CT-SEN Poll: Rob Simmons (R) 43, Chris Dodd (D) 42 (Christopher Dudd in Danger)

Redstate ^ | March 10th 2009 | Dan McLaughlin

[GOPGuide]

At the end of my tenure on this committee, I want it to be said that the safety and soundness of our financial institutions was not weakened on my watch

-Chris Dodd, February 15, 2007

(H/T Ironman, who notes that the Dow has fallen nearly in half since that date).

Senator Dodd has a lot to answer for and it looks like Connecticut voters are turning on him, as a new Quinnipiac poll out this morning shows he would narrowly trail moderate Republican former Congressman Rob Simmons 43-42 if the election were held today. (H/T) Simmons has been publicly mulling a run, as has longtime business pundit Larry Kudlow. The underlying numbers don’t look promising for an incumbent this far from the start of campaigning:

Sen. Dodd leads State Sen. Sam Caligiuri 47 - 34 percent and tops CNBC-TV host Larry Kudlow 46 - 34 percent, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds.

In the Dodd-Simmons matchup, Democrats back Dodd 74 - 15 percent while Simmons leads 80 - 10 percent among Republicans and 49 - 32 percent among independent voters.

Connecticut voters approve 49 - 44 percent of the job Dodd is doing, compared to a negative 41 - 48 percent approval rating February 10. Dodd gets a split 46 - 45 percent favorability.

For Simmons, 53 percent do not know enough to form an opinion. Caligiuri and Kudlow are even more unknown, at 88 and 87 percent.

It’s a long way to Election Day, and of course defeating a Democratic incumbent in a blue state is never easy. But the voters are clearly uncomfortable with Dodd’s ethical lapses and obstruction of needed reforms of the housing credit market, and receptive to hearing arguments from Republicans. This will be a race worth contesting.

[GOPGuide]

Any chance Dudd will retire and go into the private sector to work?

[SoDak]

Would you hire him?

[Bluegrass Conservative]

Simmons would be the best we could ever hope for out of CT!! I hope he decides to go for this!

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

Election’s a year and a half away, let’s not get complacent, anything can happen, etc. etc.

[ZULU]

“It’s a long way to Election Day, and of course defeating a Democratic incumbent in a blue state is never easy. But the voters are clearly uncomfortable with Dodd’s ethical lapses and obstruction of needed reforms of the housing credit market, and receptive to hearing arguments from Republicans. This will be a race worth contesting.”

True. But like Governor Corzine in New Jersey and Chris Christie or even Lonegan,, considering the real facts, the difference between the two candidates in BOTH states should be far larger.

Its not because too many Democrats are too stultifying wedded to the (D) column and the Republicans are too ineffective in opposing the Democrats.

[Graybeard58]

Would you hire him?

If he had just given my company millions in taxpayer money, I might consider it.

Put him in an office somewhere out of sight and give him no responsibilities or authority to actually do anything.

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

Simmons would be the best we could ever hope for out of CT!! I hope he decides to go for this!

See, that's exactly it. Sooner or later, some high-on-the-horse fire-eater's going to come on here and loudly proclaim that they're "never gonna vote Republican again!!!!!!!" because Rob Simmons is a moderate. But guess what, folks, he's all you'll get from a left-wing state like CT. Better a moderate Republican who adds to our numbers and a potential retake of the Senate, than a liberal Democrat who doesn't.

[darkangel82]

Which one is the Republican?

[Bluegrass Conservative]

Careful. That type of common sense isn’t always appreciated in these here parts. ; )

[SolidWood]

I have absolutely no problem with “moderate Republicans” from lefty states... as long as they don’t betray their side, and retain a modicum of conservative stances.

I have however issues with “moderates” on a national level.

[Crimson Elephant]

Maybe Vince McMahon will run (only half joking). If Al Franken can be a Dem Senator, why not Vince McMahon as a GOPer? At least it would have comedic value.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Simmons leads Dodd in CT.

[Redleg Duke]

ACORN will come to the rescue!

[SoDak]

If I already had the money, his usefulness is over.

[who_would_fardels_bear]

Step 1. People presented with the facts about Dodd's involvement in the financial disaster rationally choose another candidate.

Step 2. Voters presented with the choice between electing a new senator with no clout, and keeping a loathesome scumbag in office with lots of clout (and pork barrel potential) rationally choose to keep the loathesome scumbag in office.

After all, he is their loathesome scumbag.

[GOPGuide]

You wanna take a wild stab at how many seats we’ll pick up in 2010 for House and Senate?

[fieldmarshaldj]

Wild guess would be all I could do. Until we see who actually decides to get in the races, it’s hard to tell. You can’t beat somebodies with nobodies. I think the Senate side of things looks bad. We could, even under better circumstances, lose more seats. Weak bench and poor opportunities. Even this article presumes Simmons runs, and he hasn’t declared. It’s no guarantee of a win, though. The GOP has performed terribly in CT with respect to Senate races. The last to win was the horrid liberal Weicker in (1971-89). Before him was Prescott Bush in ‘56 (and I believe even he was a fairly liberal Republican).

I think we’ll clearly pick up seats in the House, but the gains will range from modest (10) to decent (25), but we’ve got to pick up 40 (39 with Tedisco in NY, but might as well say 40 because of the fluke win in NOLA, and Cao won’t win a second term short of a miracle) in order to win a one-seat majority. Could we win 40 ? Yes, if this becomes a full-on Depression (which has very good odds). But we can’t win back the Senate as it stands now.

[Liz]

How does Angie Mozilo get into his $170,000
Lamborghini with Dodd in his back pocket?

===============================================

REFERENCE For nearly a year and a half, Mozilo's Countrywide Mortgage failed (or declined) to secure its interest in Dodd's home by taking the ordinary and essential step of presenting the documents to the local town clerk and recording them in the land records.----The escrow company that handles the transaction always does that once the monies are wired.

JUST WONDERING Why would someone instruct the escrow company not to record Dodd's Deed? Actually on a refi, the deed would be in Dodd's name and the recording would be a lien by Countrywide.

QUESTIONS (A) Was the Dodd mortgage non-existent? (B) Were wired monies a payoff "laundered" as a mortgage? (C) Were the monies diverted-----maybe wired to a Conn casino account?

RECAP The escrow company that handles mortgage transactions always records the deed once the monies are wired. Why would someone instruct the escrow company not to record Dodd's deed? Unless the mortgage was non-existent and monies a payoff "laundered" as a mortgage.

Wired monies could be a smoking gun. Were the mortgage monies diverted-----maybe wired to a Conn casino account?

CASINO ANGLE Dodd (and his wife and family) are probably enrolled in high-roller comp programs at Conn casinos (and/or in other gambling venues). These programs show every nickel high rollers bet---including wins on which high rollers may not have paid taxes.

Casinos are very tightly regulated. They are more than happy to cooperate with authorities---to protect their licenses. Casinos would also have records on the amount of untraceable casino chips Dodd (his wife and his family) received-----maybe gifts from his pal Angelo.

Authorities should also inquire if Dodd wire-transferred--- or if Angelo and other sub-prime lenders--- wire-transferred monies into Dodd's casino account........and if taxes were paid on these monies.

CONTACTS: Connecticut Division of Special Revenue (Gaming Control Board)
WEB SITE http://74.125.95.104/search?q=cache:EPdMRVRy8g8J:www.ct.gov/dosr/

Mailing Addresses:

Division of Special Revenue (casino control)
555 Russell Rd.
Newington 06111-1523

Division of Special Revenue (casino control)
P.O. Box 310424
Newington CT 06131-0424

Another possibility: Dodd, his family, and Angelo, may have used NETeller Plc to illegally convert monies that were then transferred offshore---to overseas gambling companies, for their personal use later. NETeller is an Isle of Man-based payment processor for gambling Web sites (suspected of having operations in the US Virgin Islands---a notorious money-laundering bank haven).

[Carry_Okie]

See, that's exactly it. Sooner or later, some high-on-the-horse fire-eater's going to come on here and loudly proclaim that they're "never gonna vote Republican again!!!!!!!"

OK, I'll take that job. No way. Placating moderates is what got the Republicans removed from power because we own the consequences of liberal policy.

[SuziQ]

Oh, man, would Dodd’s defeat be SCHWEET!!