[zeestephen]

Re: “They [the Democrats] realize that they have a bad candidate in Braley.”

Well, not that bad.

Last two polls:

13 July - Braley/Ernst tied

16 June - Braley +4

Republican Governor Terry Branstad is +15 in the same July poll.

My first question:

After months of bad political news for Democrats, why is the GOP candidate Ernst just tied?

[iowamark]

We cannot compare Joni Ernst to Governor Branstad. He is running for his sixth (1982-1998, 2010-?) term, is very popular, rescued state government from a terrible Dem governor in 2010. Ernst is not well known outside her state senate district.

[jjotto]

Braley has been elected to four terms from an eastern Iowa CD that includes Iowa’s second largest city and two of the state’s three universities. Eastern Iowa is dependably Democrat. He is actually an Iowan and actually does live there.

Ernst is a State Senator from the sparsely populated southwest part of the state, although she does have the backing of the GOP establishment and Sarah Palin.

Ernst is being tarred as a tool of the Koch brothers and Big Oil.

It was always going to be an uphill battle.