PrairiePundit

Image via Wikipedia Reid Wilson: ... This week, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee began running ads in seats held by Reps. Bill Delahunt (Mass.), Joe Donnelly (Ind.), Phil Hare (Ill.), Bill Foster (Ill.), Leonard Boswell (Iowa), Sanford Bishop (Ga.), and John Salazar (Colo.). In each district, Democrats won re-election by significant, if not overwhelming, margins in 2008. Now, Democrats view every one of those seats as endangered. ... But what's telling is how far out on the margins Democrats feel compelled to begin. Republicans need to net 39 seats to win back a House majority. On both Democratic and Republican target lists, members like Hare, Bishop, Foster, and Salazar fall well below the 39th most competitive seat. Meanwhile, much more vulnerable Democrats, who face much better-funded Republican challengers, are seeing their ad buys cut, a clear sign that Democrats believe spending money on their behalf is a waste of resources. Earlier this week, Demo...

Image via Wikipedia Dallas Morning News: U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards admitted today that he trails in his bid for an 11th term – only a month out from Election Day. "I'm the underdog," the Waco Democrat told the editorial board of The Dallas Morning News. "I don't mind saying we are behind. I relish being the underdog." The blunt self-analysis comes after several political handicappers have soured on Edwards' prospects of hanging on to his conservative Central Texas district – a seat long coveted by Republicans. ... There are sometimes when one can relish being an underdog, but this is not one of them in my opinion. When an incumbent is running behind he is in bigger trouble than when a challenger is running behind because voters have already had an opportunity to take an incumbent's measure. Edwards has had strong survivor skills in the past, but I don't think he has ever faced these kind of headwinds. Related articles by Zemanta Edwar...

Washington Post: It's tough these days for Democratic incumbents all over, but nowhere more so than here, where Rep. Chet Edwards is - once again - fighting for his political life. Of all the House Democrats running for reelection this year, none represents a more deeply red district than this one. It is ranked the 19th most heavily Republican in the country by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. Among Edwards's constituents is former President George W. Bush, who is registered to vote at his Crawford ranch. Conservative Democrats used to be the norm in Texas, but Edwards finds himself one of the last of a most endangered species. Over two decades in the House, Edwards has been able to survive by carefully tending to the moods and the desires of the conservative voters back home. Edwards has frequently broken with his party on high-profile votes, including opposing such signature Obama administration initiatives as the health-care overhaul and the cap-and-trade cli...

It is a GOP poll but it is a lead that has never been seen before in a contest against Edwards.

Washington Post: Little more than two years after she touted him for the vice presidential nomination, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi cannot count on the support of Rep. Chet Edwards. Edwards, a conservative Democrat trying win an 11th term representing this area southwest of Dallas, said he has not made up his mind whether he would support Pelosi (D-Calif.) for another term as speaker, as he comes under fire back home for his close ties to the Democratic leader. "No, I've made no commitments for speaker. Until we see the outcome of this election, I don't even know who will be running for speaker," Edwards said in an interview while campaigning Saturday in this small town of 5,000 southwest of Waco. Democrats from a number of states, including Texas, Ohio and North Carolina, are running away from Pelosi in a harsh political climate. Distancing one's self from the speaker is nothing new for many Democrats, including Edwards, but the number of incumbents and the...

Richard Dunham, Houston Chronicle: ... The marquee House race is taking place deep in the heart of Texas. The district includes former President George W. Bush's Crawford ranch and is the most heavily Republican district in the nation represented by a Democrat. That Democrat is Chet Edwards of Waco, a political Houdini who has escaped electoral doom several times by championing veterans' issues and exhibiting an independent streak on Capitol Hill. But Republicans think he's met his match in retired energy executive Bill Flores, who claims that Edwards is too liberal for the conservative district. This is the kind of district Republicans must win if they hope to recapture the House. Despite Edwards' big cash advantage and name-identification edge, his job is in jeopardy, and he knows it. ... Ciro Rodriguez is also in a tight race with businessman Quico Canseco in Texas 23 which stretches from San Antonio to the border. But, finally knocking off Edwards would...

He does not mention Edwards in the ad, but he has a strong message based on experience at actually creating jobs.

Chet Edward's opponent Bill Flores has a sign quoting Edwards as saying "Barack Obama's got the solid judgment our citizens want..." The ad goes own to say "Don't agree? www.ChetHasToGo,com." It is an interesting approach for a challenger, but Obama has incredibly low approval numbers in Texas that may compare to Pelosi's. Flores leads the race by about 12 points according to recent polling. Edwards has survived several challenges, but this may be his most difficult race so far.

Brian Walsh: For the past 19 years, Texas’ 17th Congressional District has been held by Democrat Chet Edwards who, despite several close elections in recent years, has managed to maintain his grip on this culturally conservative district. This fall, Edwards may be in for one of his toughest fights as he faces off against Republican businessman Bill Flores . The 17th is the most conservative district held by any Democrat Member of the House. Stretching south from Hood and Johnson counties, the district covers the population centers of Cleburne, Waco and College Station, and has been Republican territory for years. Political handicapper Charlie Cook rates the district as R+20, and both John McCain and George W. Bush carried the seat during their presidential races. Given that Edwards was only able to best his 2008 opponent 53-46% with Barack Obama at the top of the ticket, this year’s election poses a major electoral challenge for the incumbent. As evidence that his rec...

Rasmussen Reports: Governor Rick Perry is back out front of Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison with an 11-point lead in the 2010 Republican Primary gubernatorial race in Texas. A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Texas GOP Primary voters finds Perry with 46% of the vote while Hutchison earns 35%. Four percent (4%) support Debra Medina, a tea-party activist who joined the GOP race a few months ago, and 14% are undecided. Two months ago , the race was a toss-up following Hutchison’s tour of the state to launch her campaign. However, in mid-July, Perry led Hutchison by 10 points, 46% to 36%. Perry has a 52% to 30% advantage over Hutchison among those who identify themselves as conservatives, while Hutchison attracts a majority of party moderates and liberals. In all primary elections, turnout is the key, and it is very difficult to project turnout this far in advance. However, it appears that Perry has a clear advantage if only the conservative Republican base shows up in a l...