A poll provided to The Buzz shows Kosmas as a 12-point underdog to state Rep. Sandy Adams. At this stage of the election that is bad news. Of course, this is a partisan poll from Public Opinion Strategies, and so far is just one poll. It could be an outlier. It could be one that is weighted heavily to favor Republicans. Are 63 percent of Space Coast voters really opposed to Obamacare? I have trouble believing that.
But there is no question this is troublesome ground. This seat was created in the 2002 Legislative session, when Speaker of the House Tom Feeney wanted a custom district to carry him to Washington. It worked until the Jack Abramoff scandal and a Democratic wave brought him down. But the district still leans to the right.
That is why Kosmas was wishy-washy on health care. She voted against original versions, pissing off the left, the voted for the final, pissing off the right. Not that I expect Democrats to learn lessons, but this should teach one to those politicians who believe blatant pandering gets anywhere with modern voters. But nothing to do about it now.
Obama has low approval ratings in the district, around 38 in this poll. With his shuttle-hating ways, that doesn't surprise me so much. But again, Kosmas has responded by coming out fighting against the president. Since she already has a shaky relationship with the left, I don't think this is so wise a strategy.
My advice, shore up support on the left. Compare Kosmas' support in FL-24 to Alan Grayson's in FL-08 and you see how well triangulation fares to authentic liberalism in the year 2010. But it may be too late. There are no big fights left in Congress before Election Day, and no way for Kosmas to still prove herself to voters. Her record stands for what it is. Only her rhetoric can turn this race around.
To write off a race in early September, as some party leaders already seem intent to do, would be ridiculous. A few presidential visits and a solid televised debate could still shift things the other way. But more pundits are moving this from Toss-Up to Leans R. I don't like it, but I can't argue. I want to say this is Kosmas' race to lose. I fear that she will do just that.
Kosmas has made many mistakes. My vote was up for grabs in 2008 since the incumbent Rick Keller was a fairly undistinguished. I got a few phone calls from Keller's campaign but I got at least four a day, both at home and at work, from the Kosmas campaign. I politely asked them to quit calling me but when the barrage of idiotic campaign calls continued, I moved my vote to Keller's column
ReplyDeletecorrection - I got Grayson calls at work - my job was in a different district than my home - he was running against Keller
ReplyDeleteFeeney was doubtful - but Kosmas did move my vote to his column
I hope Sandy Adams starts calling you at work, then.
ReplyDeleteThe lesson is one for any politico - if you carpet bomb with phone messages, you will sufficiently annoy voters to get them to find reasons not to vote for you
ReplyDeleteSo far I haven't received too many calls this election season. Maybe this is a good omen
The best thing that can be said about Kosmas is that Tom Feeney is gone for good. He sucked as a Republican. Of course, Kosmas sucks much worse, but what do you expect - she's a Pelosi-suck-up dead-fish Democrat.
ReplyDeleteAnywhoo - Sandy Adams is ripping Kosmas a new rear-end hole in this election. Kosmas is a total piece of garbage. She wouldn't listen to her constituants who were begging, pleading, crying to her not to pass ObamaCare. What did she do? She lied and said she wouldn't vote for it..........................and then SHE DID!
I can't even imagine doing business with Kosmas or even her real estate agency because she's such a disgusting, condecending liar.
Kosmas - Yuuuuuuuuck!