Forget talk of big GOP gains, says former Rep. Tony Coelho (D., Calif.). Democrats’ overlord for ’94 congressional races says losses will be 18 to 22 House seats and only 3 Senate seats, for “a normal off-year election.” …But Democratic consultant Saul Schorr says talks with his clients remind him of war scenes in Gone with the Wind. “It’s like I’m in the middle of Atlanta with all those bodies, and all I hear is moaning. When I get on conference calls with people I haven’t talked to for a while …they say, Disaster.’” And Democratic pollster Alan Secrest says party’s real problem is that Bill Clinton “is presently seen as somewhere to the left of Fidel Castro.” …Behind Democrats’ fears were mid September polls for party’s big names. Texas Gov. Ann Richards fell 2 points behind George W. Bush; Calif. Sen. Dianne Feinstein—thought to have regained fat lead over GOP Rep. Michael Huffington—is now back in tight race; and Calif. GOP Gov. Pete Wilson is 9 points up on usually popular State Treasurer Kathleen Brown. Even Ted Kennedy—who recently called for women as Catholic priests— has only 6-point lead over upstart Mitt Romney. Also, N.Y. Gov. Mario Cuomo is now 10 points behind GOP State Sen. George Pataki. Pataki, who just endorsed term limits, is using “Too liberal for too long” as kicker on antiCuomo ads, on advice of consultant Arthur Finkelstein (who has used L-word to win other big races)…. CNN’s William Schneider says something’s going on when Democrats’ proven vote getters are in this much trouble. According to Schneider—who used to compare Clinton’s coalition-building skills to FDR’s—that “something” might be the Prez.
Overlooked thus far: possible emergence in ’94 Senate class of counterbalance to pro-choice faction of GOP governors, William Weld (Mass.), Pete Wilson, and—most recent and saddest addition—Christine Todd Whitman (N.J.). Several pro-life GOP Senate hopefuls are doing well: Ollie North in Va., John Ashcroft in Mo., and Reps. John Kyl (Ariz.), Michael DeWine (Ohio), and Rick Santorum (Pa.). …Maryland GOP gubernatorial nominee Ellen Sauerbrey, who upset moderate-liberal Rep. Helen Bentley in primary by using Reaganesque tax-cut proposals, is also pro-life.
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