Economy takes center stage as mid term elections heat up

TRANSCRIPT:

As reporter Jacob Fenston just reported, the economy is expected to be the biggest issue this campaign season. With the mid-term elections just nine weeks away, the 2010 campaign races are well underway. FSRN’s Leigh Ann Caldwell reports.

Traditionally, Labor Day is the unofficial start to campaign season.  This year is no exception.

Incumbents and challengers fanned out across their districts attending voter-rich Labor Day gatherings. But despite picnics and cookouts, job shortages have dampened the celebrations.

Unemployment and the economy are expected to be the top issues on the minds of voters this year.

Isaac Wood is the House Race Editor for Sabato’s Crystal Ball.

ISAAC WOOD: Everyone, regardless of how tuned out they are to the upcoming elections is aware the unemployment picture is very dim and that the economy has been struggling along.

As in years past, candidates and political parties are attempting to take advantage of the Labor Day political marker as a time to kick campaigns into high gear.

You might say, but wait, I’ve been hearing about politics and campaigns long before Labor Day. True, but now it will become much more intense.

That’s because lazy summer days are behind us and most voters are now just starting to tune in.

Again, Isaac Wood.

WOOD: Now I guess you see both parties getting down to brass tacks and some voters do wait until now to pay attention. So there’s some voters who are just tuning in and those are the ones that I think the political parties and political candidates are trying to reach most.

He says the political parties will use the next 55 days until Election Day to direct the narrative.

That’s why President Obama spoke about a new economic proposal to boost the economy. And that’s why Republicans have hit back hard saying the Democrats’ proposals have done little to help unemployment.

That’s also why a flurry of polls have been released today and why there seems to be more news stories out on the elections.

Wood says two-thirds of campaign dollars raised will be spent by candidates and outside groups between now and November 2.  So if you have already seen a lot of political advertising, expect a lot more.

WOOD: Ads are going to be blanketing TV screens especially in some of these battleground house districts and battleground Senate states.

For example, Kendrick Meek, the Democrat running for the open Senate seat in Florida released his first TV ad today.

Democrats held a fall kick off tour last week. They say 200,000 volunteers knocked on doors in 75 Congressional districts — all districts Democrats are in jeopardy of losing.

RYAN RUDOMINER: We‘ve known from January of last year that historically this would be a very challenging cycle.

That was Ryan Rudominer, Press Secretary for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the arm of the party responsible for electing Congressional Democrats.

RUDOMINER: The good news is that our members have prepared for it since last year and they’ve been doing that by building up strong campaigns.

Although Republicans are more optimistic about the elections than the Democrats, they aren’t taking any chances.

Paul Lindsay is the spokesperson for the Republican Party’s arm in charge of electing Congressional Republicans. He says they’ve worked for several months now on building strong campaigns.

PAUL LINDSAY: What we’re focused on [are] the races where you’re seeing candidates running very competitive campaigns and our job is to be as helpful as possible into making sure we can help put Republicans over the finish line.

For Congressional races, Democrats have nearly twice as much money than Republicans. But Republicans are relying on voter anger.

- Leigh Ann Caldwell, FSRN, Washington