The NRCC came out with a heavy web ad today, keying off NY-20 Democratic candidate Scott Murphy's assertion that he opposes the death penalty for terrorists:
The race, seen as increasingly important as an indicator of Republican fortunes, has also become increasingly close in the closing weeks of the contest. A Siena Research Institute poll showed Murphy up four points on Republican Jim Tedisco today- a 16-point swing from Tedisco's commanding February lead. A loss in this right-leaning, rural district where Republicans outnumber Democrats would be bad news for embattled RNC chair Michael Steele in particular, and a revamping party that needs a win under its belt.
The Tedisco team claims its internal polling still shows him leading the race, and Republicans have outspent Murphy, but Dems are bringing out the big guns to take a shot at the seat vacated by moderate Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand. An Obama fund raising e-mail went out to citizens of the district, and he headlined two fund raisers for the DNC in Washington this week.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs yesterday defended Obama's political fund-raising in tough economic times, saying, "We haven't seen politics by either party stop in this period, though I think the president fully understands the situation the American people face."
Over the past week, Obama has also activated his grassroots campaign apparatus, Organizing for America, to put pressure on Congress to support his budget proposal.
The group, now housed within the DNC, announced yesterday that Saturday's door-to-door canvassing by more than 10,000 volunteers in all 50 states collected more than 100,000 pledges.
