Mourdock In Trouble

It's just one poll in a string of polls, but Richard Mourdock has to begin to wonder just exactly he stands with Hoosier voters.  He also has to wonder if it's time to push the panic button or not.

Richard Mourdock

A recent Rasmussen Poll places Mourdock just two points ahead of his Democratic opponent Joe Donnelly, 42-40.  The poll showed 11 percent undecided and is well within the five point margin for error.  It's still early, and a lot could happen, but the same poll, in which a wide majority of those called identified themselves as a Republican, showed former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney with a 51 percent to 35 percent lead over President Barack Obama in Indiana.  Mourdock should be running better in a state that has moved so far into the red recently.

Joe Donnelly

While Mourdock is simply a bad candidate, Joe Donnelly is doing his part to win running an absolutely perfect campaign right now most recently punctuated by a flawless appearance on MSNBC's Hardball.  He's a brawler, and he's used to close races.  He's run them all his political life.  Mourdock is not as disciplined, and it shows.  I think it's hampering his campaign, but I'm not complaining.

Andy Horning

While he initially attempted a move towards the center, he's been out and about saying crazy things lately.  In a race with a popular third party candidate like Libertarian Andy Horning, Mourdock should be more careful.  Even Horning attacked Mourdock's comparison of the auto bailout to slavery.  Horning turned to Facebook, posting a link to an article about Mourdock's comments and writing, "I suppose I've been guilty of invoking the usual Hitler and slavery motifs. I try to be accurate, though. This, in the context of a guy managing unconstitutional state funds, is a little over-the-top."

Donnelly is in a good position right now.  Unlike Brad Ellsworth's 2010 run, he's right in this thing heading to the late summer and into the fall.  This one is going right down to the wire.