Here’s the latest on tomorrow’s elections:

McDonnell continues to lead by double-digits.

Scozzafava endorsed the Democrat, no doubt to the embarrassment of the national party boobs who spent almost $1 million on her campaign. Hoffman leads in recent polls.

Nate Silver asks (and answers) 15 questions to help illuminate the tight New Jersey race. He gives a slight edge to Christie, whose supporters are more enthusiastic. Corzine’s saving grace may be the Democrats state machine apparatus.

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Voters will be going to the polls on November 3rd.  If you haven’t been paying much attention, here’s a quick recap of what’s going on:

The Races

Virginia Governor: Easy R Pick-up

McDonnell (R) is trouncing Deeds (D), who he has previously defeated in a statewide election (Attorney General). The Washington Post pulled out all the stops on behalf of Deeds in this race, at one point penning 12 hit pieces in 11 days, but it hasn’t mattered. The White House has already preemptively thrown Deeds under the bus, blaming his impending loss on not using them enough. Ha!

New Jersey Governor: Toss Up

Corzine’s (D) favorables are bad news for an incumbent, but the race is complicated by a third party candidate in Daggett (I). Christie (R) has been outspent by Corzine, a former Goldman Sachs Chairman who pretty much bought the seat in the first place, by a factor of 3 to 1. Nevertheless, polls have the race as a dead-heat.

Of note in the race has been some Corzine digs at Christie’s weight, which prompted Christie to say that he is gonna be a “big, fat winner.”

New York District 23: Likely Conservative Pick-up (he’ll caucus with Republicans, so also an R Hold)

Most recent polls have this three-way race down to Democrat Bill Owens and Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman. Republican Dede Scozzafava, a card-check and stimulus supporting liberal endorsed by DailyKOS, was appointed the Republican candidate by the local party bigwigs. There was no primary for this special election.

After running a terrible campaign (which at one point included an odd episode where the cops were called on a conservative reporter for asking her questions), and numerous prominent conservative Republicans endorsed Hoffman, recent polls have shown her falling fast. With campaign funds completely dried up, she finally threw in the towel this morning. Expect Hoffman to pick up most of her supporters.

Ballot Initiatives

Six states will have state-wide ballot initiatives up for vote on November 3rd. Some of the more interesting ones include:

Maine Question 1: A “People’s Veto” attempt to repeal an act which authorized same-sex marriage in Maine.

Maine Question 4: A TAxpayer Bill Of Rights (TABOR) initiative, question 4 would require taxpayer approval of taxing and spending efforts above a certain threshold (tied to inflation and population growth). The last TABOR attempt in Maine failed to pass.

Maine Question 5: Would allow for legal medical marijuana, and a regulated system of distribution.

Texas Proposition 11: Will prevent government, via constitutional amendment, from acquiring land for non-public use (Eminent Domain abuse).

Washington Referendum 71: A veto referendum that seeks to overturn SB 5688, a state domestic partnership law which granted all marriage rights to domestic partners.

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It must be hard out there for an arm of the Democratic Party that fronts as a newspaper.  The Washington Post has done everything in its power to elect Creigh Deeds in Virginia, yet he is getting his clocked cleaned.

Admittedly the Post did influence Deeds’ primary win with its endorsement.  But power over the Democratic Party, to which the Post belongs, is a far cry from having influence in a general election.  The Post became increasingly shrill while running 12 hit-piece stories over 11 days, many about a 20 year-old thesis that purveyors of identity politics used to try and paint McDonnell as a sexist.  Then it endorsed Deeds while hurling pejoratives at McDonnell.  The result? McDonnell leads by double-digits.

Not to be discouraged, the Post has moved on to other Virginia races.  In three installments over the weekend the paper endorsed various candidates.  Not surprisingly, 25 out of 29 endorsements went to Democrats.  And even when the Post did bring itself to endorse a Republican, it was always with a positive nod to the Democrat; whereas most Republicans were ridiculed and mocked hyperbolically.  It’s unlikely this desperate attempt to salvage the crumbling Democratic Party will have much success.  But is it any wonder that papers such as this just aren’t taken seriously anymore?

Correction: I must have had fast food on the mind when I first wrote this post, as I repeatedly referred to Bob McDonnell as McDonald. I regret the hunger-induced error.

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