The tallies are in, and Sen. Harry Reid has pulled the short end of the stick: He’s been rated the “most vulnerable” of all Democrats by Larry Sabato, the political scientist who oversees the University of Virginia’s Crystal Ball polling site.
The conclusion of the poll: Mr. Reid, first elected in 1986 to the Senate, is “probably the most vulnerable Democratic incumbent” for the upcoming Senate races, Newsmax reported.
“The unpopular Reid had a very difficult campaign in 2010, but he survived thanks to his hapless, foot-in-mouth opponent, Sharron Angle, and a tremendous ground operation,” Mr. Sabato’s survey found.
He also faces low approval ratings, Newsmax reported.
And by some accounts, Mr. Reid “has had a tougher time retaining his seat than any of the longest serving senators during the century-long era of popular Senate elections. He is, in many ways, the chartists of the Senate survivors,” the Crystal Ball found.
But if Nevada’s Republican governor, Brian Sandoval, entered the race for Senate, Mr. Reid would see real poll trouble.
Mr. Sandoval “is so formidable and popular that his entry into the race would make Reid an underdog,” Newsmax reported. citing the Crystal Ball findings. “We would move the rating [for the state] to ’Leans Republican.’ “
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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