OH-Sen:  This 4/1 post showed Quinnipiac’s poll claiming a Dem lead in the Senate race for Voinovich’s seat.  This 4/3 post showed Rasmussen claiming the opposite, in its poll… a Republican lead.  

Today’s Research 2000 poll shows a Dem lead.

Democratic primary - Lee Fisher leads.

Lee Fisher (D) 35 
Jennifer Brunner (D) 26 
Undecided 39 (61)

As to Republican (former U.S. Trade Representative) Rob Portman vs. the Dems, a slight Dem lead

Rob Portman (R) 39 (35)
Lee Fisher (D) 43 (42)
Undecided 18 (23)

Rob Portman (R) 40 (36)
Jennifer Brunner (D) 41 (40)
Undecided 18 (24)

Nate Silver now thinks the Dems would lose 51 seats if the election were held today.  Worst case scenario, using Rasmussen’s numbers, would be a 79 seat loss.

MI-01  Bart Stupak (D) is retiring.  He announced it today.  He worked for anti-abortion provisions in the health insurance reform bill, then voted for the bill.  He thus came under fire from both sides of the abortion issue. From a trade perspective, this is not good.  Stupak was a very,…

PA-Sen:  Quinnipiac has Sen. Arlen Specter (D) ahead of Joe Sestak (D) in the Dem primary.  53-32%.  But Public Policy Polling has Pat Toomey (R) leading Specter in the general election, 46-43%.    PA Gov:  PPP has Attorney General Tom Corbett (R) leading all potential Dem challengers by double digits. …

IL-Sen:  Public Policy Polling has Mark Kirk (R) moving ahead of Alexi Giannoulias by four points.  37-33%. IL-Gov:  The same PPP firm has Bill Brady up by double digits over Lieut. Gov. Pat Quinn.  44-33%. PPP is well respected.

OH-Sen:  I wrote about a Democratic "mini surge" as a result of Quinnipiac’s polling.  But Rasmussen reverses, showing former US Trade Representative Rob Portman up slightly. OH-Sen: Rob Portman (R) 43%, Lee Fisher (D) 38% OH-Sen: Rob Portman (R) 45%, Jennifer Brunner (D) 38%  The numbers are stable from last…

MI-Gov:  Incumbent Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm is not popular.  It’s hard for any governor to be popular during a Great Recession when your state leads the nation in unemployment. Republican Congressman Peter Hoekstra (MI-02) is the current favorite to take her place.  Rasmussen polled the two primary races. MI-Gov (D):…

OH-Sen:  From Quinnipiac: In the Senate race, Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher leads Republican Rob Portman 41 - 37 percent, reversing a 40 - 37 percent Portman lead February 24. Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner edges Portman 38 - 37 percent, reversing a 40 - 35 percent Republican lead. The pool…

The passage of health care reform caused turmoil in the polls, and the direction is not clear.  Both sides benefited.  The sum is that the Republicans still have the advantage electorally, but the Democrats have improved their position. As to health care reform itself, Gallop found, last week, that a…

The following is a press release from Senator Charles Schumer’s website

China’s Currency Manipulation Undermines U.S. Manufacturing Base By Making U.S.-Made Goods More Expensive Relative To Foreign Goods

Schumer Stands With Representatives of Company Facing Ever Growing Pressure From Artificially Cheap Chinese Imports - Other Central New York Companies Like Syracuse China and Magna Have Closed or Drastically Downsized  

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that he is pushing new legislation to vigorously address China’s currency manipulation that unfairly and negatively impacts U.S. trade. If passed, the legislation would provide less flexibility to the Treasury Department when it comes to citing countries for currency manipulation. It would also impose stiff new penalties on countries that manipulate their currency, including possible tariffs on the countries’ exports and a ban on any companies from those countries receiving U.S. government contracts. Schumer discussed his legislation in Central New York today at Crucible Industries, a Syracuse New York based steel manufacturer, that sees its sales and supply chains undercut by Chinese imports that are made cheaper by currency manipulation. While at the manufacturing plant, Schumer made the case that regional companies like Syracuse China and Magna have closed or drastically downsized in recent years as the Chinese government has continued to undervalue its currency.