Raese's Surge Gets National Attention
By Huntingtonnews.net Staff
Republican U.S. Senate nominee John Raese has had a heady last few days in his quest to overtake Democratic nominee Joe Manchin for the seat formerly held by Robert C. Byrd.
In addition to an overwhelming victory in his party's primary last Saturday, Raese appears to have unified the WV GOP behind his candidacy. This came in part thanks to the endorsement of his closest rival, Mac Warner on election night, which many observers saw as a gracious gesture from a fellow conservative.
Raese then received a serious lift to his campaign, thanks to the new Rasmussen Poll that is just out across the state. That poll shows that Raese has closed what was a 16 point gap to only 6 points heading into the Labor Day weekend. This, in turn, has caused Raese's candidacy to gain the attention of bloggers and political outlets across the country, including the Wall Street Journal's columnist, John Fund.
"As if Democrats didn't have enough headaches, it now appears another of their Senate seats is in play," writes Fund. He further suggests that there is good reason, in this Republican year, for John Raese to believe he can topple Manchin.
This kind of national attention can only help Raese in the fundraising department. For now it's no longer John Raese and some friends in West Virginia who believe Raese has a serious opportunity to make it to Washington, D.C. this time--now it's many members of the state and national media, business community, and, most importantly, those "likely voters" who give their voice in polls like Rasmussen's.
"You just can't believe what one credible poll like Scott Rasmussen's can do in a race like this one," said Jack Ellis, Huntingtonnews.net's chief political analyst. "In one week, Raese has gone from an underdog contender to a guy who is on the verge of turning the tables on Manchin. Who would have thought this possible last week before the primary election, yet here we are."
So now West Virginia voters and the state's media have a real race on their hands for U.S. Senate. What is the best strategy for both candidates?
"Manchin can continue to use the prestige of his office," said Ellis. "I expect we'll see a few ribbon cuttings between now and November. But this year could well be the year of the outsider, the fresh face. Raese has been in and out of state politics over the years, but he's never been in office before, and that actually can be a plus if he plays it right."
"Look at it this way," continued Ellis. "Who is more like one of us right now: the office holder whose policies haven't worked on the economy or the guy with a family business, wrestling personally with this difficult recession? Raese's story, his themes, and his issues are in sync with the state and the nation this year."
"If Raese can keep hammering on the economy, Obamacare, and less government spending, I think he's going to continue gaining on Manchin," said Ellis. "Gracious, he hasn't even dropped his first TV ad of the fall campaign, and he's already within striking distance. What does that tell you? It'll be a fascinating race to see if Raese can kick in the door this year. I'm pulling up my chair and microwaving some popcorn for this one. This is going to be like watching Muhammed Ali and Joe Frazier."