Good Old Boy #75

Elizabeth Dole is a Republican Senator in North Carolina. As most people who live there can tell you, she is the 93rd most effective Senator (out of 100), and she votes with George Bush 92% of the time.

How do so many people know this? Because a few months ago, the Democratic Party spent millions of dollars on the best election advert of 2008. It features two good ol' boys sitting in their chairs on the porch, talking about whether 'Liddy Dole' is '92' (% voting of the time with George Bush) or '93' (rd most effective Senator). You can watch it here. The follow up ad has the same good ol' boys talking about gas prices and how she gave tax breaks to 'big oil'.

How successful have the adverts been? A few months ago, Dole was leading comfortably, now she is trailing. And the message is getting through even to her 'base':

'"I don’t like the other one either, but I don’t have much choice," said Joe Langley, 71, a retiree from Stoneville and a lifelong Republican who’s voting for McCain and — even though he doesn’t like her so much — Hagan. "I’m giving her a shot ... [Dole]’s No. 93 on getting things accomplished." Langley was actually quoting a Hagan ad paid for the by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.'

A weak economy, an unpopular president and Barack Obama's local campaigning were always going to make things tough for Dole to be re-elected. But it might end up being a couple of good ol' boys that seal her defeat and send Kay Hagan to the Senate in her place.