Political operative Karl Rove is making the strong case that President Obama’s low approval ratings in states he won in 2012, like Colorado, bode well for GOP Senate contenders in 2014. This is more good news for Republican Rep. Cory Gardner whose last-minute decision to challenge Democrat Sen. Mark Udall has energized the Colorado GOP.
Rove points out in The Wall Street Journal:
“Mr. Obama’s average Gallup approval rating in Colorado last year was 42.3%, compared with his 2013 national average of 46.5%. The state is also one of 44 where Mr. Obama received a smaller margin in 2012 (5.4%) than 2008 (9%). A February Quinnipiac poll put Sen. Udall a mere three points ahead of 2010 GOP nominee Ken Buck, who was widely seen as a flawed candidate.”
Despite winning re-election, Obama has seen his margin of support in Colorado steadily decline. Translation: Udall’s clown car campaign, driven by the desperate dunces who ran Amendment 66, is on their own. There are no coattails Udall can ride to victory in November like he did in 2008, and his unwavering support of Obama’s agenda is going to sting at the ballot box.
Now, Udall thinks he can rebound by throwing cookie-cutter attacks at Gardner, and we’re sorry to be the ones to break this to him (actually, no we’re not), but it isn’t going to work. Weak attacks will not quell the moral outrage Coloradans feel over the poor implementation of Obamacare. And you know who voted for Obamacare? Mark Udall.
It is also worth emphasizing that February polling only showed Udall a mere three points ahead of Ken Buck. A three-point lead isn’t even a statically significant lead, so it makes sense that a stronger statewide candidate, like Gardner, would be trouncing Udall. A theory that is consistent with widespread rumors Udall’s own polling already shows him LOSING this race.
I am soooooo happy he has to run in a midterm election 🙂 It is time for him to spend some more time with his family – help his son with that heroin addiction thing…