Chris Cillizza and Jeffrey H. Birnbaum have a piece in the Washington Post today on the 2007 race for Governor of Kentucky. The announcement this week by Congressman Ben Chandler that he will not seek to become the Democratic nominee against troubled GOP incumbent Ernie Fletcher opens the field to a number of possible Democratic candidates.

http://bluesunbelt.com/show Diary.do?diaryId=17

Everyone's talking about the newest Republican scandal unfolding in Nevada, but in case you haven't had the time to think much about it, I'd like to highlight the following...

First, this NEW scandal will refocus the national spotlight back to the seemingly infinite stream of Republican improprieties giving one final push to the image of the corrupt Republican party - just in case it was slipping anyone's mind.

Second, this will clearly shift momentum from Gibbons to his Democratic challenger for Nevada Governor, Dina Titus.

Already, Titus is fighting the good fight but trailing Gibbons by about 6 points.

The average of the last 5 non-partisan polls looks like this:

Jim Gibbons (R) 47
Dina Titus (D) 41

Expect this latest episode of Republican greed, self-entitlement, and hypocrisy to induce a HUGE swing in favor of Titus -- yet another Governorship in the Democrat's column.

Also to be considered is the battle between Jill Derby (D) and Dean Heller (R) for Nevada's 2nd congressional district -- the one being vacated by Gibbons.

The only two non-partisan polls conducted show a close race.

Mason-Dixon - 9/19-21/06

Jill Derby (D) ~ 42
Dean Heller (R) ~ 45

Research 2000 - 9/5-7/06

Jill Derby (D) ~ 37
Dean Heller (R) ~ 45

With the high-profile Republican incumbent crashing and burning in scandal, there is a high likelihood that there will be some negative energy weighing on his would-be Republican successor. It may only be for a few points but in a race this tight, a few points are all you need.

Also note that it's too late to take Gibbons name off the ballot, so if this continues in the direction that I think it will, that will mean Jim Gibbons' name will be sitting at the top of the ballot reminding the good voters of Nevada of the scandal, corruption, dishonesty, criminality, perversion, and hypocrisy that the GOP has wrought upon this land.

It will be a fine reminder that it's time for a change.

Jim Gibbons is the Republican Representative from Nevada's 2nd District as well as the GOP's candidate for the state's governorship.

His wife, Dawn Gibbons, was running for the congressional seat he's leaving vacant -- that is, until she was soundly defeated in the Republican primary.

Both have long been known as being 'tough on illegal immigration', but now the Gibbons are being taken down by their own former employee -- an illegal immigrant from Peru.

Patricia Pastor Sandoval worked for Jim and his wife Dawn for several years, starting in 1987. During that time, Sandoval claims the Gibbons knew of her illegal status and took pains to cover it up, occasionally requiring her to hide in the basement to conceal her illegal status. To boot, the Gibbons family dismissed US laws by:

• paying Sandoval only $4 per hour, less than the $5.15 per hour federal minimum wage

• knowingly employing an undocumented alien

• paying her 'under the table'

• and failing to pay employer taxes.

Cross-posted at dailykos

Yesterday I had the immense pleasure of attending the Deval Patrick rally for change on Boston Common. About 5500 people from all over the Bay State came to show their support for our Democratic Nominee for Governor of Massachusetts. I even got a little bit of tape on the Duke and his lovely bride as they made their way out after the remarks.

Patrick didn't show up to give his normal speech. He didn't show up to attack and refute charges. He didn't show up to merely rally the troops. He came to show all of us what leadership looks like. What leadership sounds like. Real leadership.  

Follow me below the fold for the video of Deval Patrick in Boston Common.