How Ned Lamont Might Save His Campaign

by Hesiod Theogeny, Wed Nov 01, 2006 at 07:37:36 AM EST

According to the latest Q poll, Joe Lieberman leads Ned Lamont by 12 points. The Rassmusen poll puts the lead at 8 points.

Assumming a slight Q poll bias in favor of Joe Lieberman (which it's had from way back during the primaries) I'm inclined to think that the Rassmusen poll is more accurate.

But, in either case, Ned has a LOT of ground to make up in less than 1 week. A tall task.

So how does he save his campaign? By hammering Joe "short ride" Lieberman on the issues of abortion and Terry Schiavo. With TV ads. With campaign appearances. With stunts. With push polls. With, well, you name it.

Why?

Because according to that same Q poll, Joe Lieberman actually leads Lamont with women voters by 5 points. If Ned Lamont can swing that differential around in his favor, he's probably made up significant ground on Lieberman. And, I suspect, he's probably moved some male Democrats and pro-choice independants towards him as well.

Not that Iraq isn't important. Not that tying Lieberman to Bush doesn't make some sense. But the area where Lamont can gain the most traction, the quickest, is in getting women to switch to him. And that means pummeling Lieberman on abortion and Terry Schiavo.

I have argued that Republicans are simply NOT going to abandon Lieberman and move to Schlesinger.

And, it is clear that Lamont's only other viable strategy is to bring Democrats home to him by campaigning, hard with Democratic party big guns such as Bill Clinton. But that's not going to happen either.

So, Lamont only has one card left: Try to sway women voters to move to him over Joe Lieberman.

Admittedly, this strategy would have worked better had it been atempted a few weeks ago. Especially during the debates. But, you play with the cards you are dealt, and I am offering up the only viable solution I can come up with to help Ned Lamont save his campaign.

I don't believe ballot position, GOTV or the "Democratic wave" is going to miraculously save Ned Lamont. I do think this has a chance. Not a great chance, mind you. But a real one.

Tags: Joe Lieberman, Ned Lamont (all tags)

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7 Comments

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The Iraq war should be brought up as competency

Lamont has already gotten all the votes he can wring out of the policy factor related to the iraq war. If he does bring up the war now, he should bring it up as an example of Lieberman's competency.

And I agree, bring up the other issues now. Talk about how Lieberman's obsession with the war has led him to not seriously attack Bush on the many other policies he claims to be on the same page as democrats. And attack him on the points Hesiod brought up here.

by Pravin 2006-11-01 09:17AM | 0 recs
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Re: How Ned Lamont Might Save His Campaign

Perhaps reminding Republicans of Lieberman's more liberal positions (not that any immediately come to mind) would pry some Republican voters away from him.  If Schlesinger gets 20 percent of the vote -- I'd argue that that would be about the base for a generic Republican in Connecticut -- Lamont should be able to get 40 percent to win.

by Tom 2006-11-01 09:30AM | 0 recs
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No. No. No.

Republicans are not going to move to Schlesinger. And pointing out how "liberal" Joe is on social issues is only going to cut into Ned's Democratic support.

You have to attack Joe on abortion and the Terry Schaivo issue because that will move women to Lamont. It will also help among pro-choice independant men.

Also, I suspect that Joe being Joe, he will take umbrage at the attacks and ho around claming he's gout some great lifetime rating from NARAL. Whihc, in itself, will piss off "pro-life" Republicans who might be backing Joe.

by Hesiod Theogeny 2006-11-01 09:38AM | 0 recs
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Re: No. No. No.

Well wait till we see the final numbers but I suspect Alan's share of the vote will be in the teens, probably mid teens, not the 5-8% that the polls seem to think he'll get.

Lots of republicans will vote R across all the races even if in the back of their mind they had intended to vote for Joe. It's a force of habit.

by kundalini 2006-11-01 10:51AM | 0 recs
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Re: How Ned Lamont Might Save His Campaign

I agree. Phone banking by women's groups. That's the ticket.

Married women with children are concerned not only about national security but also about their economic security, energy costs and the growing crime rate in the country, the pollsters said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061101/ts_n m/usa_elections_women_dc_2

by misscee 2006-11-01 09:37AM | 0 recs
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Whatever works.

But Lamont better stop whining about lack of support from Washington, and do this soon or it's over.

by Hesiod Theogeny 2006-11-01 09:39AM | 0 recs
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Re: How Ned Lamont Might Save His Campaign

Arm chair strategist - kinda like chicken hawks.

btw - I've yet to hear a whine from Ned Lamont - he's got the guts to do what no one else in this state would stand up and do, challenge the asshole who represents the state of CT.

Go Ned!!

by Maxfield 2006-11-01 04:47PM | 0 recs

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