Even More Uncertainty

There were more crazy poll numbers on Wednesday, scrambling the picture even more on what exactly is going to happen when Election Day arrives in 12 days.

For example, the Ohio Governor's race, where Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland is struggling to hang onto his seat against former GOP Congressman John Kasich.

If you believe the Quinnipiac poll out earlier this week, Kasich is cruising with a 10 point edge.  The Ohio poll from last week had him up 8 points.

But on Wednesday, in popped a poll from CNN/Time, which had Gov. Strickland ahead by 1 point.

Democrats screamed for joy, just like they've been screaming in Pennsylvania about the Senate race between Republican Pat Toomey and Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA).

When the week began, Toomey was cruising, as Rasmussen gave him a 10 point lead.

Then two polls came out in successive days showing Sestak ahead by 3 points, then by 1 point.

Is that really happening?  Are the Democrats coming back?

Then the Capitol Hill newspaper "The Hill" released a new batch of polls on Congressional races around the country, and the news was not good for Democrats.

Their candidates were behind in MS 1, AZ 5, WI 8, IL 14, IL 17 and NH 1, with a tie in NY 19.

(That's the way we talk about these races after looking at them for months - who needs the candidate names, when all you have to do is say "Mississippi 1", and I suddenly have dreams of going to Memphis for a weekend while researching the future of Rep. Travis Childers.)

"Independents breaking for the Republicans," was a common theme in some of those polls.

Across town, political expert extraordinaire Charlie Cook was updating his House race ratings, moving eight more races into the "Toss Up" category, which inspires quick purchases of liquid Maalox by both parties.

Cook now has 47 seats in the Toss-Up category, most of which are held by Democrats.  There are 23 Democratic seats that are either "Lean Republican" or "Likely Republican."

There are only three GOP seats in the "Lean Democratic" column.

You get the picture.  But - where will it all end?

The Democrats are surging in some races, bottoming out in others.

The Republicans are moving the wrong way in some races and stomping on Democrats in others.

12 days to go.

It all reminds me of one quote:  "when a journalist turns into a politics junkie he will sooner or later start raving and babbling in print about things that only a person who has Been There can possibly understand."

There were more crazy poll numbers on Wednesday, scrambling the picture even more on what exactly is going to happen when Election Day arrives in 12 days. For example, the Ohio Governor's race, where Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland is struggling to hang onto his seat against former GOP Congressman John ...