Republicans And Democrats Conceding Maine Senate Race To Angus King?
At least on the national level, Republicans and Democrats both seem to have given up on the race to replace Maine Senator Olympia Snowe:
Senate Republicans have given up on forcing a close race in Maine for former Independent Gov.Angus King, backing off a bid launched in late summer as declining GOP hopes in other races undid hopes Republicans would take over the Senate.
With King apparently cruising to victory, both Senate campaign committees are pulling out of the race, according to sources in both parties.
After spending nearly $2 million in September on ads attacking King, the National Republican Senatorial Committee has not advertised in Maine since October 16, as Politico reported Thursday. GOP aides said polling showing King holding a sizable lead over Republican Secretary of State Charlie Summers drove the NRSC decision to cut its losses.
“Republicans increasingly don’t see this race going in the right direction,” said a GOP campaign strategist who noted the NRSC push in Maine caused the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee to spend in the race on ads hitting Summers.
Internal Democratic polling gives King a nearly 20 point lead and support from more than 50 percent of likely voters, sources said. Republicans dispute those numbers but acknowledge a substantial gap.
The ads being run by national Democrats were exclusively directed at Summers, an obvious sign that the party did not want to alienate King whom everyone seems to anticipate would caucus with the Democratic Party were he to in. Right now, King holds a seemingly insurmountable 15.3 point lead in the RealClearPolitics Poll Average and garnered 50% of the vote in a three way race in the most recent poll, so his victory seems assured.
One wonders what those Republicans who alienated Olympia Snowe are thinking now.
“One wonders what those Republicans who alienated Olympia Snowe are thinking now.”
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WooT LoL
Thank God! at least it’s not someone like their bozo governor, Paul LePage.
How can anyone claim that the Democrats are pulling out when Augus King is obviously a Democrat and will probably get better committee assignments because he is an independent than he would get if he were the Democratic party nominee.
The only question is the 2012 election is whether the Democrats regain control of the House.and whether Nancy Pelosi will return as Speaker of the House.
@superdestroyer:
The Democrats are not going to gain control of the House
@superdestroyer:
I never smoked weed of that quality when I was in college.
@al-Ameda: Everyone and anyone not part of the 27% wingnut faction of the Maine Republican party seems to be doing everything in their power to get the stink of LaPage off of them.
@Doug Mataconis:
If the Democrats can get within three or four seats, the Democrats can always flip s few Repulbicans with promises of power and more influence. I just do not believe that the Republicans have a lock on 200 seats like Realclearpolitics believes. The Republicans hold too many seats by very thin margins.