Here are some interesting stories on the midterm campaigns that you may have missed on Thursday, October 30:
• Republican Scott Brown has not hesitated to utilize the politics of fear in his attempt to unseat Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), but even by his standards, this is a bit ridiculous. During an interview with NH1, Brown insisted that the government needs to seal off the border because immigrants are “coming through” carrying “the whooping cough and polio and other types of potential diseases.” For the record, polio has been eradicated in the Western Hemisphere. Brown and Shaheen will meet for their final debate on Thursday night; Shaheen holds a 2 percent lead in the Real Clear Politics poll average.
• Meanwhile, another new poll suggests that New Hampshire’s gubernatorial race could be much closer than previously anticipated. An American Research Group survey released Thursday finds Democratic governor Maggie Hassan barely leading Republican challenger Walt Havenstein, 48 to 46 percent. It comes just days after a New England College poll surprisingly showed the race tied. Every other public poll has found Hassan with a comfortable lead, and she still holds a 6.6 percent edge in the poll average.
• Democratic Senator Kay Hagan is maintaining her narrow lead over Republican Thom Tillis, according to two new polls of North Carolina’s Senate race. Rasmussen Reports finds Hagan ahead 47 to 46 percent, well within the margin of error. But an Elon University poll shows Hagan with a statistically significant 4 percent edge. Hagan is up by just 1.6 percent in the poll average.
• Two new polls of Arkansas’ Senate race find Republican Rep. Tom Cotton pulling away from incumbent Democrat Mark Pryor. Rasmussen Reports has Cotton leading 51 to 44 percent, while The Arkansas Poll shows Cotton with a massive 13 percent edge. Other polls have shown a tighter race, but Cotton is a clear favorite going into Election Day; he leads by 7 percent in the poll average.
• A new Quinnipiac poll of Colorado’s Senate race shows Republican Rep. Cory Gardner opening up a 7-point lead over Democratic senator Mark Udall, marking his biggest advantage of the campaign. But a Public Policy Polling survey conducted for the League of Conservation Voters Victory Fund finds the candidates deadlocked at 48 percent, and many Democrats and pundits still insist that polls are systematically undercounting Udall’s support. Gardner has to be considered the favorite headed intoElection Day, but Udall cannot be counted out yet.
Photo: Roger H. Goun via Flickr
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