The latest evidence that the "enthusiasm gap" is waning is found in a report from the Washington Post's Chris Cillizza. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) raised $16 million in September according to DNC sources -- the biggest monthly haul since 2002.
While a ABC/Washington Post poll released today still showed Republicans are more enthusiastic about voting, the slide in Democratic energy appears to have stopped. The poll was unchanged from the previous month -- the first leveling off since July.
The discrepancy may lie in the fact that Democrats are now engaged in motivating their base, their activists. They are preparing for the big push that will start about next week. No surprise that your average Democratic voter is not that energized since we're not electing the big chief.
What we should see is all these mobilized Democratic volunteers going door-to-door, calling voters, holding rallies, staffing tables, waving signs, and doing other campaign stuff to make progressive voters more aware. They will be trying to instill in supporting voters the importance of preventing gridlock in Washington and in advancing a forward-moving agenda.
With all the new cash, expect to see a mass media campaign fairly soon with the same objectives.
CQ Politics is the website of the Congressional Quarterly-Roll Call Group that has conducted professional ratings for House races for the last 50 years.
Presently, despite all the gloom and doom in the media, they still project the Democrats holding on to a House majority but by the slimmest of margins. Here is there forecast as of today:
Democrats: 219
Republicans: 180
Tossups: 36
A total of 218 seats are required for a majority, so as you can see the Democrats cannot afford to let up before the November polls.
You can see the CQ Politics interactive map at this URL:
Two counties in Pennsylvania have switched from Republican to Democratic majorities after record voter registration drives. Here's an excerpt from the New York Times story. While it's still too early to believe that this will benefit Barack Obama's campaign more than Hillary Clinton's, we do know that Obama supporters staged a massive voter registration drive in the state.
History is being made in the suburbs of Philadelphia.
The four suburban counties have long been Republican strongholds, with more Republican voters than Democratic ones. The last time there were more Democrats than Republicans seems lost in the mists of time.
But a new day is here. Voter enrollment in both Montgomery and Bucks Counties has flipped from Republican to Democratic.
The registration deadline was March 24, and tens of thousands of new registrations flooded in, from both new voters and party switchers. Elections officials have been counting them since, and posting the changes in drips and drabs.
Today, the new tally in Bucks shows 185,413 enrolled Democrats, compared with 181,941 enrolled Republicans.
In Montgomery County, the new tally shows 245,209 Democrats, compared with 238,208 Republicans.
While both counties have been voting Democratic periodically for more than a decade, the registration figures have not reflected that trend until now.
“We’re pretty excited,” said John Cordisco, chairman of the Bucks County Democratic Party and a candidate for state treasurer. He said that previous registration drives had created momentum for the change but that “disgust” with the Bush administration and excitement over this year’s Democratic presidential primary had accelerated it. He said he thought the last time Bucks was Democratic may have been the 1960s.
The campaigns of Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton undertook intense voter-registration drives in the suburbs, and across the state. Signing up new voters was a particular strategy for Mr. Obama, who has also sought to appeal to independents and Republicans.
Check out scenes from Barack Obama's visit to Montana.
Well, it turns out that Gov. Sebelius did not in fact endorse a candidate today. However, a number of Kansas state legislators including the Senate Minority Leader did announce their support for Barack Obama.
Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley of Topeka led a group of Democratic legislators today in endorsing U.S. Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois for president.
"My endorsement of Senator Barack Obama is a response to the voters whose voices at the grassroots level have spoken loud and clear as to whom they want their state’s legislators to support,” Hensley said.
A group of about 20 House and Senate members threw support to Obama during a news conference at the Statehouse in advance of the Feb. 5 presidential caucus for Kansas Democrats.
Senator David Haley, D-Kansas City, said the nation was ready for the kind of leadership demonstrated by Obama.
“Poll after poll, Kansans have shown they are ready for change," Haley said. "As president, Barack Obama will shift our country into a new gear and make the United States a respected leader on the world stage once again."
Obama, U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York and former U.S. Sen. John Edwards are leading contenders for the party’s nomination.
In Kansas, Democrats will hold presidential caucuses in each Senate district across the state. The operation is part of the national process of nominating a Democrat for president, culminating with the Democratic National Convention during August.
Could one of these include Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, seen by some as a possible VP pick?
In 2004, Sebelius supported John Kerry's candidacy.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) became the third Congresswoman to endorse Barack Obama in the last three days. Barbara Lee of California and Carol Shea-Porter of New Hampshire endorsed the Illinois senator earlier in the week.
The endorsements are giving Obama the appearance of momentum among women and could cut into Hillary Clinton's lead among women voters.
