[nathanbedford]

I believe the 2014 election will represent an attempt by both parties to nationalize the congressional races. This will especially be true of the Democrats if they entertain any hope of taking the House. But they suffer from a distinct disadvantage in that they will be forced campaign on a lie that the Republicans are solely responsible for the shutdown and are therefore irresponsible, and they will have to campaign with the corpse of Obamacare hung around their necks.

The Republicans will be in a position of campaigning on the truth but they will be faced with a hostile media. I don't think they are in any danger of losing control of the House but the question is whether they can nationalize the election to the extent that they can take the Senate, a more difficult task than nationalizing the election to take the House.

When Axelrod says the Republicans are structurally in good shape I think he is referring to the safe Republican seats for the House members and the number of seats which Democrats must defend in the Senate.

When he speaks of the 2016 presidential election and implies that the Republicans will not win unless they go Rino, I don't think it matters so much what the ideology of the Republican champion is, what matters is his charisma.

[GeronL]

The Democrats are not disadvantaged by campaigning on a lie, they have been doing that for a very long time

[Servant of the Cross]

2012 U.S. POTUS Election Results by County (and this was Mitty...)