Republicans are nervous about Rep. Mary Bono Mack (right), an eight-term Republican from Palm Springs, Calif., who finds herself with a serious challenge from Harvard University-educated physician Raul Ruiz (left), who is the son of migrant workers.
But Danny Tarkanian has name recognition, including from his father, his mother, Las Vegas City Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian (D), and his own previous campaigns. And he has made ethics a major issue against Horsford. All of that seems to have combined to give him a chance in a race most decided was a foregone conclusion after Democrats recruited Horsford.
Arizona’s 9th
This metro Phoenix-based district was tailor-made for a Democrat, and state Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D) may still win it next month. But things aren’t proving to be so easy for Democrats. Republican Vernon Parker, a conservative African- American who was mayor of Paradise Valley, is turning out to be a strong candidate, and polling shows this race much closer than most anticipated.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has run ads painting Parker as a tea party extremist, while the National Republican Congressional Committee has run ads that point to Sinema’s past statements and issue positions to argue that she is the extremist. Parker has to be regarded as an underdog given the fundamental partisan bent of district voters, but polling suggests he is very much still in this race.
A few other contests are worth mentioning. The race in Arizona’s 1st district isn’t going easily for former Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (D), as most expected. Former state Sen. Jonathan Paton, an Iraq War veteran, looked to have plenty of baggage — Democrats refer to him as “Payday” Paton because he worked for the payday loan industry — but so far Kirkpatrick hasn’t been able to open a lead in this race.
Two weeks ago, I probably would have put challenger Val Demings (D) in this column. But there are now so many GOP surveys showing Rep. Daniel Webster in pretty good shape that I left the race in Florida’s 10th district off the list.
I also left the Pennsylvania Senate race off because I’m skeptical about the “independent” polls that show Tom Smith (R) just a couple of points behind Sen. Bob Casey (D) in that contest.
Some folks (Democrats and Republicans) might put Rep. Dave Loebsack (D) in Iowa’s 2nd on the list, and his race bears watching. But what I’ve seen so far in polling doesn’t currently justify putting challenger John Archer (R) on the list of potential upset winners.
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