links for 2010-11-01

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.
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GOP will take the Senate in 2012.

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.
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Yes and I have seen NO enthusiasm from the other side. They will stay home and enjoy the sun

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.

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?"
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Coming from Mitt Romney and Jeb Bush = Politico oiece