• One of the more interesting dynamics in Nevada’s U.S. Senate race are the growing number of groups and organizations who you would think would be slam-dunk supporters of Sharron Angle – like the National Rifle Association and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce – who are nevertheless reportedly mulling support for Reid (or “going Swiss”) simply because whoever would replace Reid as Senate Majority Leader for the Democrats would be measurably worse.
• Reid is, literally, the lesser of two evils in their minds….and probably even in reality.
• Meanwhile, Republican tea party darling Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts gave Harry Reid the 60th vote he needed on Thursday to pass a bill increasing the federal government’s chokehold on the nation’s banking industry. Many tea party activists, so thrilled with Brown’s victory to replace Teddy Kennedy just this past January, are having some serious buyer’s remorse.
• By dying this year instead of last, New York Yankee owner George Steinbrenner probably saved his estate some $500 million since the federal “death tax” expired at the end of 2009 and hasn’t yet been renewed by Congress. Losing out on all that Steinbrenner loot will likely motivate Congress to try to reinstitute “taxation without respiration” by the end of this year.
• Wait a minute. The state of Utah somehow had a list of 1,300 illegal immigrants living illegally in Utah – including addresses and workplaces – which was leaked by someone to the media this week, and everyone’s upset with the person who leaked it? Why isn’t anyone upset that the government knew the whereabouts of 1,300 illegals taking jobs from Utahans during the Great Recession and was doing absolutely nothing about it?
• And some people still wonder why there’s so much support for that Arizona anti-illegal alien law?
• Could Republicans actually pick up 11 U.S. Senate seats in November and regain control from Harry Reid & the Democrats. Unlikely, but not impossible. Here’s the breakdown of a dozen competitive Democrat-held Senate seats in play for Republicans and the current outlook according to recent polls.
1. California: Fiorina (R) vs. Boxer (D) – leans Republican
2. Colorado: Buck (R) vs. Bennet – leans Republican
3. Delaware: Castle (R) vs. Coons (D) – leans Republican
4. Florida Rubio (R) vs. Crist vs. Meek – leans Republican
5. Illinois: Giannoulias (D) vs. Kirk (R) – leans Democrat
6. Kentucky: Paul (R) vs. Conway (D) – leans Republican
7. Missouri: Blunt (R) vs. Carnahan (D) – leans Republican
8. Nevada: Angle (R) vs. Reid (D) – leans Republican
9. Ohio: Portman (R) vs. Fisher (D) – leans Republican
10. Pennsylvania: Toomey (R) vs. Sestak (D) – leans Republican
11. Washington: Murray (D) vs. Rossi (R) – toss up
12. Wisconsin: Feingold (D) vs. Johnson (R) – leans Democrat
• Of course, it’s still awfully early. Some primary surprises could still upset the above lineup. And don’t forget that Republicans rarely blow an opportunity to blow an opportunity.
