In VA-35, Both Campaigns Predict Tight Race

The race to replace 35th District Delegate and Democratic Attorney General candidate Steve Shannon is within a 2-point margin – or at least it was two weeks ago, according to polls conducted for Republican candidate Jim Hyland.

Hyland’s margin, described by his campaign manager Kevin Conroy as “within the margin of error,” reflects a tightening of the race since a July benchmark poll, when pollsters Barry Zeplowitz and Bill Lee of TelOpinion Research indicated in a confidential memo posted on Hyland’s website that Hyland held a 7-point lead 43 percent to 36 percent lead, with 21 percent undecided. The memo did not indicate the size of the sample or whether “likely voter” filters were used.

Read more at Collins on Politics

Poll: Americans Want Government Run Health Care, But Won’t Use It

By Sam Wechsler - Talk Radio News Service

Quinnipiac University Polling Institute released a new poll Wednesday morning that sheds light on Americans’ health care views. The institute found that 69 percent of voters say Americans should have the option of government run health insurance, but only 28 percent said that they would use it.

In addition, 72 percent of voters would be unwilling to pay over $500 a year, or $1.40 a day, for health care reform. Forty-five percent would be unwilling to pay any taxes at all.

“Voters will be very happy to have business pay for this or to have the rich pay for it, but if you get past that they are much less willing to spend their money for a health care overhaul,” said Peter Brown, assistant director of the polling institute.

Despite the majority of voters saying there should be the option of government run health insurance, 49 percent are “very satisfied” with their current plans, and 36 percent are “somewhat satisfied.” However, only 52 percent believe that most Americans receive a “good value” for the money they spend on health care.

Obama has "tremendous" support from Latinos

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) along with the Democratic National Committee held a press conference this afternoon to discuss an unprecedented commitment by Obama's presidential campaign to engage Hispanic voters. He and the Democratic National Party together will donate $20 million for outreach to Hispanic and Latino voters in key states.

Cuauhtemoc "Temo" Figueroa, national director for Latino Voter Contact for Obama's presidential campaign said that the money will be spread throughout all 50 states, with special emphasis on key Latino battleground regions including Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and Florida. Rep. Jose Serrano (D-N.Y.) said that the money will be used in specific states with the intention of influencing Latinos in surrounding states. He gave the example of spending heavily in New York in order to influence voters in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Serrano said that the money will be used for television advertisements, online campaigns and to hire a staff of unprecedented numbers to motivate Latino voters. Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) said that even though polls have shown tremendous support for Obama from the Latino community, this contribution will ensure that support continues to grow.