POLITICS DEPT:
Michael Barone has an interesting point today--perhaps this election year won't be 1994 redux (huge GOP gains), nor 1982 (when the party out of power won, but didn't win big). Maybe instead it will be like 1966, when there was reaction against the growth of government (thanks to LBJ's Great Society) and a war was making people uneasy (Vietnam).
Makes sense--now people are reacting, not against the Great Society, but against ObamaCare and Afghanistan (rather than Vietnam). And it was still a huge Republican win...
Polling watch--
In the Connecticut senate race, likely Republican candidate Linda McMahoh when last seen was trailing by some 20 points. But today a poll is out showing her down by only 10.
She has baggage, because she used to be involved in world wrestling, etc etc etc. But I'm sensing this one's not over.
In Nevada, Sharron Angle remains in pretty much a dead heat in the senate race there with the tiresome Harry Reid. Yes, Reid seems to lead slightly. But he remains under 50%, his tiny lead comes after a barrage of negativity against Angle, and so...usually incumbents in that kind of situation remain in big trouble. I'll predict it right now: in November, Sharron Angle will win this race.
Meanwhile, take note of businessman Rick Snyder's win in yesterday's Michigan Republican gubernatorial primary. Snyder has never held political office; he focused relentlessly on the economy, and he beat out several other established Wolverine state GOP pols. Lesson? More evidence that it's good this year to be an outsider.
Over 1 million people voted in the Michigan GOP primary; only 525,000 in the Democratic primary. Michigan is ready to go Republican, and I predict it will.
Meanwhile, Democrats told us endlessly how ObamaCare would gain popularity as time went on. Ummm...no, according to a Fox News Poll:
"Just 15 percent of voters like the new health care law and think it should be implemented as is. Most don't like the law in its current form: 42 percent think it needs to be changed, and another 36 percent would repeal it all together."
BASEBALL DIARY:
The Tigers split a doubleheader with the White Sox yesterday.But, given that Detroit is 7 games out now, that's not going to get much done.
Mariners 3, Rangers 2: a disappointing loss for the Rangers in Seattle. The Mariners just got done losing 7 games in a row. Colby Lewis pitched well for the Rantgers; and really, as long as they continue to pitch well, they should be fine. But they're not hitting right now; Texas has scored just 3 runs in their last 2 games.
