Larry Sabato’s highly accurate “Crystal Ball” shifted its evaluation of California’s highly contentious, highly-targeted and highly controversial 52nd congressional district race Thursday, moving it from “Toss-up” to “Leans Democrat”. Freshman Democrat incumbent Congressman Scott Peters faces off next Tuesday against Carl DeMaio, the GOP’s “New Generation Republican” who has run into headwinds of scandal in recent weeks.
An accompanying article posted at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, which hosts Sabato’s Crystal Ball, reports: “Republicans could have a very good night in California, but as it stands we see several Democratic incumbents hanging tough: Reps. Julia Brownley (CA-26), Scott Peters (CA-52), and Raul Ruiz (CA-36)” (original emphasis).
Ratings in the various races rated will reportedly be adjusted for any changes come Monday.
DeMaio’s campaign has been plagued by sexual harassment allegations from former Policy Director Todd Bosnich. DeMaio now also faces “active opposition” from the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), which sent an email this week, not only opposing DeMaio, but suggesting that fellow “Marriage Supporter(s)” consider voting for the liberal Democrat Peters, who might be easier to unseat at a subsequent election.
On Wednesday, NOM doubled down with a second email that asked readers to “Please spread the word about Carl DeMaio’s Flawed Positions on Marriage and Life.”
Local Tea Party and community leaders have also been involved in a movement to keep DeMaio out of Congress as well, Breitbart previously reported.
With just days until Tuesday’s election, which is slated to favor Republicans across the nation, the DeMaio-Peters race remains tight in available polls, and even Sabato’s Crystal Ball suggests that Peters is the most vulnerable of three incumbent California House Democrats the predictor sees as ‘hanging tough.’
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