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• The Cook Report Issues Final Forecast: GOP Gains 50 to 60 Seats in the House
  The Cook Political Report's pre-election House outlook is a Democratic net loss of 50 to 60 seats, with higher losses possible. A turnover of just 39 seats would tip majority status into Republican hands. The midterm maelstrom pulling House Democrats under shows no signs of abating, if anything it has intensified. Whereas fewer than a third of Democratic Senate seats are up for election, House Democrats are suffering the full violence of this national undertow. Over a quarter of the entire 255-member House Democratic caucus have trailed GOP opponents in at least one public or private survey, and nearly half have tested under 50 percent of the vote in at least one poll.
  The Cook Political Report is adjusting its current outlook to reflect a net gain for Republicans of 6 to 8 seats, down from 7 to 9 seats. While it is becoming increasingly likely that Republicans will hold all 18 of its own seats.
  ++++++
  GOP will take the Senate in 2012.
  (tags: GOP democrats)
• Will GOP Enthusiasm Increase Our Gains Tomorrow?
  Something must be going on if at a Republican headquarters in one of the “bluest” regions of one of the “bluest” states, they run out of workable phones on the eve of the Election. Meanwhile, the most memorable line at a recent rally for Democratic candidates not far from super-liberal West Hollywood was “We’re not exhausted.“

  At the same rally, a stalwart Democrat said that if the president weren’t there, she doesn’t know if she “would have braved the crowds.” Doesn’t sound like there’s much enthusiasm for their ticket. Republican volunteers across the state have been making calls while Democrats have been relying on paid union phone banks.

  This enthusiasm gap could well make the difference in a state where, while Democrats remain ahead, all serious polls show late-deciders breaking toward the GOP. And it’s not just the Golden State where Republicans are more enthusiastic.
  ++++++
  Yes and I have seen NO enthusiasm from the other side. They will stay home and enjoy the sun

  (tags: GOP)
• The Future of Social Media and Politics
  Politicians are brands. Like their counterparts in the private sector, we’ve seen some pretty interesting things when it comes to using social media on the campaign trail.

  Representative democracy seems the perfect place for social media — a direct communications channel between the governed and the government. But are we headed toward a more interconnected body politic, or a new sea of unmanageable political noise?

  With the U.S. midterm elections in their final throes, we spoke to some key players for their views on what the rise of mainstream social media has in store for the next generation of political campaigns.
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  And, boy, did the Right's adoption of Twitter and Facebook change the political landscape – forever.

  (tags: social_media politics)
• Michael Steele And Rudy Giuliani Jump To Sarah Palin's Defense Following Politico Piece
  Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, meanwhile, made the point that Palin's anti-establishment credibility is only helped when Republican operatives air their concerns anonymously to the consummate insider publication.

  "I worked for Ronald Reagan, you know the 11th Commandment was don't criticize another Republican," he said during an appearance on "Fox and Friends" on Monday. "Let's not start this presidential race before this election is over and let's not go through the negativity we went through in the last one where Republicans attacked the heck out of each other. We have got a bigger mission here. Sarah Palin has every right to make her case to the Republican Party. How about we let the Republicans decide — not the so-called leaders — whether she is qualified or not?"
  +++++++
  Coming from Mitt Romney and Jeb Bush = Politico oiece

  (tags: sarah_palin michael_steele rudy_giuliani)

Sounds like Mitt Romney’s political operatives to me.

Top Republicans in Washington and in the national GOP establishment say the 2010 campaign highlighted an urgent task that they will begin in earnest as soon as the elections are over: Stop Sarah Palin.

Interviews with advisers to the main 2012 presidential contenders and with other veteran Republican operatives make clear they see themselves on a common, if uncoordinated, mission of halting the momentum and credibility Palin gained with conservative activists by plunging so aggressively into this year’s midterm campaigns.

Former New York Mayor and GOP Presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani has the best advice for the GOP.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, meanwhile, made the point that Palin’s anti-establishment credibility is only helped when Republican operatives air their concerns anonymously to the consummate insider publication.

“I worked for Ronald Reagan, you know the 11th Commandment was don’t criticize another Republican,” he said during an appearance on “Fox and Friends” on Monday. “Let’s not start this presidential race before this election is over and let’s not go through the negativity we went through in the last one where Republicans attacked the heck out of each other. We have got a bigger mission here. Sarah Palin has every right to make her case to the Republican Party. How about we let the Republicans decide — not the so-called leaders — whether she is qualified or not?”

“I think they are missing the whole point of what is going on in our electorate right now because that is the worst possible way to take that kind of a lesson out of this election,” Giuliani added. “I think this time we have to have a Republican National Committee that disciplines Republicans who attack other Republicans. I see it starting already and it really disturbs me.”

And, I agree. Let the Republican primary elections take care of themselves.

Republican political operatives should obey Reagan’s 11th commandment and come out of the shadows, if they have the intestinal fortitude.

I would say yes. 

In fact, Real Clear Politics has moved the California Senate race to toss-up over the weekend from leans Democrat.

Let’s look at the last few polls with Senator Barbara Boxer’s supposed insurmountable lead disappearing into the margin of error. Remember in the latest PPP poll which is a Democrat sponsored poll, Boxer was ahead by 9 points just one week ago.

The California polls are skewing the number of Democrats Vs. Republicans Vs. Decline to State voters. They really have NO idea who will turn out and actually vote in such a large state.

I think Carly Fiorina, despite the scathing negative TV ads, will ultimately win this race by 3 points. Boxer has done a poor job for California, the economy here sucks and voters will punish her by sending her to retirement.