Race To The Trough

Believe it or not, the federal government is giving Race to the Top education grants to school districts more notable for the voting blocs they represent than the scores that they post. “Consider the front-runner in round one–Delaware,” Amanda Carey points out in The Daily Caller.” The Senate seat left vacant by Vice President Joe Biden is up for grabs this coming November.”

“And the Democrats want nothing more than to hold onto it.”

“Similar examples can be found among the round two winners as well.

“In Hawaii, the race at stake is in the 1^st Congressional District, where Republican incumbent Charles Djou is in a close race with Democrat Colleen Hanabusa. A July memo by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), in fact, highlighted the importance of this race saying that it is one of nine seats currently held by a Republican that can be turned blue in November. According to the memo, only four of those nine seats need to be won by a Democrat to keep Republicans from gaining the House.

“Hawaii was not even a finalist in round one.

“In Maryland, the race to watch is in the 1^st District, where Democrat incumbent, Rep. Frank M. Kratovil Jr., is seen as one of the most vulnerable Democrats this election cycle. And in a state that voted overwhelmingly for Barack Obama in 2008, no less.

“The Massachusetts governor’s race is also in a dead heat, with Democratic Governor Deval Patrick fighting to hold onto his job against challenger Charlie Baker. The latest Rasmussen poll had Patrick barely ahead, at 39 percent to Baker’s 34 percent.

“Also being eyed by Democrats is the Senate race in Ohio. Incumbent Sen. George Voinovich is not running for reelection. A recent Rasmussen poll had the Democratic candidate, Lee Fisher trailing with 39 percent to Republican Rob Portman’s 44 percent.

“The list goes on.” And so does the funding.

Malcolm A. Kline is the Executive Director of Accuracy in Academia.

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