California: A new Field poll shows Senator Barbara Boxer in very solid shape for re-election with strong double-digit leads against potential Republican opponents. Senator Boxer tops failed businesswoman and golden parachute recipient Carly Fiorina 49-35 and wingnut Chuck DeVore 50-33. The poll also puts Senator Boxer's favorable-unfavorable ratings at 48-39. Though a March Field poll showed Fiorina leading DeVore in the 2010 Republican Senate primary by 12 points, her lead is down to a statistically insignificant 1 point, 21-20. Good news for Senator Boxer, and bad news for Carlyfornia.
North Carolina: A new Public Policy Polling poll puts vulnerable freshman Republican backbencher Richard "Bank Run" Burr's approve-disapprove at a mediocre 36-35. Independent voters give Burr a net negative 36-39 approve-disapprove. Burr's saving grace is that he currently holds a low double digit lead against top potential Democratic challengers. Burr leads Congressman Bob Etheridge 44-33, Secretary of State Elaine Marshall 44-32, former Lieutenant Governor Dennis Wicker 44-30, attorney Kenneth Lewis 44-30, Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy 45-29, and former State Senator Cal Cunningham 46-27. Meanwhile, word is that former State Senator Cunningham is about to officially enter the 2010 Senate race.
Nevada: A new Mason-Dixon poll shows Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid still lagging against lesser-known Republican challengers. Senator Reid trails former NV-GOP Chair Sue Lowden 39-49 and two-time political loser Danny Tarkanian 43-48. In the 2010 GOP Senate primary, 23% of respondents favored Lowden, 21% favored Tarkanian, 9% favored wingnut former state assemblywoman Sharron Angle, and several other Republicans got 1% or less. In other news (that is sure to hurt her standing among Nevadans), Sue Lowden is being pegged as a supporter of the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste dump. That's like going to Wisconsin and saying you hate Vince Lombardi.
New York: A Queens columnist reminds New Yorkers that Republican former Gov. and possible 2010 Senate candidate George Pataki was a horrible fiscal manager:
Our state became number two nationally among the states, with each resident responsible for $3,515 of the $50 billion dollar total debt. Under "TaxPaki," state debt grew from $27 billion dollars in 1995 to $50 billion dollars in 2006. NYS public authorities debt grew to $72 billion dollars.
The columnist closes with the sentence: "No intelligent voter would elect him Senator." Yowzah. No doubt, this column will be a favorite forward for Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and her campaign.
Kentucky: Remember the embarrassment Lt. Gov. Dan Mongiardo faced when audio of him cursing out his boss, Gov. Steve Beshear, became public? Well, reportedly, there are more tapes, including audio of Mongiardo likening his relationship with Beshear to that of the husband of a "whore." Mongiardo's 2010 Democratic primary opponent, state Attorney General Jack Conway, should just stand back and let Mongiardo's self-flagellation continue unabated.
Utah: Joe the Plumber is getting involved in the 2010 Republican Senate primary, backing businesswoman Cherilyn Eager against incumbent Republican Robert Bennett and fellow Republican primary challenger state Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. Ron Paul disciple James Williams is also running in the crowded Republican primary.
Rankings: We have a three-fer for you. First, WaPo's Cillizza offers his latest Senate Line, on which Delaware shoots right to the top of the charts. Second, Rothenberg posts his latest Senate Ratings, on which he sees Delaware and Nevada becoming increasingly precarious holds for Democrats. Third, and finally, Politico posted what it sees as the most endangered seats in the 2010 Senate landscape.
