Democrat Bruce Braley started out with a solid lead, 6 – 12 depending upon the poll. At the beginning of the year the conventional wisdom was that he was a stellar candidate in all but a can’t lose position.
That’s all changed and for now his latest attempt at a “reboot” doesn’t seem to be working. Per Rasmussen’s latest, “Will she or won’t she? The race to replace Iowa Democratic Senator Tom Harkin couldn’t be any closer.
The Real Clear Politics average now has Ernst up one, versus being down by as much as 12 just a few short months ago.
And now, as reported here earlier, with the campaign ads taking on a military theme, Ernst may even begin to see some separation if the current trend continues. From criticizing Sen. Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa) as just a “farmer from Iowa who never went to law school,” to belittling Sally C. Pipes, the president and CEO of the Pacific Research Institute, Braley has developed a real knack for coming across as unlikable.
If Braley can’t get things turned around by Summer’s end, he very well my run out of time in the eyes of a Democrat establishment that’s already seeing its resources strained. If that happens and he’s abandoned money-wise, this one may be over before it effectively started due to Braley’s poor first state-wide impression.
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