The political scorekeeping in Washington has singled out winners and also losers as midterm races have exposed the poorest of campaigners.
Among those named on
Politico's worst list for 2014 are Iowa's gaffe-prone U.S. Senate candidate, Rep. Bruce Braley, Texas gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis, Ohio gubernatorial candidate Ed Fitzgerald and Virginia's Eric Cantor, whose historic Congressional primary loss drew gasps inside the beltway and beyond.
Also singled out on the list were Mississippi's Chris McDaniel who sparked national attention in his close and hotly contest battle against U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, Kansas's Pat Roberts and youthful upstate New York congressional candidate Sean Eldridge.
The bipartisan crew was singled out for such issues as poor media relation, divisive slips of the tongue where moderation is crucial, as well as inconsistencies in their record — leaving them vulnerable as an unwieldy midterm election that could re-order the red-blue power lines across the nation, looms just six weeks away.
Politico notes that national issues have driven the debate, whether the economy or global security amid unrest in the Mideast and the Balkans. But candidates running state races seem to have forgotten about campaign fundamentals that are now undermining their chances in some races that should be tighter.
In Texas, for example Davis was singled out as making herself a one-issue candidate, a lightning rod of abortion activists that continues to polarize voters where Attorney Gen. Greg Abbott has broken open a double-digit lead, according to one
New York Times poll.
In Kansas, red state worries are mounting, Politico noted, as Roberts' re-election bid continues to spiral out of control,
The Hill noted, as his "slip of tongue" have opened the door for opponents, including questions on his residency.
"Stumping on Tuesday, Roberts said the U.S. was on the road to "national socialism"— a line likely to endear him to conservatives, but not to the moderates whose support he’ll need in the general election," Politico reported of his out-of-touch remarks as opponent Greg Orman, an independent, gains more interest.
Iowa Democrat Braley has left the door open wide for Republicans to go after him after a series of remarks, including a put down of longtime and popular U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley as "a farmer from Iowa who never went to law school, never practiced law," Politico said in crafting its list.
How all of these issues play collectively have sparked concern across both parties, particularly as the balance of Congress dangles on Nov. 4. And there is little time to change course, as 36 states have been early voting in advance of election day,
CBS News reported.
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