Click here for linkEarthquake: Republicans Sweep Special Elections In NYC and Nevada.**BALLGAME: NY-09 has been called for Republican Bob Turner; and NV-02 for Republican Mark Amodei -- see updates below**
NY-09 has been represented by the likes of Geraldine Ferraro, Chuck Schumer, and Anthony Weiner. Al Gore won this district by....37 points in 2000, although it has been drifting rightward ever since. That Republicans are even remotely competitive in this race is due to a combination of Anthony Weiner's depravity, US-Israel relations, a hot-button social issue, and a very unpopular president.
NV-02 is a major swing district in Nevada. Lefties will hasten to point out that it's traditionally red territory -- after all, the special is to replace now-Senator Dean Heller, a Republican -- but not so fast. Nevada has been trending blue in recent cycles (McCain won this district in 2008 by 88 votes, out of a third of a million cast). The Democratic candidate, Kate Marshall, is a twice-elected statewide officeholder with significant financial backing from Harry Reid's machine, and strong name ID. Watch the margin in this one.
The Weiner race may be more dramatic, but Nevada is a major swing state heading into 2012. Obama desperately wants to hang on to the Silver State's six electoral votes next year, and Democrats have targeted Nevada as one of the few Republican-held Senate seats they may be able to pick off in an otherwise tough cycle. Tonight is an early skirmish in both of those fights.
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