Changes

The GOP has a small financial lead in Senate races. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has $6.80 million for its campaign account, but has $2.91 from outstanding loans. The [[National Republican Senatorial Committee]] has $5.10 million, and has paid off its debt from the last election cycle. <ref>http://ow.ly/pThQ</ref> In August 2009, the NRSC raised $3.08 million while the DSCC raised $2.2 million.  

The GOP has a small financial lead in Senate races. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has $6.80 million for its campaign account, but has $2.91 from outstanding loans. The [[National Republican Senatorial Committee]] has $5.10 million, and has paid off its debt from the last election cycle. <ref>http://ow.ly/pThQ</ref> In August 2009, the NRSC raised $3.08 million while the DSCC raised $2.2 million.  

In the Nov. 3, 2009, off-year elections, the final polls show landslides for Mayor Bloomberg in New York City and GOP candidate McDonnell for governor of Virginia, but a tossup in New Jersey.<ref> See [http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2009/governor/nj/new_jersey_governor_corzine_vs_christie-1051.html final polls]</ref>  Boyth states now have Democratic governors, but being tied to the [[Obama Administration]] is a handicap.

In the Nov. 3, 2009, off-year elections, the final polls show landslides for Mayor Michael Bloomberg in New York City and GOP candidate Bob McDonnell for governor of Virginia, but a tossup in New Jersey.<ref> See [http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2009/governor/nj/new_jersey_governor_corzine_vs_christie-1051.html final polls]</ref>  Both states now have Democratic governors, but being tied to the [[Obama Administration]] is a handicap.

Conservatives scored a major internal party victory in Oct. 2009 by forcing the Republican candidate [[Dede Scozzafava]] out of a House race in New York's 23rd district, for being too liberal.  The Conservative Party candidate now has GOP support and is expected to win easily. The purge may lead to further efforts to remove the handful of moderate Republicans who still hold office in the Northeast.  Whether the purge will extend to other parts of the country is the question.  "The conservative movement is alive, well, kicking hindquarters and taking names. And if you don't measure up, look out," advised party strategist Mark McKinnon. Already, conservative activists have zeroed in on the 2010 race for Florida's open Senate seat, in which the Republican party campaign committee has endorsed moderate Gov. [[Charlie Crist]] but the more conservative Marco Rubio, a former state House speaker, is mounting a strong challenge. "If I were Charlie Crist in Florida, what's happening in New York 23 would make me extremely nervous," GOP strategist Todd Harris said. "A lot of the establishment Republicans underestimated the grass-roots anger across the country about spending and the expansion of the federal government. The anger is boiling over now, but a lot of the seeds of discontent were planted over the last five to six years."<ref>Karl Vick and Philip Rucker, [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/31/AR2009103102219.html "In a war within GOP, the right wins a battle," ''Washington Post'' Nov. 1, 2009]</ref>

Conservatives scored a major internal party victory in Oct. 2009 by forcing the Republican candidate [[Dede Scozzafava]] out of a House race in New York's 23rd district, for being too liberal.  The Conservative Party candidate now has GOP support and is expected to win easily. The purge may lead to further efforts to remove the handful of moderate Republicans who still hold office in the Northeast.  Whether the purge will extend to other parts of the country is the question.  "The conservative movement is alive, well, kicking hindquarters and taking names. And if you don't measure up, look out," advised party strategist Mark McKinnon. Already, conservative activists have zeroed in on the 2010 race for Florida's open Senate seat, in which the Republican party campaign committee has endorsed moderate Gov. [[Charlie Crist]] but the more conservative Marco Rubio, a former state House speaker, is mounting a strong challenge. "If I were Charlie Crist in Florida, what's happening in New York 23 would make me extremely nervous," GOP strategist Todd Harris said. "A lot of the establishment Republicans underestimated the grass-roots anger across the country about spending and the expansion of the federal government. The anger is boiling over now, but a lot of the seeds of discontent were planted over the last five to six years."<ref>Karl Vick and Philip Rucker, [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/31/AR2009103102219.html "In a war within GOP, the right wins a battle," ''Washington Post'' Nov. 1, 2009]</ref>