the citizen-viewer

For the Republicans the election is moving from closely contested to epic disaster.

As I wrote yesterday I’m pleased, if somewhat surprised, that the public didn’t like McCain’s performance. Perhaps the tank is finally empty on popular willingness to buy authoritarian jerks. More likely it’s a blip caused by the economy.

The polls are starting to show breaches of the right’s inner fortresses. Mitch McConnell, Senate minority leader and arch-foe of campaign finance reform, has a real re-election challenge on his hands in Kentucky. The NC Senate race has Liddy Dole, a 2000 presidential hopeful, trailing.

By some counts the Republicans could be at 40 plus Lieberman in the Senate, and the Dems are easily going to get to 240 seats, very likely 250 or more, in the House. In the presidential race, the Republicans might lose three Confederate states (FL, NC, and VA). NC hasn’t voted for a Dem since Carter, and Virginia hasn’t gone Democratic since LBJ.

In another sign of a weak brand, Washington State Repubs are trying to get listed on the ballot as “GOP Party” so as to obscure their party affiliation.

A great danger for Republicans has been a public perception that they are losers. A significant portion of their appeal has been the bully-boy winner image that scoops up some support from those who are frontrunners in the rest of their lives (Yankee fans, in the parlance of New Englanders). If they lose the Yankee fans they lose the close races.