By , ,
Published December 23, 2015
*The race to watch is in Colorado, where the appointed incumbent, Sen. Michael Bennet, running with strong support from the White House, may get knocked off by former state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff. Many Colorado Democrats feel like Romanoff was unfairly passed over for the appointment and do not like the former big-business Bennet's Wall Street ties. Like the May primary that saw Arlen Specter get defeated, this election is a test of Obama's strength among Democrats in a swing state. The polls have been close and Romanoff may have gotten the late surge he needs to pull it off - Bennet is hoping that many of the ballots in the mostly-by-mail primary were filled out and sent in long ago.
*Colorado also means that Bubba is back. Former President Bill Clinton is supporting Romanoff over Bennet in defiance of the White House. Colorado Democrats have been treated to dueling robo-calls from Clinton and Obama as the polls began to open.. Today, Clinton will be on the campaign trail in Pennsylvania with his old friend Joe Sestak, who knocked off Arlen Specter in May, despite President Obama's support for Specter. Remember it was Clinton who was called in by Team Obama to try to lure Sestak out of the race. With growing calls for Obama to bump Hillary Clinton up to running mate in 2012, the resurrection of the House of Clinton inside the Democratic Party is something for Obama to watch closely. If Democrats blame big losses this fall on too-liberal Obama policies, the Third Way compromise politics of the Clintons may have renewed appeal. Check out FOX News colleague James Rosen with reporting on the political return of Bill Clinton today.
*Colorado also features a battle between the Republican establishment and the outsider vibe sweeping the party. The establishment candidate in the Senate race is former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton, while the outsider energy is for county prosecutor Ken Buck. The race has been very ugly, with Norton claiming sexism because of Buck's crack that voters should support him because he doesn't "wear high heels," which he said was a remark about Norton's fancy couture, not gender. Norton has tried hard to embrace the Tea Party energy in the air out West, but Buck looks like he is still the man for the outsiders.
*In Georgia, it's a runoff from the July 20 primary that includes the Republican gubernatorial nomination, four House districts and several statewide positions. But all eyes will be on the fight between former Secretary of State Karen Handel, part of Sarah Palin's "mama grizzly" pack, and former Rep. Nathan Deal, who has received the ardent support of potential Palin 2012 foe, former Arkansan Gov. Mike Huckabee. Huckabee did join Palin in endorsing Republican Joe Miller's primary bid against Alaska Republican incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski, but there is a fight brewing. The proxy fight between Handel and Deal in Georgia today may tell us a lot about who's got more clout with the Republican base, Palin or Huckabee. Handel has the edge in late polling, but this one is a toss up. The winner will face Democratic former Gov. Roy Barnes for an open seat.
*Connecticut and Minnesota vote today, too. Minnesota Democrats are heading down to the wire on their choice for governor. Former U.S. Senator Mark Dayton seems to be the favorite, but liberal state lawmaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher hasn't wilted over the course of the summer. The winner will face Republican Tom Emmer, also a state legislator. In Connecticut, the action is in the gubernatorial primaries, as well. Businessman Ned Lamont, who beat Joe Lieberman in the state's 2006 Democratic primary but lost to an independent Lieberman in the fall, has not been able to put away Stanford Mayor Daniel Malloy. On the Republican side, former U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Tom Foley is ahead of Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele. The winner this fall will replace retiring Republican Gov. Jodi Rell.
Be sure to keep checking Fox News' election coverage at the Days to Decide page.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/reading-the-primary-tea-leaves