Some GOP Teabaggers In Electoral Trouble

(Cartoon above is by Kenin Siers in The Charlotte Observer.)

In reaction to the election of President Obama, 2009 saw the birth of an anti-Obama movement among white Republicans. It was know as the Tea Party (or more commonly the teabaggers). This far right-wing movement, started and funded by some rich right-wingers, reached the zenith of its popularity in the 2010 mid-term election -- when it was able to put several teabagger politicians into the House of Representatives.

After driving many moderates out of the GOP, the teabaggers had hoped they would get even more seats in Congress this year -- and some had even dreamed of taking over both Houses of Congress. The dream of taking over the Senate is now as good as dead (with many teabaggers like Mandel, Mourdock, and Akin struggling against their Democratic opponents). Now we learn that several of the House teabaggers are having campaign problems, and are in danger of losing the seats they won in 2010.

Here are a few who may get tossed out in the coming election -- Allen West (Florida), Joe Walsh (Illinois), Chip Cravaack (Minnesota), Frank Guinta (New Hampshire), and veteran House member Dan Lungren(California), who has gone teabagger crazy. And here are their current poll standings (from Public Policy Polling):

FLORIDA
18th Congressional District
Allen West (R)...............47%
Patrick Murphy (D)...............48%

ILLINOIS
8th Congressional District
Joe Walsh (R)...............40%
Tammy Duckworth (D)...............54%

MINNESOTA
8th Congressional District
Chip Cravaack (R)...............44%
Rick Nolan (D)...............48%

NEW HAMPSHIRE
1st Congressional District
Frank Guinta (R)...............48%
Carol Shea-Porter (D)...............47%

CALIFORNIA
7th Congressional District
Dan Lungren (R)...............46%
Ami Bera (D)...............46%

It's now looking like the Democrats probably won't be able to retake the House of Representatives (although there's still an outside chance), but it does look like they'll be able to pick up a few seats and send some teabaggers packing -- and that's a very good thing.