New magazine article: "Democratic prospects for Hill takeover dim"
Excerpt:
In a sharp change from just two months ago, Republicans are gaining a commanding position in the race for control of the US House and Senate. ... Without a hot presidential race in town, many Democrats in Bush territory are running independent of the national ticket - or at least, attempting to create some distance. In one of the most striking examples in this campaign cycle, Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle is running an ad where President Bush appears to be hugging him. It begins with Mr. Daschle saying: "Tonight, the president has called us again to greatness. And tonight, we answer that call." In a debate Sunday on "Meet the Press," GOP challenger John Thune called the ad a bid "to throw John Kerry overboard in order to help himself."...
Meanwhile, The National Republican Senatorial Committee reported yesterday that it ended August with a cash-on-hand advantage of 2 to 1 over the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee - $22 million to $10.5 million.
Roll Call and Business Week have also noted that the Democrats may lose 4 seats in the Senate. So even if Daschle survives his re-election bid, which appears unlikely at this point, and if he survives as leader given all the challenges he'll face from other Senators who are eager to throw him overboard, he'll lead a diminished caucus which is more liberal and strident and more insistent on blocking President Bush's agenda. On top of that, since this will probably be Daschle's last run for office, he won't care what people in South Dakota think.
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