With Monday's new poll showing Democrat Tom White withing striking distance of victory against Republican incumbent Lee Terry in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, a lot of the DailyKos community is probably wondering what the mainstream media has been missing about this race that's kept it off the national radar. So, here's why our Democratic challenger is going to win this seat.
One of the biggest and most surprising factors in this race has to be the continuing popularity of President Barack Obama - at least, relatively speaking. The same Omaha World-Herald poll - the only polling that's really been done for this race - shows that 47% of the district's registered voters still approve of Obama's job performance. At the same time, more than 60 percent disapprove of Congress' performance. With numbers like that, it shouldn't be any surprise that Lee Terry only has 38% favorability after representing this district for 12 years in Congress.
The experts also underestimate just how weak and ineffective an incumbent Lee Terry really is. He's only passed a single bill after six-terms in Congress - naming a post office. In just the last two years, Terry has also embarrassed himself, his party, and his constitutents through his shameless behavior and total obedience to corporate lobbyists. That includes entering a corporate lobbyists words in the Congressional record as if they were his own, then making national headlines asking a comely lobbyist "Why did you get me so drunk?" It's gotten so bad even John Boehner's had to scold him. Add in the fact that Terry's continued voting against every Wall Street reform measure after supporting the TARP bailout, and it's become clear to 2nd District voters that Terry doesn't share their values and isn't representing their interests - but, rather, Wall Street's.
Finally, those who live outside the district haven't seen the hard-hitting ads by Tom White's campaign. Take a look at a few of the ads the White campaign has been running - completely destroying Terry for his ties to corporate lobbyists and his threats against Social Security - and you'll see why Tom White is going to win this election.
LOBBYISTS
GAMBLE
TERRY IN HIS OWN WORDS
Tom White is a fighter, but he needs all of our help to get his message out. We have to keep these ads on the air and keep Lee Terry on the run. We can win this race against all the odds - sending a powerful message from the very heart of our country that pushes back against the Republican Party's propaganda machine.