Political pro Chris Cilizza, well-known for his “Friday Line” of Senate race-ranking, has just issued his final predictions before election day. His estimate? Dems will gain 8 seats, bringing them just shy of 60 votes and a fillibuster-proof majority. …

With 6 days to go until election time, the Senate race in Georgia between incumbent Saxby Chambliss and Council-endorsed candidate Jim Martin is turning into one hot mess. The race, once considered a sailed ship for Republicans as Chambliss was expected to carry his seat in November, now has the attention of politicos on both sides, with both the RNC and the DNC pouring funds into the state.

This will be Chambliss’ first shot at re-election, and neither his team nor the RNC is going to let this go without a fight, and probably, a dirty one. Chambliss is well known for his dirty Karl Rove-style campaign tactics.  In 2002, his campaign made ads that put his opponent’s face – then incumbent Max Cleland – next to Osama Bin Laden’s and Saddamm Hussein’s face, even though Cleland was a disabled Vietnam War veteran. Heck, even McCain found it “reprehensible.”

In 2003, McCain told the Washington Post this:

“I’ve never seen anything like that ad. Putting pictures of Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden next to a picture of a man who left three limbs on the battlefield — it’s worse than disgraceful, it’s reprehensible.”

If only that McCain was still around today.

Here’s the Chambliss’ camp latest attempt to hold back Martin:

But, just like his famous 2002 ads, this ad grossly misrepresents his opponent, Jim Martin. The Martin campaign didn’t wait long to respond. The ad is a

“…series of smears about Jim’s record on taxes and protecting the public purse. The “largest tax increase” was a penny sales tax for education, which was supported by Republicans and Zell Miller, and the “27%” expense account hike was a one-time, $16 per diem increase that was pushed for by Johnny Isakson and Sonny Perdue! The truth is this – Jim voted against raising lawmaker salaries time and again, and he successfully fought for the largest tax cut in the history of the state, eliminating the sales tax on groceries.

But now they have stooped to a new low – this time they are lying about Jim’s record on protecting children from those who would prey on them. Jim voted to make child solicitation a felony, period. He voted against a bad bill and supported a better one, which passed unanimously two weeks later.”

Looks like Chambliss realizes he’s in trouble, now he’s just pulling a few old tricks out of the bag. But, they might not work this year.  Though he started off with low expectations,  Martin now seems poised to take Chambliss’ seat right out from under Chambliss’ golf bag. The latest poll has the race near neck and neck. Watch the latest pro-Martin DCCC ad here:

New polls today for CLW endorsed candidates…

Minnesota – 03 – Open Seat
Ashwn Madia (D – CLW Endorsed) – 44%
Eric Paulsen (R) – 45%

New Hampshire – 01
Jeb Bradley (R) – 40%
Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D – CLW Endorsed) – 48%

Ohio – 15 – Open Seat
Mary Jo Kilroy (D – CLW Endorsed) – 47%
Steve Stivers (R) – 41%

Pennsylvania – 03
Kathy Dahlkemper (D – CLW Endorsed) – 45%
Rep. Phil English (R) – 47%

 

We’ve told you about the disgusting tactics from the challengers making sure our progressive candidates don’t get elected. They claimed congressional candidate Betsy Markey in Colorado was heading to jail, Mary Jo Kilroy in Ohio was a socialist, Glen Nye in Virginia lied about his service – all pure smear campaigns with no factual basis. Well, now they’re attacking us.

A group called “Americans for Job Security,” sent a mailing out with images of smoke clouds, fire and target symbols. They claim we’re anti-defense and “poised to dismantle the plans and policies put in place to keep America safe.”

You can see the ad and help us fight back here.

The most interesting part about the attack, like usual, is the man behind the curtain.  

Americans for Job Security is little more than a swiftboat group full of Bush cronies. This is from their page on Public Citizen, a group that tracks non-profit groups active in elections:

“AJS has stated to the IRS that its purpose is “educating the public on economic issues with a pro-market, pro-paycheck message.”2 The group, in reality, does not appear tied to any unifying ideological mission other than helping the electoral pursuits of favored candidates, who have exclusively been Republicans throughout the organization’s history.”

…

“AJS’s roster of officers and consultants is a team of Republican Party alumni. One consultant served as director of political affairs for President George H.W. Bush and as national field director for his 1992 campaign. The group’s president worked on George H.W. Bush’s 1992 campaign, and the group’s lawyer, Benjamin Ginsberg, has served as national counsel to George W. Bush’s presidential campaigns in 2000 and 2004, the Republican National Committee and a multitude of Republican candidates and organizations.”

They claim they just want people to vote, but it’s obvious they want more. They want votes for the neo-conservative policies that have negatively affected our country and national security on so many levels. They know the only way to do that is through fear, not facts.  

We’ll continue to advocate for sensible national security policies. We’ll continue to advocate an end to the war in Iraq, tough diplomacy over war with Iran, and stronger nuclear arms control policies.

But right now, there’s 6 days left to fight back. There’s 6 days left of work to make sure our progressive candidates get elected.

If you want to help us fight back, click here.

There are some many polls coming in for House races, that there’s no way I can blog on each of them.  So…below the fold are polls in the last week or so in races where Council for a Livable World has made an endorsement.  

The quick and dirty summary?  Our guys are doing great!

California – 04 – Open Seat
Charlie Brown (D – CLW Endorsed) – 48%
Tom McClintock – 42%

California – 50
Rep. Brian Bilbray (R) – 44%
Nick Leibham (D – CLW Endorsed) – 42%

Colorado – 04
Betsy Markey (D – CLW Endorsed) – 47%
Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R) – 38%

Connecticut – 04
Jim Himes (D – CLW Endorsed) – 44%
Rep. Chris Shays (R) – 44%

Florida – 08
Alan Grayson(D – CLW Endorsed)  – 52%
Ric Keller (R) – 41%

Kentucky – 03
Ann Northrup (R) – 45
Rep. John Yarmuth (D – CLW Endorsed) – 53%

Maine – 01 – Open Seat
Chellie Pingree (D – CLW Endorsed) – 56%
Charlie Summers (R) – 35%

Michigan – 09
Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R) – 36%
Gary Peters (D – CLW Endorsed) – 46%

Minnesota – 03 – Open Seat
Ashwn Madia (D – CLW Endorsed) – 44%
Eric Paulsen (R) – 39%

New Hampshire – 01
Jeb Bradley (R) – 39%
Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D – CLW Endorsed) – 44%

New Jersey – 03 – Open Seat
John Adler (D – CLW Endorsed) – 43%
Chris Myers (R) – 35%

New Jersey – 07 – Open Seat
Leonard Lance (R) – 31%
Linda Stender (D – CLW Endorsed) – 40%

New York 25 – Open Seat
Dan Maffei (D – CLW Endorsed) – 49%
Dale Sweetland (R) – 31%

New York – 29
Poll for Rep. Kuhl
Rep. Randy Kuhl (R) – 40%
Eric Massa (D – CLW Endorsed) – 30%

Poll for DailyKos
Rep. Randy Kuhl (R) – 42%
Eric Massa (D – CLW Endorsed) – 49%

Ohio – 02
Jean Schmidt (R) – 46%
Victoria Wulsin (D – CLW Endorsed) – 39%

Ohio – 15 – Open Seat
Mary Jo Kilroy (D – CLW Endorsed) – 46%
Steve Stivers (R) – 37%

Pennsylvania – 03
Kathy Dahlkemper (D – CLW Endorsed) – 48%
Rep. Phil English (R) – 41%

Pennsylvania – 04
Rep. Jason Altmire (D – CLW Endorsed) – 53%
Melissa Hart (R) – 35%

Virginia – 02
Glenn Nye (D – CLW Endorsed) – 42%
Rep. Thelma Drake (R) – 47%

Virginia – 05
Rep. Virgil Goode (R) – 48%
Tom Perriello (D – CLW Endorsed) – 40%

Washington – 08
Darcy Burner (D – CLW Endorsed) – 46%
Rep. Dave Reichert (R) – 46%

Wisconsin – 08
John Gard (R) – 44%
Rep. Steve Kagen (D – CLW Endorsed) – 46%