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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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 DANA MILBANK 
23

State Races Seen as Obama Referendum

By GOP, that is. If they win. White House, not so much

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(Newser) – Are today’s elections in New Jersey, Virginia, and New York referendums on President Obama? Let’s ask the experts. Michael Steele says they are. David Axelrod says they're not. Karl Rove says they are. Robert Gibbs says they're not. See a pattern? “Democrats are determined to assert that the elections are not a referendum,” explains Dana Milbank. “This is because they expect to lose.”

Republicans, on the other hand, expect to win, so they’re painting the races as referendums, and much of the press agrees, because whether bellwethers or not, debating the race’s implications is a great way to fill airtime. For the definitive word, we turn to Jeri Thompson, wife of Fred. Asked if it was a referendum she replied, "Well, it definitely may be." That settles it, says Milbank; It's “hard to argue with a definite maybe."

President Barack Obama, left, joins New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine during a campaign rally for the incumbent at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009.
President Barack Obama, left, joins New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine during a campaign rally for the incumbent at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009.   (AP Photo/Rich Schultz)
President Barack Obama and New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine wave at the top of the steps as they exit Air Force One in Newark, N.J., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009.
President Barack Obama and New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine wave at the top of the steps as they exit Air Force One in Newark, N.J., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009.   (AP Photo/Reena Rose Sibayan)
New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine, right, listens as President Barack Obama speaks during a campaign rally for Corzine at the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, N.J., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009.
New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine, right, listens as President Barack Obama speaks during a campaign rally for Corzine at the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, N.J., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009.   (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
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As a predictor of future elections, the Virginia and New Jersey races are unreliable. But as fillers of airtime and column inches, they are immensely valuable. - Dana Milbank

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23 comments
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Doctor_Zaius
Nov 3, 09 7:52 AM CST
The Dems in both governor races are very weak candidates and the congressional race is in a district that hasn't voted for a Democrat since the 1860's so in a nut shel,l this is no referendum. If anything if the Republicans don't manage to sweep all three it will be a sign of their weakness. Reply
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+2
IN RESPONSE:
hybrid
Nov 3, 09 8:18 AM CST
uhhh thier not voting for a republican this year.
Vote up! Vote down!
-3
IN RESPONSE:
Fondue
Nov 3, 09 8:22 AM CST
hybrid, What does that mean? There's a republican in each of those races.
Vote up! Vote down!
+3
IN RESPONSE:
hybrid
Nov 3, 09 8:25 AM CST
the republican droped out of the ny 23 race. Its a con taking on a dem,
Vote up! Vote down!
-5
IN RESPONSE:
jamerican
Nov 3, 09 8:27 AM CST
Keep ignoring reality ignorant libs because the conservatives are in the majority of intelligent people in the country that still care about the future of America whether a part of the Republican party or not.
Vote up! Vote down!
-3

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