| President
Ad Spending: The Obama campaign and its allies will hold a nearly 2 to 1 ad spending advantage this week over the Romney campaign and its supporters, $8.8 million to $4.7 million according to ad spending data from NBC/SMG Delta. For the campaign so far, the Romney side has outspent the Obama side. The two sides are focusing their resources on the same eleven battleground states this week.
National Polls: A new Investor's Business Daily/Christian Science Monitor /TIPP Poll has President Obama leading Mitt Romney by 4 points, 46 to 42 percent with 7 percent undecided. Obama leads among independent voters by 7 points.
North Dakota: In addition to the U.S. House and U.S. Senate, Mason Dixon polled the presidential race in North Dakota. Mitt Romney has a 52 to 39 percent lead over President Obama. Romney leads overwhelmingly in Bismarck and the western half of the state, while the two are about even in Fargo and the eastern part of the state.
Romney: Mitt Romney will begin a five day bus tour through six battleground states. Romney announced plans Monday to visit with families and business owners during his "Every Town Counts" bus tour, which begins Friday morning on the same New Hampshire farm where he formally launched his campaign just over a year ago.
Senate
Hawaii: Former Gov. Linda Lingle has launched her own cable television channel, which will provide information about her Senate campaign and the issues facing Hawaii. It is believed to be the first time a U.S. political candidate has employed their own cable station.
Maine: A preview of tonight's Democratic and Republican primaries for the Senate race in Maine. Six Republican and four Democratic candidates are running for a chance to take on Independent former Gov. Angus King in November, who most observers see as the clear frontrunner in the race to succeed Sen. Olympia Snowe.
New York: Rep. Bob Turner leads named candidates in the race for the Republican nomination against Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand according to a Siena College poll. Turner has the support of 16 percent, followed by Wendy Long at 11 percent and Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos at 3 percent, with 70 percent of Republicans undecided. Gillibrand is the heavy favorite in November, leading Turner by 38 points, Maragos by 42 points and Long by 43 points.
House
AZ-8: According to a new PPP poll, Democrat Ron Barber looks headed to a comfortable victory in Tuesday's special election. Barber leads with 53% to 41% for Republican Jesse Kelly, with Green Party candidate Charlie Manolakis polling at 4%. Barber is well liked by voters in the district, with a 54/38 favorability rating. Kelly, meanwhile, has very high negatives with only 37% of voters rating him positively while 59% have a negative opinion.
FL-18: Rep. Allen West is out with his first television ad of the campaign, a soft, feel good, biographical spot in which he says, "I'm just getting started. That's the American way." West has raised $7.6 million through the first quarter and is sitting on $3.3 million in cash on hand.
NV-4: Three Republicans are facing off for the nomination in this new seat that leans Democratic. Republicans Barbara Cegavske, Dan Schwartz and Danny Tarkanian all argue they can emerge victorious against Nevada Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford in November. Tarkanian has the most name recognition in the 4th District race. Cegavske won endorsements from the state's GOP establishment, including Rep. Joe Heck and Rep. Mark Amodei. Schwartz, an affluent businessman, has run attacks ads that portray Tarkanian as an unscrupulous career candidate.
NY-18: Former President Bill Clinton has endorsed Sean Maloney in the June 26 primary to face Rep. Nan Hayworth. Maloney was an advisor in the Clinton White House from 1997 through 2000. At the time, Maloney was the highest ranking openly gay official to work in a presidential administration.
SC-7: Former Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer is expected to claim one of the runoff spots in tonight's primary. The biggest unknown is who will take the second spot. Horry County Council Chair Tom Rice was thought to have the edge, but former state Parks and Tourism Director Chad Prosser and Florence attorney Jay Jordan are also in the running. For the Democrats, Myrtle Beach attorney Preston Brittain and former Georgia state Rep. Gloria Bromell Tinubu could face off in a June 26 runoff.
TX-23: Former Rep. Ciro Rodriquez received the endorsement of former rival John Bustamante for the Democratic runoff for the 23rd Congressional District. Rodriguez will face state Rep. Pete Gallego in the July 31 runoff to determine who will be the Democratic nominee against Rep. Francisco "Quico" Canseco in November. |
