and state it. Your post count has nothing to do with the validity of your opinion. Please, by all means, speak up, that's what this board is all about.

[demwing]

50. The Comments on CNN are ALWAYS like that

nothing new, and you know that

[Jackpine Radical]

87. Mood, or troll infestation?

[blackspade]

25. I can only hope that my vote makes this true.

I'll consider it good fortune for the nation if McConnell goes down in flames.

[RichGirl]

26. I never watch FOX news...are they claiming that GOP will win big?

I hope so. In general people don't like to vote, standing in line, etc. If they think they are winning that's a good excuse to stay home. I think the reason Romney lost bigtime is partly because of Rove and Dick Morris constantly insisting he'd win by a landslide.

[RBInMaine]

28. As Bill Maher said, pretty said they'll stand for hours at Walmart on Black Friday but not to vote.

[lexington filly]

27. I so hope you're right!

[BKH70041]

29. What is "better than expected" mean to you?

They're expected to lose the Senate. Does better mean not lose it? Does it mean lose but not as bad as is being predicted? Just wondering.

[mahina]

34. Yep.

Like win it.

[yourout]

30. Wish I had any hope.....preparing for more quality Governing by Walker.

The big election for Wisconsin will be 2018.

Best chance to undo the Gerrymandering is to win the Govenorship before the 2020 census.
Then we can take back the State Senate and House.

[still_one]

31. The Republicans are slowly becoming obsolete. Even if they "win" the midterms they are going to

lose the battle.

[C Moon]

83. Best comment here, IMO

[sobenji]

39. Big election there should be 2020

They will deal with the 2020 census redistricing.

[yourout]

45. We have to have the Govenors chair by then which means 2018. We are not getting the house back...

until the gerrymandering is fixed.
And the only way to at least get a fair shot is to have veto power and the Gov.

[kentuck]

46. I rather agree...

Democrats need to look to the future and plan ahead before the census year of 2020.

[yourout]

47. The long game is something the Republicans do very well and the Dems are not very good at.

The Republicans stacked the courts before they unleashed the worst of their plans and have a "take no prisoners" approach to politics that we have yet to figure out how to counter.

[kentuck]

48. Unfortunately...

You are probably right.

[sobenji]

93. Got it

Wasn't thinking it through. My bad.

[Jackpine Radical]

88. Don't write her off so quickly,

especially on the basis of that Marquette poll, which was pretty badly Bradleyized (as in Bradley Foundation).

[mahina]

32. Been feeling that way myself for a while too.

[indivisibleman]

35. I feel the same way.

The energy seems to be flowing in Democratic direction while as you say, there is a sense of desperation in the Repub comments and ads. I'm prepared for the worse but very optimistic that we will have a lot to celebrate over in a few days.

[Thespian2]

42. May be odd,

but many of us believe your theory, counting on GOTV. If they do the work, Dems win.

[eggplant]

43. Me too.

I've been intentionally avoiding following any polling for the past week, and choosing to have faith in humanity. Even if I'm wrong, at least I got a week's worth of happiness out of it.

Oh, and as a fuck you to Gov. Cuomo, I'm writing in Teachout/Wu on my damned ballot. It's the principle of the thing.

[kentuck]

53. eggplant, you're too cool...

[Enthusiast]

57. I think so too.

[kentuck]

44. Sometimes I think it can be advantageous to be positive.

Unless it morphs into over-confidence, I think it better to hope for the best. If it doesn't happen, I don't think you have hurt your cause. Let's work on getting out the vote and remain positive.

[jimlup]

49. Sorry to spoil the party

but I suspect that the polling numbers are correct. My last hope is for a strong shift in the last couple of days as people really access their interests. Especially for the Senate.

But I fear that it will be a pretty fucking horrible couple of years. . . not that I'm giving up. Just facing the reality

[Samantha]

52. If Republicans are doing as well as they say

why are their candidates not running away with the elections in normally very red states?

Sam

[Not a Fan]

54. Vote

Everyone vote. No excuses.

[eridani]

55. I hope so--lots of us have been busting ass on GOTV

I've been reluctant to make calls to other states--concernec that the locals might think thqt outsiders are interfering.

[Douglas Carpenter]

56. inshalla -- I can't get over how even with a party filled with professional nutcases - they keep

winning - I suppose they come off with a lot more moral certainty than the always compromising weak willed Democrats - at least they stand for something even if it is the wrong something

[Bluenorthwest]

60. They stand for something? But Democrats don't? Democrats stand for reproductive choice and for

equal rights for all including LGBT people, Democrats stand for a living wage and organized labor. Republicans just oppose all of that, they stand for nothing.
Moral certainty? That's what you see in Republicans? What does that even mean?

[madville]

58. The margin of error can go either way

Let's hope it's the way that's to our advantage of course.

[Laelth]

62. I certainly hope that you are right, but I am not so optimistic.

Too many Republican Secretaries of State control the voting machines.

-Laelth

[tiredtoo]

63. Most main stream media reports

I see call for a Republican victory next Tuesday. How much of this is factual and how much is just more corporate controlled propaganda? We don't know, personally, I am optimistic.
We do have what appears to be an excellent ground game going on.
Have to leave it at that as i am preparing to go work the phones for our Democratic candidates here in Michigan.
And for those who are sick of all those phone calls, we the callers, are sick of making them also.
But feel the sacrifice and pain are worth the effort to get the results we want.
Carry on my friends, carry on!

[MerryBlooms]

65. Pretty sure our guy Brad Schneider will win and also Duckworth here in IL.

I think Quinn will take the gov's race because Rauner has a libertarian that will skim off some of his votes- but I think it will be a very close call.

[mstinamotorcity2]

66. You may be right on a lot of levels.

Usually when you see them pulling out all the stops, it means Repugs are in trouble. In my state I think Gov. Snyder is in trouble. I have my problem with these republican Secretary of State Officials who are trying to shave the points. They work for their Governors. We as members of the Democratic Party must put more bodies at the polls than they can discount. It is what happened in 2008 and 2012. I am hoping that the Repugs have underestimated their own. There are those who vote against their own best interest, that is until you fuck with something they love. You can't keep railing against everything and not step on a few toes. I work with republicans. They are pissed at some things that their buddies have done. They may have just disenfranchised enough of their own to tilt the scale. The one way Repugs show their anger is to stay home or do the ultimate deed and vote democratic. If Governor Snyder loses it will be his own that sinks him. You cannot attack Women's Health (rape insurance), Unions ( Right -to-Work), Working families (reduced earned income credit from 65% to 35%), Teachers ( cut education budget), Emergency financial Managers ( governing 80% of the States minority communities), College Students ( cut Snap benefits for college kids, 186 dollars a month, effected 30,000 students who already were eating Ramen noodles the last week of the month). You cannot do all these things and think you are not hurting Republicans.

[rosesaylavee]

67. Correct me if I am wrong but

are pollsters still using landline phones to survey? If so, they are losing a huge swath of voters who only use cell phones.

[silvershadow]

69. Haven't you seen the news outlets? Why, it's virtual blowout-

the Republicans are already measuring the drapes in their would-be offices as we speak. (I agree with you, btw)

[Arugula Latte]

70. A guy came to our door yesterday

and asked about our son voting. I said, "Wellll, he isn't 18 yet, but my husband and I have voted."

These kinds of efforts impress me.

[mnhtnbb]

73. We had two visits from Dem precinct workers this election

and one of them was here yesterday asking about our son. He's
at grad school--out of state--and submitted an absentee ballot.
I checked on it yesterday--his ballot was received on Oct. 30 and
will be counted for KAY HAGAN!

[Octafish]

71. Absolutely.

GOP's busy planting gloom and doom in order to depress turnout.

People aren't stupid -- they know who's screwing them on behalf of Wall Street...uh, wait a sec....

[Quixote1818]

72. I have to go with Nate Silver so I am not too optimistic. Just hope most of the close races

go to Dems.

[loudsue]

74. Gawd, Kentuck....I wish you were right.

I lack your optimism at this point. I think the republicans are going to pull some more computer-based shennanigans. The powers that be have paid too much money to buy the 2014 elections to leave it all to chance.

[gopiscrap]

76. God, I sure hope so!!!!

[zentrum]

79. I can't believe...

That on the eve of climate catastrophe, and with Obamacare starting to really kick in and the economy certainly better than it was under Bush---that the country is about to turn harder right and bring back the conditions that damaged us so badly six years ago.

Have already voted and am doing what I can to get others to the polls.

But how can people vote for candidates who will take away their health care and social security? That's rhetorical, but it's hard not to despair at what I think will happen on Tuesday.

The final irony will be that I think it is the Republicans who will finally do something for immigration reform---and thereby cadge away the Democrat's natural constituency for the future. Why in God's name did Obama say he would wait on the Dreamers until after the election? Hard to turn out the vote for a Democratic party that is no longer able to fight for anything.

Rove taught them to always energize their base. But the Dems always suppress theirs. I go bald from tearing my hair out.

[libtodeath]

81. There are going to be alot of insane repukes

when they find out what voters really think.

[Iliyah]

82. Turnout can look like 2012

and "if" that happens, GOP and corporate media heads are gonna explored - LOL

[Stuart G]

84. I sure hope you are correct...no text..

[JEB]

85. Hope. eom

[davsand]

86. I agree, Kentuck. I think a lot of the polling may be flawed.

Something that has quietly been niggling in my reptile brain for a while now is that people have done away with landline phone service in increasing numbers. The people who still maintain landline phone service tend to be older and (typically) more conservative in social issues and in information sources. MOST polling is done via phone calls, therefore, it is possible that the polls now are less accurate than they were even 15 years ago. I'm not a statistical magician, but I will say that in my experience with campaigns, I have yet to see a poll that can avoid over sampling of one population or another, and I have never seen compensating adjustments to polls that were dead on.

MOST of the polling that anybody is talking about is fairly close to (if not admitted to be within) the stated margin of error. The same guys that calculated that adjustment for over sampling are the ones that calculate that MOE, and that makes me cringe if it is my campaigns' polling or the other guys'. I really feel that the races are much closer than anybody is realizing.

I am WAY more worried about this bullshit fund raising "We are SO screwed" tactic that the Dems have been using. I am worried that has done a lot to decrease turnout "Why Bother?" has come up more than once when I've talked to some of the usual Dem voters, and THAT needs to be laid at the DCCC and the DNC's feet. (In fact they need to be slapped upside the head for that...)

If everybody works their turf and turns out our voters, I think Dems will hold the Senate. If everybody sits in their hands and wails we are screwed.


Laura