by FNC Reporter Alicia Acuna

The state of Arkansas is run by a popular Democratic governor and predominantly Democratic legislature.  The congressional delegation is made up of one Republican U.S. Representative, three Democratic ones and two Democratic U.S. Senators.  But if you ask folks around here, most will describe their state as conservative.  After all, they chose Senator John McCain over Barack Obama by 20 percent in 2008.  President Obama did not make Arkansas a campaign stop last year, and everyone we interviewed on this story mentioned it.  He clearly didn’t need it to win, but he may need Arkansas in 2010.  That’s because Democratic Senator Blanche Lincoln is running to keep her seat in Washington and her opponents are talking like they can already taste the sweet victory.

Doyle Webb, Chairman of the Arkansas Republican Party predicts, “This seat will change hands next year. Arkansans are ready for a change, Senator Lincoln has not been the United States Senator that they thought she was when she was elected. She’s drank too much of that Potomac River water and she’s forgot what it is to be an Arkansan, and become more of a Washitonian”.  Senator Lincoln rejects that notion.  While she acknowledged in an interview with us that, “2010 is a gonna be a tough election year,” Lincoln said, “it always is when you run midterm of a new administration.  I did it in 1994 when our own Bill Clinton…had just won the presidency, it was midterm of his first term. And it’s always difficult.”

Adding to the Senator’s challenge, is the debate on healthcare reform.  Dr. Art English a professor with The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Political Science department says, “I actually think she’ll win re-election but it may be a bit of a struggle. But right now I think with the health care debate, of course she’s been right in the vortex of that because of her re-election.”

Senator Lincoln says she does not support a government run, government funded option, but says the country needs to reform its health care system. In its current version, the health care reform bill introduced by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, is not popular with Arkansans.  This state has the second largest senior citizen population in the country (Florida is first). Concerns about potential Medicare cuts and increased taxes prompted a group called, 60plus.org to run TV ads appealing to Senator Lincoln.

She’s  in a tough spot: does she go with national party loyalty? Or cast a vote that reflects the constituents back home?  Either way, she loses something.  What Senator Lincoln does seem to get is the impatience growing around the goals of this administration. She told us, “People’s expectations have been high and most of them know that we don’t move at breakneck speeds in Washington.  But unfortunately when expectations go up, people want to see the results, and I want to bring them results, but I want to make sure that it’s positive and it’s what’s right for Arkansas, it’s what’s right for the country”.

Election day 2010 is not only a year away, it’s an eternity away in political time. A lot can happen, and probably will.

by FNC Reporter Molly Line

Voters in upstate New York hit the polls today in the wake of whirlwind developments shaking up the race for the 23rd Congressional district’s open seat.
Two very different candidates are left standing in this battle- Democrat Bill Owens and the Conservative Party Candidate Doug Hoffman.

Republican Dede Scozzafava pulled out and the repercussions are still echoing.
Democrat Bill Owens picked up her endorsement and garnered last minute backing from organized labor- a vote was split before Scozzafava, who’s husband is a union leader, pulled from the contest.

Doug Hoffman, the Conservative Party candidate, has grassroots support that helped him climb up in the polls.

Hoffman is a pro-life fiscal conservative who promises to cut taxes and reduce government spending. His campaign has the backing of Tea Party activists and prominent conservatives, like Fred Thompson and Sarah Palin.

The Republican National Committee first endorsed Scozzafava but, were quick to throw their backing to Hoffman when she left the race- the RNC and the National Republican Congressional Committee have made 140,000 calls on Hoffman’s behalf since Sunday.

Hitting the polls early this morning, Owens says voters have a clear choice.

“We can go backward to the Bush agenda which includes tax cuts for the very wealthy, privatization of social security and tax credits for companies that send jobs overseas, the recession, a 4.9 trillion dollar addition to the deficit, or they can move forward with us,” Owens said.

Doug Hoffman says he’s fighting for the heart and soul of the Republican Party, backed by grassroots support.

Republican Scozzafava freed her supporters but, it’s unclear where her votes will go now.
As a pro-choice, pro-gay marriage candidate with moderate views on tax issues she appealed to some Democrats and Independent voters who could peal away towards the Owens camp, however, the majority of her voters identified with the GOP and their support could benefit Hoffman who now has the backing of national party leaders.

The unusual battle has sparked much debate over whether the results are evidence of a rift in the GOP or just a anomaly resulting from unique circumstances that allowed local republican leaders to hand-pick a nominee, rather than voters.

House Minority Leader John Boehner weighed in today saying political rebellion among conservatives is bigger than most people imagine.

“They don’t have a primary in New York. If they had a primary this would have been resolved weeks ago but, what has happened over the last two or three weeks, basically has been the republican primary,” Boehner said.

It’s election day in New Jersey, and though the sun is shining – not much is clear.  The polls put the match up between incumbent Democrat Governor Jon Corzine and his Republican challenger Chris Christie at a dead heat.  That’s a significant shift from this time last year when President Obama carried the Garden State by a 15 point margin.  Obama has invested time in this race, trying to buoy Corzine going into the homestretch, but any boost has yet to surface in the polls.  After voting today, Corzine sounded optimistic.  “I feel like we’ve got a lot of momentum coming from behind,” Corzine continued, “the only poll that counts is the one that’s going on right now between 6 and 8.”

The Christie camp remains upbeat as well, encouraged by what it sees as a swing away from Corzine and toward Christie in recent polling data.  The candidate is confidently predicting victory.  “I believe the Republican party will be much stronger tomorrow because we will have a Republican governor of New Jersey.”  To make that a reality Christie will have to do what no Republican has been able to accomplish since 1993 – unseating an incumbent Democratic governor.  Christie says he welcomes the challenge, and sees a win tonight as just a beginning.   Christie commented today, “It’s also going to place a great deal of responsibility on our party then to govern.”

Still in the mix, though not as a top contender, is Independent Chris Daggett.  What happens with his supporters today could swing the race in one direction or another.  “Unaffiliateds” make up the state’s largest pool of registered voters at 2.4 million.  It’s all the unknowns that will make the New Jersey gubernatorial race such an interesting race to watch when the polls close at 8:00pm EST.

By FNC Reporter Shannon Bream

The newest Quinnipiac poll out Monday shows the New Jersey gubernatorial race continues to be too close to call.  The latest results show Republican challenger Chris Christie at 42 percent, with the Democratic incumbent ,Governor Jon Corzine, at 40 percent.  Third-party candidate Chris Daggett continues to poll around 12 percent, and while he isn’t a top contender he could have great impact on the two men who are.  In that same Quinnipiac poll Daggett supporters were pushed to select a second choice.  Thirty-nine percent would go to Corzine, while just 29 percent would shift to Christie.  The Daggett factor could have significant impact tomorrow, though Corzine believes Daggett’s entry into the race has been positive.  “I think Mr. Daggett did everybody a favor by forcing my opponent to try to say something specific, which he hasn’t said in 11 months,” Corzine remarked in reference to the ads Christie has been running against Daggett in recent weeks.

Corzine is coming off a weekend that attracted thousands to events headlined by President Obama.  The top Democrat urged Corzine supporters to recognize that the governor has managed many difficulties during his term.  “Change is hard,” the president warned, “Corzine didn’t promise it was going to be easy -  he promised he would wake up every single day thinking about you.”

At his events, Corzine also linked Christie to controversial Congressman Joe Wilson, the Republican who shouted “you lie” during President Obama’s health care reform address to Congress.  Corzine said the two were campaigning together, something the Christie campaign flatly denied.  Though Wilson was in New Jersey at an unrelated event, there was no connection between Christie’s camp and the Wilson meeting.

Christie remains positive on his final day of campaigning, as he travels across the state on a bus tour.  He’s stopping to thank supporters and also trying to sway last minute undecideds, the group that could make all the difference on Tuesday.  While Corzine has accused him of failing to offer specific solutions, Christie says it’s Corzine’s record that should be the biggest concern for voters.  “Jon Corzine stood in front of the people of New Jersey and made a bunch of promises and he put his hand over his heart and said, ‘Citizens of New Jersey, hold me accountable,’” Christie continued, “Well November 3rd is accountability day, let’s pick him up and throw him out!”

Political analyst Larry Sabato says that would be a big loss for the administration.  “If Corzine loses that, of course, is a major prob for the WH because they’ve picked the New Jersey’s governor’s race as the one President Obama can affect.”  The dozens of supporters who waited in the cold drizzle to cheer Christie outside the Monmouth Country Republican Headquarters Monday seem determined to make that happen.

By FNC Reporter Shannon Bream

On the campaign trail today it’s a drizzly, gray day in northern New Jersey, but Republican challenger Chris Christie is clearly optimistic.  A new poll from Rasmussen Reports give Christie a slight lead over the Democratic incumbent, Governor Jon Corzine – 46% to 43%.  The wildcard is third-party candidate Chris Daggett.  While his share of the pie slipped to just 7% in the Rasmussen poll, a number of analysts say he is hurting Christie more than Corzine.  Christie seems unconcerned about Daggett, and is quick to lump him in with Corzine.  We’ll find out if voters are buying the strategy, one week from today.

About 75 prospective voters showed up at Garvey’s Pub in Monroe Township, New Jersey, on Tuesday to talk with Christie firsthand.  They posed tough questions about job losses, health care and taxes.  The crowd was polite, but passionate.  They included a man who has plastered the side, front and back of his large RV with bright orange letters touting Christie as the answer to all of New Jersey’s problems.

The Corzine camp, flush with cash and big-name support, will welcome former President Bill Clinton for a second appearance tonight.  Then, President Obama will join Corzine for the third time on Sunday.  Of the visits, Corzine says, “I think it’s helpful that a popular president believes that I could be a better partner with him than other candidates in the race.”  To which Christie replied, “In the end, he’ll get on the Air Force One and leave.  He’s not gonna stay here and help run New Jersey.”  Christie continued, “The people of New Jersey are too smart for that.”