• The Wall Street Journal reports that a homestretch fundraising push by Democrats and liberal groups is coming up short.

• Rasmussen finds that “most voters prefer a candidate who lays off the pork” in a new poll:

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters finds that 60% prefer a candidate who would work to cut federal government spending over one who would work to make sure his district gets a fair share of that spending.
Only half as many (31%) favor a candidate who would focus on getting the district its share of the spending.
Eighty-four percent (84%) of Republicans and 68% of voters not affiliated with either of the major political parties like a candidate who works to cut spending.
But 56% of Democrats disagree and opt for the candidate who will try to bring home a fair share of federal monies. Still, even 33% of those in Nancy Pelosi’s party prefer the candidate who will work to cut spending.

Missouri:

• As Roy Blunt continues to lead Robin Carnahan in the polls (Blunt has led in every poll in 2010), and with the DSCC canceling a week of ad buys in the state, The Washington Post and CQ-Roll Call have each moved the race from “Toss Up” to “Lean Republican.”

New Hampshire:

• Republican Kelly Ayotte solidifies her lead over Rep. Paul Hodes. According a WMUR Granite State Poll, Ayotte leads by 15 points — 50 percent to 35 percent — among likely voters. Democrats’ hopes of picking up a GOP-held Senate seat this cycle (Ayotte and Hodes are vying to succeed outgoing Republican Sen. Judd Gregg) look rather distant at this point.

Washington:

• The NRSC launched a new IE ad targeting Sen. Patty Murray for her “18 years of reckless spending.”

Wisconsin:

• Sen. Russ Feingold tells CNN: “As of this moment, I am no longer behind,” disputing the results of recent a CNN/Time showing him trailing Ron Johnson by eight points. “See, Washington always has to catch up with the reality on the ground in Wisconsin.” We’ll see about that.

• Meanwhile, Investor’s Business Daily chronicles Feingold’s decline as voters are no longer convinced that the self-described maverick is everything he claims to be. As IBD points out, “Feingold’s maverick reputation generally comes from outflanking his party on the left, such as opposing the Patriot Act and the Iraq War,” while voters in Wisconsin have moved dramatically to the right in the past few years.

• Feingold’s new ad is called “55″ and is in keeping with his strategy of late, going after Johnson for his support of free trade agreements and his comment that capitalism sometimes amounted to “creative destruction.”

“I’m Russ Feingold and I support this message.” (?) What a maverick.