On Monday’s The Daily Rundown, Chuck Todd sat down with Public Opinion Strategies pollster Bill McInturff to take a “Deep Dive” into how governors are sounding different policy tunes from legislators in D.C.
Those conversations and their policy pushes will be key barometers heading into the 2014 midterms. Two important gubernatorial elections are on the calendar in 2013 too—with a competitive open-seat contest in Virginia and New Jersey’s Republican Gov. Chris Christie favored for a second term in the Garden State.
In 2010, Republicans flipped 11 governorships—especially critical for the GOP heading into a redistricting year. Now, many Republican governors sitting in swing states or blue leaning territory are at the top of Democratic target lists.
The past week’s been a crucial one for some of the most competitive for GOP incumbents. Here’s a quick rundown of the latest in the top five gubernatorial races that could flip hands, and why you should be paying attention to them in 2014.
1. Pennsylvania—A Quinnipiac poll out Monday brings more bad news for GOP Gov. Tom Corbett. Not only does he trail each of his possible Democratic challengers, but his numbers in the Keystone State continue to plummet. Half of voters say he doesn’t deserve re-election, and his approval ratings are upside down, with 47% disapproving of his job as governor. Rep. Allyson Schwartz and former Rep. Joe Sestak lead a very unsettled Democratic field, but the majority of voters are still undecided. But Corbett is polling in the low 30s against any possible Democratic opponent—incredibly bad news for his re-election chances.
2. Florida—Gov. Rick Scott has also seen drooping poll numbers, but how much trouble he’s in may depend on which candidate he faces. Now a Democrat, former Republican turned independent governor Charlie Crist, is clearly interested, and former Miami Mayor Manny Diaz or 2010 nominee Alex Sink may jump in as well.









