Hurtling Toward 2010, 10/21

The 2010 midterms are just around the corner (sort of). Here's what's happening:

In New York's 23rd-district special election, President Obama attended a fundraising dinner for Democrat Bill Owens last night; New York Gov. David Paterson still has terrible poll numbers in a new Siena survey, which reports a 19 percent approval rating; a Monmouth University/Gannett poll shows Chris Christie (R) and New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D) tied at 39 percent in the state's '09 gubernatorial contest; Ohio Secretary of State and U.S. Senate candidate Jennifer Brunner (D) failed to raise more than $150,000 in the third quarter; and Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) leads Democratic challenger Rep. Charles Melancon by 12 percentage points in his reelection bid, according to a Southern Media and Opinion Research poll.