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| US mid-terms at-a-glance: 30 October | US mid-terms at-a-glance: 30 October |
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| All you need to know in the final week before the US mid-term elections, with news of key races, issues, quotes and pictures. | All you need to know in the final week before the US mid-term elections, with news of key races, issues, quotes and pictures. |
| Campaign catch-up Key quotes Numbers of note Key races countdown Headlines round-up Image of the day | Campaign catch-up Key quotes Numbers of note Key races countdown Headlines round-up Image of the day |
| CAMPAIGN CATCH-UP | CAMPAIGN CATCH-UP |
| The mid-terms election campaign enters its final full week with Democrats holding an edge in opinion polls over President George W Bush's Republicans. | The mid-terms election campaign enters its final full week with Democrats holding an edge in opinion polls over President George W Bush's Republicans. |
| The president himself is spending much of the week on the campaign trail, stopping in Georgia and Texas on Monday, returning to Georgia on Tuesday. | The president himself is spending much of the week on the campaign trail, stopping in Georgia and Texas on Monday, returning to Georgia on Tuesday. |
| In Georgia, he fired up a conservative crowd by attacking last week's New Jersey court ruling on gay marriage. He decried "activist" courts that "raised doubts about the institution of marriage". | In Georgia, he fired up a conservative crowd by attacking last week's New Jersey court ruling on gay marriage. He decried "activist" courts that "raised doubts about the institution of marriage". |
| The reference won him a long ovation at Georgia Southern University, but it came as a Newsweek poll suggested Americans were satisfied with the political leanings of their courts. | The reference won him a long ovation at Georgia Southern University, but it came as a Newsweek poll suggested Americans were satisfied with the political leanings of their courts. |
| Both parties agreed on Sunday that the war in Iraq was a leading - if not central - issue in the contest. Republicans are trying to turn the campaign spotlight away from the increasingly unpopular war, while the Democrats will continue to tap into voter unhappiness on the issue. | Both parties agreed on Sunday that the war in Iraq was a leading - if not central - issue in the contest. Republicans are trying to turn the campaign spotlight away from the increasingly unpopular war, while the Democrats will continue to tap into voter unhappiness on the issue. |
| Back to the top | Back to the top |
| KEY QUOTES | KEY QUOTES |
| This election more and more is becoming a referendum on George Bush, his failed policies both overseas and here at home, and the rubberstamp Congress Democratic Senator for New York, Charles Schumer, speaking after national polls showed wide support for his Democrats. | This election more and more is becoming a referendum on George Bush, his failed policies both overseas and here at home, and the rubberstamp Congress Democratic Senator for New York, Charles Schumer, speaking after national polls showed wide support for his Democrats. |
| This is the most challenging environment for Republicanssince the Watergate year of 1974Republican politicalconsultant Whit Ayres, referring to the loss of 48 House seats after the resignation of disgraced Republican President Richard Nixon. | |
| Back to the top | Back to the top |
| NUMBERS OF NOTE | NUMBERS OF NOTE |
| On Sunday, pollster John Zogby predicted huge wins for the Democrats, saying that if the election were held "today", the party would pick up 25 to 30 seats in the House of Representatives and at least four seats in the Senate. | On Sunday, pollster John Zogby predicted huge wins for the Democrats, saying that if the election were held "today", the party would pick up 25 to 30 seats in the House of Representatives and at least four seats in the Senate. |
| But he warned that 20% of voters are still undecided, with more than a week to go before polling. | But he warned that 20% of voters are still undecided, with more than a week to go before polling. |
| Bush approval rating tracker Democrats need a net gain of 15 seats to regain control of the House, which they lost to Republicans in 1994, and six seats to retake the Senate. | Bush approval rating tracker Democrats need a net gain of 15 seats to regain control of the House, which they lost to Republicans in 1994, and six seats to retake the Senate. |
| President Bush's approval rating is currently hovering in the mid to high 30s, which is much lower than Democratic President Bill Clinton's rating in 1994, when his party lost control of the House of Representatives for the first time in decades. | President Bush's approval rating is currently hovering in the mid to high 30s, which is much lower than Democratic President Bill Clinton's rating in 1994, when his party lost control of the House of Representatives for the first time in decades. |
| Back to the top | Back to the top |
| KEY RACES COUNTDOWN | KEY RACES COUNTDOWN |
| On Monday, George W Bush is visiting Georgia and Texas - two states he won easily in the 2004 presidential election. In Georgia, he is expected to use his speech to appeal to local Christian conservatives, in an attempt to boost the flagging campaign of former Republican Congressman Max Burns. | On Monday, George W Bush is visiting Georgia and Texas - two states he won easily in the 2004 presidential election. In Georgia, he is expected to use his speech to appeal to local Christian conservatives, in an attempt to boost the flagging campaign of former Republican Congressman Max Burns. |
| From Georgia, the president will fly to Sugar Land, a conservative suburb of Houston, Texas, where Republicans are trying to hold on to a seat vacated by former House majority leader Tom DeLay, who resigned amid an ethics scandal last April. | From Georgia, the president will fly to Sugar Land, a conservative suburb of Houston, Texas, where Republicans are trying to hold on to a seat vacated by former House majority leader Tom DeLay, who resigned amid an ethics scandal last April. |
| In Philadelphia Republicans and Democrats are embroiled in an advertising war costing well into the millions for three seats which are seen as essential for Democrats to retake control of the House of Representatives. | In Philadelphia Republicans and Democrats are embroiled in an advertising war costing well into the millions for three seats which are seen as essential for Democrats to retake control of the House of Representatives. |
| On another front in the advertising war, the Democratic campaign committee says it is to air TV commercials criticising Republicans for supporting the war in Iraq in about a dozen competitive races in the next few days. | On another front in the advertising war, the Democratic campaign committee says it is to air TV commercials criticising Republicans for supporting the war in Iraq in about a dozen competitive races in the next few days. |
| A Newsweek poll released on Monday suggested two in three voters found political advertising on both sides to be "too negative" and "misleading or distorted". | A Newsweek poll released on Monday suggested two in three voters found political advertising on both sides to be "too negative" and "misleading or distorted". |
| For more, see our state-by-state map. | For more, see our state-by-state map. |
| Back to the top | Back to the top |
| Headlines round-up | Headlines round-up |
| New York Times: In key House races, Democrats run to the right | New York Times: In key House races, Democrats run to the right |
| Washington Post: Midterm elections may define Rove's legacy | Washington Post: Midterm elections may define Rove's legacy |
| Los Angeles Times: Unregulated groups plow millions into campaigns | Los Angeles Times: Unregulated groups plow millions into campaigns |
| For more commentary, see our mid-terms blog. | For more commentary, see our mid-terms blog. |
| IMAGE OF THE DAY | IMAGE OF THE DAY |
| George W Bush drew applause in Georgia by attacking a state court ruling on gay marriage, but many voters are more interested in Iraq and the economy, polls suggest. | George W Bush drew applause in Georgia by attacking a state court ruling on gay marriage, but many voters are more interested in Iraq and the economy, polls suggest. |
| Back to the top | Back to the top |