Republican Patrick Morrisey Takes Lead Over Sen. Manchin in West Virginia

Republican Senate candidate Patrick Morrisey has taken the lead over Democratic incumbent Sen. Joe Manchin in West Virginia according to a new poll, the Washington Examiner reported.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee poll shows Morrisey, the state attorney general, leading Manchin 44 percent to 42 percent. Libertarian Rusty Hollen has 3 percent, and 12 percent are undecided.

With Hollen taken out of the equation, Morrisey beats Manchin 47 percent to 45 percent, with 8 percent undecided.

Republican candidates in red states have been surging since the bitter confirmation fight over Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

But West Virginia has proven to be a tough nut for the GOP to crack even though President Trump won the state by 42 points in 2016.

While Manchin still has a 12-point advantage in the RealClearPolitics polling average, the momentum in the race is definitely on Morrisey’s side.

In more good news for the GOP, RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel posted polls on Twitter Wednesday showing a slew of Republican candidates leading in a number of Senate races across the country:

New polls show voters are rejecting Chuck Schumer’s Democrat allies in Senate races all across the country:
#NDSen: Cramer +16#MOSen: Hawley +7#NVSen: Heller +6#TXSen: Cruz +5#INSen: Braun +4#WVSen: Morrisey +2

Let’s keep this momentum going!

— Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) October 25, 2018

On the House side, Republican women are surging two weeks before the election, the Washington Free Beacon reported Wednesday.

Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.), who has been trailing her Democratic opponent Jennifer Wexton from anywhere between 7 and 12 points, is now at tied 47 percent, according to a new poll.

A TargetPoint consulting memorandum shared with the Free Beacon found Comstock and Jennifer Wexton in a dead heat, with each candidate pulling in 47 percent. The poll shows a much more competitive race in a district categorized as leaning Democratic.

In California’s 45th district, Rep. Mimi Walters is pulling away from her Democratic opponent Katie Porter in a race that is rated a toss-up. According to the memo, Walters now has an 8-point lead.

Other districts surveyed saw Republicans pulling away, including Rep. Elise Stefanik, who leads Tedra Cobb 50 to 40 percent in New York’s 21st district.

In Ohio’s 16th district, Republican Anthony Gonzales has opened up a 9-point lead over Susan Moran Palmer, at 48 to 39 percent. Dan Crenshaw also has a 9-point lead over Democrat Todd Litton in Texas’s Second Congressional District, leading 49 to 40 percent.

Denver Riggleman (R.) leads by 5 points over Leslie Cockburn (D.) in Virginia’s fifth district, another race that has been labeled a toss up.

Denver Riggleman will fight for middle-class tax cuts and help create more jobs in #VA05. Nancy Pelosi handpicked liberal Leslie Cockburn because they share the same out-of-touch Washington, D.C. values. https://t.co/IaRqgs7pR4 pic.twitter.com/JmIZCGZwjv

— Congressional Leadership Fund (@CLFSuperPAC) October 24, 2018

Republicans trailed in two races, though by slim margins. The “Clinton-leaning” Pennsylvania first district has Republican Brian Fitzpatrick within 4 percentage points of Scott Wallace, who recently dropped an F-bomb during a debate in a synagogue. Wallace is up 49 to 45 percent.

“Independents are still in play here for persuasion—a group where Fitzpatrick trails by 6,” according to the memo. “Fitzpatrick is trailing among those who are extremely likely to vote but leads with voters who say they have already cast their ballot 54 percent—46 percent.”

CLF's latest #PA01 ad contrasts Brian Fitzpatrick’s work to cut taxes for middle-class families with Scott Wallace’s liberal agenda of higher taxes. https://t.co/BbXmzkWMS8 pic.twitter.com/JV2RyIDPzd

— Congressional Leadership Fund (@CLFSuperPAC) October 24, 2018

Colorado’s sixth district, which is rated as leaning Democratic, is also tightening. Republican Mike Coffman trails Democrat Jason Crow by 5 points. However, Coffman is winning early voters by a margin of 54 to 46 percent.

The Republican National Committee announced on Wednesday an investment of $25 million in ground operations to defend Republican majorities in November. This is in addition to the $250 million already invested in ground operations.