Hellllloooooo West Virgina

Rasmussen says it's close, really close in the race to replace the Grand Cyclops (or whatever he was).

West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin and Republican businessman John Raese continue to run a surprisingly close race in the state's special Senate election to replace the late Robert Byrd.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in West Virginia shows Manchin with 50% support and Raese with 45%, when leaners are included. Two percent (2%) prefer some other candidate in the race, and three percent (3%) are undecided.

The West Virginia race now moves from Leans Democratic to a Toss-Up in the Rasmussen Reports Election 2010 Senate Balance of Power rankings. Less than two weeks ago, the first post-primary survey of the race moved it from Solid Democratic to Leans Democratic.

Meanwhile, we are still waiting on word if Lisa "It's my damn seat cause daddy gave it to me" Murkowski is going to run a write-in campaign that can only be viewed as a sour grapes, spoiler effort.

National Republican establishment money is lining up behind Joe Miller, with a $212,000 pledge from the same national campaign committee Miller accused of trying to steal the election for incumbent U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski. The support comes as Murkowski is considering an independent write-in candidacy after losing to Miller in last month's Republican primary.

...Miller spokesman Randy DeSoto said Wednesday the campaign didn't think it was appropriate for the NRSC to choose sides before the Republican primary was decided.

"They heard us out, and they responded," DeSoto said. "We were pleased with their response, and we're pleased they're also backing the campaign."

Murkowski's own Denali Leadership Political Action Committee in May contributed $15,000 to the NRSC -- joining the pot of money that will now flow to Miller, potentially to use against Murkowski if she wages a write-in effort as an independent. Murkowski's campaign staffers are waiting to hear if she will.

Good to see the party apparatus coming together behind the legitimate party nominee.

posted by DrewM. at 11:52 AM

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