Early Evening Good News For Republicans PDF Print E-mail
Written by Pat Shortridge   
Wednesday, 06 February 2008 07:20
According to the early calls, there is good news for Republicans: There will be no clear winner tonight on the Democrat side.  Based on his large crowds and the, as usual, erroneous exit polls, many folks have been speculating about a big night for Barack Obama.  Some were even speculating that he might win in places like Hillary’s back yard in New Jersey.  No such luck, as the networks have called NJ and MA for Mrs. Clinton.

As I’ve written many times before, the best hope for Republicans is a long, divisive, and expensive Democrat primary.  It doesn’t look like either Democrat is going to claim a decisive win tonight, but if one candidate does, it appears as likely as not that it will be Mrs. Clinton. 

Additionally, it’s clear that Republicans are much better off running against Clinton than Obama.  Look at these numbers and ask yourself, “what rational down-ballot Democrat candidate wants to run with someone with these huge negatives heading their ticket?”  These are national numbers.  Imagine what they look like in the swing states where the key Congressional and statewide contests will be run.

“I could run with Obama who turns out 15,000 people in Boise, or I could run with this anchor attached.”

Hmmm.  Doesn’t seem too complicated to me.

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-New York)
USA Today/Gallup Poll. Jan. 30-Feb. 2, 2008. N=2,020 adults nationwide. MoE ± 2.      

“Next, we’d like to get your overall opinion of some people in the news. As I read each name, please say if you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of these people — or if you have never heard of them. How about Hillary Clinton?”

For chart, See Cross-post at TvM...