Cillizza: Is the Massachusetts Senate race getting closer?

[cali]

For the last several weeks, there have been low-grade rumblings among some Republicans that state Sen. Scott Brown (R) is running surprisingly strongly in the Massachusetts Senate special election and might make the Jan. 19 contest against state Attorney General Martha Coakley (D) far closer than anyone believes.

New numbers out of Rasmussen -- an automated polling firm that Democrats believe heavily favors the GOP -- this morning are sure to stoke that sentiment as it shows Coakley leading Brown by just nine points.

Eric Fehrnstrom, a consultant to Brown's campaign and adviser to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, insisted that while his candidate is still the "underdog", there was enough unrest in the Bay State to make the race interesting. "As in New Jersey, another Democratic base state that just elected a Republican governor, unaffiliated voters in Massachusetts are fed up with overspending and business as usual in Washington," argued Fehrnstrom.

Is there any there there? In other words, is Brown really moving into position to shock the world on Jan. 19 or is he just benefiting from the national wind blowing in Democrats' collective faces?

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http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/senate/is-the-massachusetts-senate-ra.html?wprss=thefixhttp://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/senate/is-the-massachusetts-senate-ra.html?wprss=thefix

[malaise]

1. Rasmussen ?

Pluuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuueeeeeeeez

[cali]

2. yeah, you gotta give Coakley at least another 4 pts considering it's a scotty poll

[Mass]

3. NIne points is close? Only in their dreams.

(and Rasmussen's record in the primary was dismal).\

Now, if she wants to use this to remind people they have to show up and vote, welcome to her. But, at this point, she has done no ads at all and has a lot more money than Brown has (and he is way too conservative on social issues and security for Massachusetts).