GOP shutdown disaster could give Dems a big lift

[ProSense]

GOP shutdown disaster could give Dems a big lift

By Greg Sargent

With the news breaking that John Boehner will allow a House vote on a Senate deal to end the crisis, meaning Republicans surrendered with nothing to show for weeks of crisis brinkmanship, how does that impact GOP fortunes heading into 2014?

Though the shutdown mess has given Dems a sizable lead in the generic House ballot matchup, that will almost certainly fade. But it could have a lasting impact if it enables Dems to recruit good candidates right now, which could matter to the outcome...DCCC chair Steve Israel told me a number of new recruits would be announced in coming days, thanks to GOP damage sustained in the crisis.

“Conservatively, you will see another three — it could be as many as five,” Israel told me. “In a number of districts we had top-tier, all-star potential candidates who several months ago didn’t see a path to victory. They reopened the doors. These are competitive districts. They tend to be moderate and have large concentrations of independent voters. Those voters are now seeing the Tea Party implement their agenda.”

Three to five new top recruits would not be insignificant, since Dems need to flip 17 seats to take back the House, but Dave Wasserman, who tracks House races for the non-partisan Cook Political Report, estimates that Dems are well short of the number of recruits they need. He says that given how few seats are truly competitive, Dems need between 35 and 40 high-quality recruits to have any shot at putting the House in play, and estimates that they only have two dozen serious recruits at present.

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2013/10/16/gop-shutdown-disaster-could-give-dems-a-big-lift/

Democratic Opponent Lundergan Grimes Out-Fundraises McConnell
Kentucky Democratic candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes reported on Tuesday that she had raised more money in the third quarter than her opponent, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

Lundergan Grimes reported raising a total of $2.5 million from July to the end of September while McConnell raised $2.3 million. McConnell's campaign manager, Jesse Benton, said that fundraising quarter was his best so far, according to the Associated Press. Grimes's campaign said 13,328 unique contributors donated to her campaign.

But McConnell still has far more cash on hand. The top Senate Republican has $10 million cash on hand while Grimes has roughly $2 million.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/lundergan-grimes-outraises-mcconnell-in-third-fundraising-quarter

Tea Party Nation Withdraws Mitch McConnell Endorsement
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023815784

Republican support in 'jaw-dropping' free fall
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023827531

Tea party ringleader admits the GOP shut down the government for nothing
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023861541

My Offer is This: Nothing
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023862286

[gopiscrap]

1. That's what I was thinking

[DonCoquixote]

2. I would nto say a big lift, but

If nothing else, the next time someone says stuff about how there is no difference between Democrats and GOP, we have something rather big and smelly to point at.

[daleanime]

3. It had better.

[0rganism]

4. let's hope so - we at least need to hold the senate

and that was looking dicey 3 months ago

[Wounded Bear]

5. It's a long time until elections...

This helps for now, but somehow we have to get the rather amnesiac American public to remember the who, what, and why of this crisis for another 13 months.

It's why the Repubs allowed it now, instead of later. They're counting on the public's ability to forget.