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At Hot Air...

Angle is capturing 42% of likely voters polled to Reid’s 41%, a statistical dead heat.

There is a sliver lining in O'Donnell's victory, for those of us who would rather have the seat than an uncompromised caucus.

Despite the good poll numbers on the generic, people still do not like the GOP. In fact the party's favorables are often lower than the Democrats.

So the GOP's message is not working, even if an Establishment-leaning guy like myself wishes it would.

The public doesn't like the GOP. It is in a pox-on-both-houses mood. But the Tea Party's big fat middle finger to the GOP demonstrates, pretty tangibly, the Tea Party is not the GOP's pet, as Coons is Reid's pet. It is truly independent and truly angry and truly in favor of genuine change -- without regard to any party's political fortunes.

I am not sure exactly how this can be used to the GOP's actual advantage. How can they both promote themselves while shouting, with the public, "You are right, we hate us too!"

But there's something here, I guess for a cleverer person to figure out. Somehow, if the GOP can grab the mantle of being against both parties -- even if it's been compelled kicking and screaming into that position by an angry Tea Party -- then I guess there is some electoral good that can come from this.

It's a weird kind of play -- "Vote for the GOP so we can demolish the GOP!" -- but who knows. I don't know how that can be played, exactly, but all these candidates, clearly disfavored by the Establishment, need to take that message to the public. They're not for the party, they're not for politics as usual, they're for the people.

Everyone says that, of course. But not everyone has been so bitterly opposed by the party establishment, either. They've got the scars to prove they fought the Establishment.

posted by Ace at 01:37 PM

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