Social Media May Predict Candidates’ Wins
CQ reports: “Republican candidates for the Senate in the November midterm elections have on average four times as many Facebook fans and five times as many Twitter followers as their Democratic opponents, according to a recent analysis. HeadCount, a nonpartisan organization that works with musicians to promote voter registration and turnout, tallied fans of each social media profile tied to the candidates’ campaigns. ‘The difference was as dramatic as we ever could have imagined,’ said Andy Bernstein, the group’s executive director.”
Obama’s Day Ahead
President Obama will meet at 11:05 a.m. ET with a local family in Des Moines, Iowa, and hold a discussion on the economy at 11:15 a.m. ET. He will depart from Des Moines at 12:45 p.m. ET, arriving at 2:45 p.m. ET in Richmond, Virginia. He will meet with a local family in Richmond at 3:20 p.m. ET, and hold a discussion on the economy at 3:35 p.m. ET. He will depart from Richmond at 5:05 p.m. ET, arriving at Andrews Air Force Base at 5:40 p.m. ET, and at the White House at 5:55 p.m. ET.
Biden’s Day Ahead
Vice President Biden will meet at 9:30 a.m. ET with Carl Levin (D-MI). He will meet in the afternoon with senior advisers.
Hoyer Creates Space From Pelosi
Politico reports: “Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer have always been very different kinds of leaders – but with a high-stakes midterm cycle coming to an uncertain close for Democrats, the distance between the two has become magnified. For while Hoyer remains the picture of a loyal second-in-command, he’s also made clear that his political style and, to a lesser extent, substance, is markedly different from Pelosi’s. And that sets up Hoyer as a clear alternative to Pelosi should she leave leadership voluntarily, or by political force, after November’s mid-term election.”
Early Voting Has Campaigns Scrambling To Gain Support
The Hill reports: “The outcome of the midterm election could be decided before Nov. 2. Several states allow early voting, and campaigns are pushing voters to take advantage of that so they can bank votes ahead of Election Day. As of Tuesday, early voting was open in 26 states, including the battlegrounds of Ohio, Kentucky, Florida, Missouri and West Virginia.”
Likely Losses of House Seats In Midwest Stir Partisan Feuds
The New York Times reports: “Whatever the outcome of the fall elections, one political loser this year seems certain: the Midwest. State population tallies, to be revealed at the end of December, are expected to show that in the coming reapportionment of Congress, seats will be lost across this region — in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio and perhaps, experts say, Minnesota or Missouri.”
Earmark Battle Awaits Senators
Roll Call reports: “Senate Republicans are headed for a showdown over earmark reform in the lame-duck session, with Senators on both sides of the issue preparing for combat on the floor and within the GOP Conference. Sen. James Inhofe said last week that he plans to stand up for earmarks and take on anti-earmark crusaders in his own party when Congress returns after the November elections. ‘I’m trying not to hurt any of my fellow conservatives, but after the election, [I’ll be] spending whatever time necessary on the floor to end this whole thing about earmarks,’ the Oklahoma Republican said.”
