Christie Barely Hangs On To Lead
Posted in Main Blog (All Posts) on October 14th, 2009 4:38 am by HL
Christie Barely Hangs On To Lead
A new Quinnipiac poll in New Jersey finds Chris Christie (R) leads Gov. Jon Corzine (D) by just one point, 41% to 40%, with independent Christopher Daggett at 14%.
Just two weeks ago, Christie held a four point lead.
Said pollster Maurice Carroll: “It’s still a nail-biter. Christopher Christie has never given up the lead, but it’s been getting slimmer and now it’s a dead heat.”
A PPP survey yesterday also showed Christie with a one point edge.
Daily Pulse: Merging the Health Care Bills
“Senators are wasting no time in launching negotiations to merge the Finance Committee’s $829 billion health care overhaul bill — passed Tuesday on a 14-9 vote — with competing legislation approved by the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, with hard bargaining expected to begin Wednesday,” Roll Call reports.
President Obama and Senate Democratic leaders “now face the arduous task of crafting a bill that can garner 60 votes, without dismantling the Finance bill’s signature achievement: a Congressional Budget Office analysis projecting that the legislation will extend health coverage to millions of Americans without adding to the federal deficit.”
“Fresh off a victorious committee vote over a year in the making, Baucus signaled his intent to forcefully protect his bill in the merger negotiations.”
Politico notes Democrats “are headed toward an intraparty battle” that even President Obama “will struggle to mediate.”
The Fix lists the winners and losers from yesterday’s vote.
Meanwhile, The Hill reports that with the legislation heading to the Senate floor, interest groups “have unleashed a torrent of spending and grassroots activity to influence the Senate healthcare debate.”
Wexler to Step Down
Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL), “a self-described ‘fire-breathing liberal,’ defender of Israel and friend of both President Barack Obama and Gov. Charlie Crist, is quitting Congress to head a think tank seeking peace in the Middle East,” the Miami Herald reports.
CQ Politics: “Wexler’s 19th Congressional District is safe Democratic territory and there will no doubt be a long line of interested candidates running in a special election to fill the vacancy.”
