Weigel

Democratic Doom Watch: Rare Anti-Doom Alert

The Albuquerque Journal has a poll out on the races in New Mexico’s 1st and 2nd congressional districts. These are the sorts of districts that would fall in a GOP wave – both were represented by Republicans until, in a bit of Democratic luck, both of their members ran in the GOP U.S. Senate primary in 2008. But the first-term Democrats in both districts are currently winning. Rep. Martin Henrich (D-N.M.) has a 6-point lead in the first district and Rep. Harry Teague (D-N.M.) has a 2-point lead in the second district.

Is there anything amiss with these numbers? It doesn’t look like it. The same poll shows the Palin-endorsed Republican candidate for governor, Susanna Martinez, with a solid lead over Lt. Gov. Dianne Denish. So there you go, rare Democratic sunshine. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that former congressman Steve Pearce, who’s challenging Teague, has pounded the incumbent on his pro-cap-and-trade vote despite there being basically zero chance of the legislation going into effect.