Cyprus-Forum.com

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http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadi ... Id=4940612

Tight race for Obama's old Senate seat brings Bill Clinton to Chicago to rally Democrats

By The Associated Press (CP) – 11 hours ago

CHICAGO — President Barack Obama's Democrats scrambled to limit losses in the final week before congressional elections, with former President Bill Clinton campaigning in Chicago to help the party cling to the Senate seat once held by Obama.

The Illinois Senate contest is more than just symbolic: it's crucial to Democratic hopes for preserving its Senate majority in Tuesday's election. The race is considered a toss-up and a Democrat win there would badly damage Republican prospects for obtaining the 10-seat gain needed to seize control in the 100-member Senate.

Republicans have much stronger prospects for taking control of the other chamber, the House of Representatives, where all 435 seats are at stake. Some Democrats who swept into the office during the wave of enthusiasm for Obama's campaign in 2008 are struggling to defend their seats at a time of voter anxiety about the economy and disillusionment with the president.

In Illinois, Democrats saw the appearance of Clinton — and Obama later this week — as a sign that the president's old seat is still winnable. Chicago was Clinton's latest stop as he crisscrosses America urging Democrats to turn out in force on Nov. 2.

"If they had said we'll go someplace else, skip Illinois ... that would have been a very bad sign," said Chicago Alderman Danny Solis, who was among the few hundred party faithful who turned out for Clinton's rally at a downtown Chicago hotel.

Polls this week show Republicans with a slight edge in both the Senate and governor's races. Republican Congressman Mark Kirk had a small lead over Democratic state treasurer Alexi Giannoulias in the Senate race. Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn is slightly behind his Republican challenger.

Obama has paid attention to his adopted home state this campaign season, headlining fundraisers for Giannoulias and planning to return Saturday for a Democratic rally. It would be embarrassing for Democrats to lose Obama's old Senate seat and another coup for Republicans, who claimed the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy's seat in Massachusetts.

Clinton told rally goers Tuesday to tell voters about the benefits of what Obama and the Democratic Congress have done and remind people, especially young voters, what is at stake.

"Everything they voted for two years ago could be put at risk if they stay home this time, you have to tell them that," said Clinton, who delivered a nearly hour-long speech often heavy on policy details. The rally started late and some people left before Clinton finished speaking.

Among those joining Clinton onstage was Giannoulias, Quinn and three candidates in tight congressional races in the Chicago suburbs.

Republicans, however, said Clinton's visit will remind Illinois voters what's wrong with Washington.

Republican National Committee spokesman Ryan Tronovitch in a statement that "each time a high level national Democrat comes to town, voters across Illinois are reminded of the big-government, tax-and-spend agenda that led to 9.9 per cent unemployment and failed to jump-start the economy."

Kirk's campaign and the national Republicans have assailed Giannoulias as a "mob banker" because his family's failed Chicago bank loaned money to criminals. Giannoulias has said his opponents have unfairly singled out a few customers to try to tarnish a bank founded by his late father.

Meanwhile, Obama is taping an appearance Wednesday for the satirical news show "The Daily Show." Host Jon Stewart is doing his show from Washington this week before his "Rally to Restore Sanity" scheduled for Saturday on the National Mall.

The host of the Comedy Central show says the rally is for people who think the loudest voices shouldn't be the only ones people hear.

Obama recently endorsed Stewart's event. It will be Obama's first appearance as president on Stewart's program, which is extremely popular with younger viewers.

Copyright © 2010 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Alexi Giannoulias is trailing Republican Mark Kirk by about 2 percentage points.

http://blogs.reuters.com/frontrow/2010/ ... has-voted/

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October 27, 2010 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- Democrat Alexi Giannoulias will get more help in his Senate run from President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama.

The couple will appear together in a commercial for Giannoulias who is in a tough race against Republican Mark Kirk.

The ad starts airing Wednesday and is the first one both Obamas have appeared in this campaign season.

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?sectio ... id=7748479

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Another Greek American running for Senate...this one in Florida. One day we may actually have an American President of Greek ancestry.

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GOP leader faces tough Senate race in Jacksonville

Florida legislators rarely lose re-election, but the Democrats have one powerful Republican they hope to defeat: Sen. John Thrasher, who doubles as state GOP chairman.

While the overwhelming majority of Florida senators and state representatives from both parties have weak or no opposition in the Nov. 2 election, the Democrats believe that former TV anchorwoman Deborah Gianoulis could beat Thrasher, even though the Republicans hold a 60-40 registration edge in District 8.

Unlike most challengers, Gianoulis might actually be better known in the district than her incumbent opponent, a former state House speaker and lobbyist. He won a special election last year to replace Sen. Jim King, a Jacksonville Republican, after he died. That's led the Democrats to pour both money and workers into her campaign.


Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/10/25/1 ... z13b2SuOA4

[Get Real!]

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Good news for the Giannoulias camp...

Ill. groups that backed Kirk endorsing Giannoulias

Thursday, October 28, 2010; 6:46 PM

CHICAGO -- Several Illinois advocacy groups that backed Republican Mark Kirk in past elections are endorsing his Democratic opponent in the race for President Barack Obama's old Senate seat.

The groups held a news conference Thursday with Democrat Alexi Giannoulias (jeh-NOO'-lee-us).

Ken Swanson, president of the Illinois Education Association, says Kirk hasn't been consistent in his support. His comments were echoed by representatives from Planned Parenthood and the Sierra Club.

The Human Rights Campaign and League of Conservation Voters also say they endorsed Kirk when he ran for Congress but don't support him now.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 06290.html

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Hellenext, a Greek-centric group in the US is committed to engaging young people in Politics, has released a new video encouraging prospective voters to head to the polls on Tuesday:

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Final poll before election tomorrow and its still a toss-up for the Illinois Senate seat:

Kirk (R) 43.7%
Giannoulias (D) 42.1%
Labno (Libertarian Party) 4.1%

More on this race below:

http://www.wgntv.com/news/wgntv-candida ... 0915.story

Chicago — With less than 24 hours before the Illinois polls open, the candidates for Governor, U.S. Senator and a host of other important rates are campaigning non-stop in hopes of turning out every possible voter.

Republican Congressman and Senate candidate Mark Kirk greeted voters outside Chicago's Union Station this morning. He told them, one of his first priorities after the new Congress convenes will be to make wholesale changes in the healthcare overhaul law that was passed by the Democrat-controlled House and Senate last year.

Democratic state treasurer and Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias is hoping that President Obama still has enough popularity in his home state to turn out Democratic voters tomorrow.

Giannoulias and Governor Pat Quinn joined Obama yesterday morning during a surprise visit to the Valois Cafeteria, one of Obama's favorite restaurants in Hyde Park.

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This weekend produced two new surveys in Illinois. This first is a PPP poll showing Republican Mark Kirk leading Democrat Alexi Giannoulias by four points (46% to 42%):

http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/ ... 110513.pdf

The second by YouGov/Polimetrix online poll showing Giannoulias up by three (47% to 44%):

http://cdn.yougov.com/downloads/release ... 101030.pdf

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Polls have just closed in the State of Illinois and the exit polling reveal that it is indeed a close race with Giannoulias and Kirk each with 47 percent.