POTUS hits the trail out West - OR, WA, CA, NV coming up.

[jefferson_dem]

The Campaign Trail
1:01 am October 20, 2010, by Jamie Dupree

President Obama starts a four day, five state campaign swing today, mainly through Blue states, as he tries to help Democrats claw their way back in the 2010 mid-term elections.

The first stop today is Oregon, where Mr. Obama will campaign for Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Kitzhaber, who is locked in a close race with Republican (and former NBA star) Chris Dudley.

Democrats already hold the Oregon Governor's seat, as Gov. Ted Kulongoski is term limited and cannot run for re-election, making it one of the many Governor's races this year where Democrats are trying to keep the GOP from winning an Election Night Victory.

Oregon is also a state that has seen some odd rumblings on the Congressional front, because it's assumed to be fairly safe territory for Democrats in a delegation that has 4 Democrats and one Republican.

Maybe in the most danger is freshman Democratic Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-OR), who received 54.3% of the vote when he won this seat two years ago.

It's usually a rule of thumb that if you received less than 55% of the vote last time, you might be in trouble two years later - especially in a year like 2010. The only caveat for Schrader is that he won by 16 points in 2008.

After a stop in Oregon, the next three states are high on the GOP hit list when it comes to the battle for control of the U.S. Senate, as the President will go to Washington State, California and Nevada.

<SNIP>

http://blogs.ajc.com/jamie-dupree-washington-insider/2010/10/20/the-campaign-trail/

[impik]

1. Whatever "enthusiasm gap" out there, he's closing it by himself

He's busting his butt for the party.

[saltpoint]

2. I hope the First Lady comes along on this trip also.

IMO she could inspire an even bigger blue turnout.

The two of them together are dynamite.