From Peritus:

Late in the race, the Republican State Leadership Committee, a national organization, began airing ads specifically focused on jobs and the economy. The ad begins by talking about the number of unemployed Kentuckians and saying they are “out of hope,” a direct shot at President Barack Obama. It finishes by using Haydon’s own words against him about the need to find more revenue for state government. (Note to campaign handlers: don’t send your candidate to a debate so he can tell everyone that the government needs more money, especially when he has a record of raising taxes already).

This is a key point: political candidates arguing to voters that the government needs more money aren’t going to find many takers in 2010. Voters don’t want government to have more money. They want government to cut spending, just like families across the country are doing.

The GOP apparatus correctly read the electorate in this race. Voters are angry, and, in this rural, heavily Democratic district, they are particularly unhappy with President Obama and Speaker Pelosi for the direction of a country that they view has having gotten seriously off on the wrong track.

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