Around the Mid Atlantic--PA Bombshell Poll

Pennsylvania For all of the intrigue the budget battle holds, the latest numbers have to add a sense of panic to the legislature and governor. The deficit has grown another 700 million dollars since the end of June due to the lack of economic recovery in Pennsylvania. It now tops 3 Billion dollars.

Senator Specter cannot seem to escape Rep. Pat Toomey. While Specter holds a 11 point lead in primary polling with Congressman Joe Sestak, a bombshell poll by Rasmussen shows both Specter (48 to 36) and Sestak (43 to 35) trail Rep. Pat Toomey in early polling. Further undermining Specter's strength is that he trails even more than the lesser known Sestak. Specter can't go to Governor Rendell for much help. The governor's poll numbers are sinking with the state budget. They are now down to 39% approval.


Virginia is looking better all the time for Republicans. Historically when a statewide Republican Candidate since 1993 has had a lead greater than 10 points going into Labor Day, he wins in Virginia. Yet another poll shows that
AG McDonnell may achieve that milestone. We all know that elections can change and Deeds proved that in the primary so only a fool would count him out.

President Obama's slipping poll numbers in the Old Dominion State means that national Democrats won't be of much help. If Deeds is to pull an upset, it would be all on him and the Virginia party. Maybe he can catch Governor Kaine in the state and do some more appearances with him. (The Governor is also Chair of the DNC and has been teased about his frequent travels out of state.)

Maryland has been upset that its citizens are paying their bills and saving rather than risk it on the new slots. Revenue has fallen below expectations. They hope a new Baltimore Location will remedy that problem.

Senator Cardin received the proverbial earful in Haggerstown. It wasn't all shouting though. The senator said he was pleased with the showing. The gym held its limit of 1500 people leaving a 1000 had to stay outside and hold their own discussion.

New York seems to be an Empire of political intrigue if nothing else. Governor Patterson's woman of the week problem this week seems to his former senate staffer Indira F. Noel. She forged a signature of a former staffer to obtain his college transcripts which are protected under law. She plead guilty to disorderly conduct in a deal with prosecutors. She told the ex-worker that she was untouchable because of her relationship with the governor. It appears she was right. Jean Pierre is now suing and threatens to bring the governor into court to say exactly what that relationship is.

New Jersey Chris Christie has been enduring a two prong attack this week on silly charges that he engaged in a legal conversation about his future plans with a fellow government staffer Karl Rove. The law prohibits U. S. Attorneys from engaging in partisan political activities not discussing a hypothetical future activity. None the less the liberal media as jumped on the Corzine accusation and the Corzine campaign is flooding the airwaves with side by side pictures of Christie and "Bush Brain" Rove.

The Governor seems to trying to distract from a real scandal in his administration which cost taxpayers 1.4 million dollars on his watch. In the meantime another NJ Democrat goes to jail for tax evasion.

In Delaware, Governor Jack Markell decided to include Gender Identity in a new executive order giving protections for sexual orientation. The legislature in its wisdom stripped that from the original bill. The governor for the first time wants to give a mental disorder civil rights. The governor also signed into law a package of education reforms including eliminating the hated Delaware State Testing Program.