Why can't this race be in play?

They elected her dead husband for cripes sake. How bad a job could she have done as a stand in? She's at least alive.

Hey, her husband went up in the polls after he died. Either there was a sympathy vote, or the people of Missouri would prefer a dead Senator. (Now there's a way to get minimal government.)

One additional point: The political landscape has changed since then -- enough that the White House incumbent party may actually hold even in the midterms. Of course, there's a good reason for that shift, and I can't imagine that the people of Mizzou somehow missed 9/11.

Now, the people of New Joisey, on the other hand...

Hey, I live in Missouri and let me tell ya'll - it's in play.



Carnahan had an 8 point lead on Talent in the Zogby poll three weeks ago. That lead grew out of a series of negative adds that blanketed the airwaves combined with some staged photo ops and a series of "Me Too" promos showing her support for Bush.



Talent's team was slow to respond but they've had an effective campaign going on for the last two weeks. Now Carnahan's attack adds are followed by Talent's adds rebutting her own and attacking her for misrepresenting his position. The adds appear to be working, though his organization could use a boost. A visit or three from Cheney, Rumsfeld and GWB would probably sink her this late in the game. Rock on Jim, we need ya' in the Senate!

She'll just fake her own death in early November and sneak in again.