Over at the premiere rumor-mill blog in Colorado, speculation is rife that the national GOP brass is pulling out of the Colorado Senate race.
NRSC To Abandon Schaffer?
We're hearing credible rumors this morning that the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) will shortly pull out of the Colorado Senate race, citing dwindling cash reserves, Schaffer's plummeting poll numbers, and unexpectedly strong threats to incumbent GOP Senators around the country. Such a move would effectively represent the end of the Bob Schaffer's run, as national donors follow the NRSC's cue...
The NRSC won't say anything until the last possible moment, but from what we're hearing it's for real. The latest polling shows strong trends against GOP incumbents all over the country: In Minnesota where Al Franken is now posting small leads on Norm Coleman, in North Carolina where Elizabeth Dole is unexpectedly running behind challenger Kay Hagan, even in Kentucky where Democrat Bruce Lunsford has pulled with 7 points of Mitch McConnell.
Bottom line: The GOP's morale is very close to spent at this point. They are fighting too many rearguard actions as races around the country start to lock in. And as much as they value holding Wayne Allard's Senate seat, there is a growing recognition that Bob Schaffer is headed for an unpreventable loss, and scarce resources must be deployed elsewhere.