Poll: Which Democratic Senate Candidate Is the Most Notable Underperformer?

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Q: Which Democratic Senate candidate is the most notable underperformer so far this cycle?

Rep. Bruce Braley debates Republican state Sen. Joni Ernst at the Galvin Fine Arts Center in Davenport, Iowa, on October 11. (David Greedy/Getty Images)DEMOCRATS (88)

Bruce Braley: 57%Alison Lundergan Grimes: 11%Mary Landrieu: 2%Natalie Tennant: 5%Mark Udall: 17%John Walsh/Amanda Curtis: 8%Other: 0%

Bruce Braley

"An almost criminally incompetent campaign and candidate who may well lose a race that was totally winnable."

"Braley should not be in acompetitive race. His mistakes got him where he is today."

"He's not out of it yet, but he didn't take the GOP nominee seriously at the onset, and the polls are showing it."

"Foot-in-mouth disease is atypical for trial-lawyer candidacies. Braley should win, but it's all on him if he blows it."

"Braley's race was supposed to be a coronation, and here he is losing to this year's version of Christine O'Donnell."

"This is a race that if lost will be lost on the back of arrogance and hubris. Total disappointment."

Alison Lundergan Grimes

"But I don't want to admit I voted for her on this list ..."

Mark Udall

"How did Udall let this one sneak up on him? He is in the safest place of the others, and he let his opponent define the race."

"We will know soon if abortion and birth control are a good single-issue campaign."

Q: Which Democratic Senate candidate is the most notable underperformer so far this cycle?

REPUBLICANS (86)

Bruce Braley: 41%Alison Lundergan Grimes: 26%Mary Landrieu: 9%Natalie Tennant: 2%Mark Udall: 13%John Walsh/Amanda Curtis: 7%Other: 2%

Bruce Braley

"Making fun of Iowa farmers in a room full of Texas lawyers is a Top 10 dumb mistake."

"Was his race to lose, and he went ahead and did just that."

"It is a close call, but to insult the most popular elected official in your own state never is a good idea."

"Braley is the gift that keeps on giving."

Alison Lundergan Grimes

"But what do you expect when you send a rookie up against Mitch McConnell?"

"Grimes had it all: money, star power, good looks. Only thing she was missing was a popular prez."

"McConnell is deeply unpopular in Kentucky, and she has been her own worst enemy on the campaign trail."

Mary Landrieu

"Landrieu boosted black turnout in '96 and '02 through dubious means, sailed in '08, but that [New Orleans] vote margin disappeared after Katrina. And, ethically, she looks like another crooked Cajun in the Edwin Edwards mold."

Natalie Tennant

"Who?"

Mark Udall

"Given his advantages, Udall's race shouldn't even be close."

"Udall's campaign was textbook bad strategy combined with overconfidence."

John Walsh/Amanda Curtis

"The others at least went the distance."

Other

"Mark Pryor."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Democratic Political Insiders  Jill Alper, John Anzalone, Brad Bannon, Dave Beattie, Andy Bechhoefer, Cornell Belcher, Matt Bennett, Mitchell W. Berger, Mike Berman, Stephanie Bosh, Paul Brathwaite, Donna Brazile, Mark Brewer, Ed Bruley, George Bruno, Bonnie Campbell, Bill Carrick, Guy Cecil, Martin J. Chavez, Tony Coelho, Larry Cohen, Jerry Crawford, Jeff Danielson, Peter Daou, Howard Dean, Scott DeFife, Jim Demers, Tad Devine, David Di Martino, Debbie Dingell, Monica Dixon, Patrick Dorton, Pat Dujakovich, Anita Dunn, Jeff Eller, Steve Elmendorf, Carter Eskew, Vic Fazio, Peter Fenn, Scott Ferson, Jim Fleischmann, Tina Flournoy, Don Foley, Jeffrey Forbes, Vincent Frillici, Gina Glantz, Niles Godes, John Michael Gonzalez, Joe Grandmaison, Anna Greenberg, Stan Greenberg, Pat Griffin, Larry Grisolano, Michael Gronstal, Lisa Grove, Marcia Hale, Jill Hanauer, Dick Harpootlian, Paul Harstad, Laura Hartigan, Doug Hattaway, Mike Henry, Karen Hicks, Leo Hindery Jr., Harold Ickes, Marcus Jadotte, John Jameson, Steve Jarding, Jonathon Jones, Jim Jordan, Gale Kaufman, Lisa Kountoupes, Celinda Lake, David Lang, Penny Lee, Chris Lehane, Jeff Link, Bob Maloney, Jim Manley, Steve Marchand, Jim Margolis, Paul Maslin, Keith Mason, Susan McCue, Gerald McEntee, Steve McMahon, Tom McMahon, Phil McNamara, David Medina, Michael Meehan, Mark Mellman, John Merrigan, Michael Monroe, Steve Murphy, Janet Napolitano, David Nassar, Marcia Nichols, John Norris, Tom Ochs, Tom O'Donnell, Jeffrey Peck, Debora Pignatelli, Tony Podesta, Jefrey Pollock, Jack Quinn, Larry Rasky, Mame Reiley, Ed Rendell, Steve Ricchetti, Will Robinson, Steve Rosenthal, David Rudd, Ryan Rudominer, John Ryan, Michael Sargeant, Stephanie Schriock, Terry Shumaker, Sean Sinclair, Phil Singer, Erik Smith, Doug Sosnik, Greg Speed, Darry Sragow, Ken Strasma, Doug Thornell, Jeffrey Trammell, Ed Turlington, Rick Wiener, James Williams, JoDee Winterhof, Brian Wolff, Jon Youngdahl, and Jim Zogby.

GOP Political Insiders  Dan Allen, Stan Anderson, Gary Andres, Saulius (Saul) Anuzis, Rich Ashooh, Whit Ayres, Brett Bader, Mitch Bainwol, Brian Baker, Gary Bauer, David Beckwith, Paul Bennecke, Clark Benson, Wayne Berman, Brian Bieron, Charlie Black, Kirk Blalock, Carmine Boal, Jeff Boeyink, Ron Bonjean, Jeff Buley, Luke Byars, Nick Calio, Al Cardenas, Danny Carroll, Alex Castellanos, Ron Christie, Jim Cicconi, Jonathan Collegio, Rob Collins, Cesar Conda, Jake Corman, Scott Cottington, Jay Cranford, Greg Crist, Diane Crookham-Johnson, Fergus Cullen, Tom Davis, Mike Dennehy, Ken Duberstein, Debi Durham, Sara Fagen, Frank Fahrenkopf, John Feehery, Don Fierce, Mindy Finn, Carl Forti, Alex Gage, Bruce A. Gates, Sam Geduldig, Adam Geller, Benjamin Ginsberg, David Girard-diCarlo, Bill Greener, Jonathan Grella, Lanny Griffith, Janet Mullins Grissom, Doug Gross, Todd Harris, Steve Hart, Christopher Healy, Ralph Hellmann, Chris Henick, Terry Holt, David Iannelli, Ed Ingle, Jim Innocenzi, Clark Judge, David Keating, David Kensinger, Bob Kjellander, Ed Kutler, Chris LaCivita, Jim Lake, Steven Law, Steve Lombardo, Kevin Madden, Joel Maiola, Gary Maloney, David Marin, Mary Matalin, Dan Mattoon, Brian McCormack, Mark McKinnon, Kyle McSlarrow, Ken Mehlman, Jim Merrill, Lisa Camooso Miller, Tim Morrison, Mike Murphy, Phil Musser, Ron Nehring, Terry Nelson, Neil Newhouse, David Norcross, Ziad Ojakli, Jack Oliver, Todd Olsen, Kevin O'Neill, Connie Partoyan, Billy Piper, Van B. Poole, Tom Rath, Scott Reed, David Rehr, Tom Reynolds, Steve Roberts, Jason Roe, David Roederer, Dan Schnur, Russ Schriefer, Rich Schwarm, Brent Seaborn, Rick Shelby, Andrew Shore, Kevin Shuvalov, Don Sipple, Ken Spain, Fred Steeper, Bob Stevenson, Terry Sullivan, David Tamasi, Eric Tanenblatt, Richard Temple, Heath Thompson, Jay Timmons, Warren Tompkins, Ted Van Der Meid, Dirk van Dongen, Jan van Lohuizen, Stewart Verdery, Dick Wadhams, John Weaver, Lezlee Westine, Dave Winston, Ginny Wolfe, Fred Wszolek, and Matthew Zablud.

Q: Which Democratic Senate candidate is the most notable underperformer so far this cycle?

Rep. Bruce Braley debates Republican state Sen. Joni Ernst at the Galvin Fine Arts Center in Davenport, Iowa, on October 11. (David Greedy/Getty Images)DEMOCRATS (88)

Bruce Braley: 57%Alison Lundergan Grimes: 11%Mary Landrieu: 2%Natalie Tennant: 5%Mark Udall: 17%John Walsh/Amanda Curtis: 8%Other: 0%

Bruce Braley

"An almost criminally incompetent campaign and candidate who may well lose a race that was totally winnable."

"Braley should not be in acompetitive race. His mistakes got him where he is today."

"He's not out of it yet, but he didn't take the GOP nominee seriously at the onset, and the polls are showing it."

"Foot-in-mouth disease is atypical for trial-lawyer candidacies. Braley should win, but it's all on him if he blows it."

"Braley's race was supposed to be a coronation, and here he is losing to this year's version of Christine O'Donnell."

"This is a race that if lost will be lost on the back of arrogance and hubris. Total disappointment."

Alison Lundergan Grimes

"But I don't want to admit I voted for her on this list ..."

Mark Udall

"How did Udall let this one sneak up on him? He is in the safest place of the others, and he let his opponent define the race."

"We will know soon if abortion and birth control are a good single-issue campaign."

Q: Which Democratic Senate candidate is the most notable underperformer so far this cycle?

REPUBLICANS (86)

Bruce Braley: 41%Alison Lundergan Grimes: 26%Mary Landrieu: 9%Natalie Tennant: 2%Mark Udall: 13%John Walsh/Amanda Curtis: 7%Other: 2%

Bruce Braley

"Making fun of Iowa farmers in a room full of Texas lawyers is a Top 10 dumb mistake."

"Was his race to lose, and he went ahead and did just that."

"It is a close call, but to insult the most popular elected official in your own state never is a good idea."

"Braley is the gift that keeps on giving."

Alison Lundergan Grimes

"But what do you expect when you send a rookie up against Mitch McConnell?"

"Grimes had it all: money, star power, good looks. Only thing she was missing was a popular prez."

"McConnell is deeply unpopular in Kentucky, and she has been her own worst enemy on the campaign trail."

Mary Landrieu

"Landrieu boosted black turnout in '96 and '02 through dubious means, sailed in '08, but that [New Orleans] vote margin disappeared after Katrina. And, ethically, she looks like another crooked Cajun in the Edwin Edwards mold."

Natalie Tennant

"Who?"

Mark Udall

"Given his advantages, Udall's race shouldn't even be close."

"Udall's campaign was textbook bad strategy combined with overconfidence."

John Walsh/Amanda Curtis

"The others at least went the distance."

Other

"Mark Pryor."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Democratic Political Insiders  Jill Alper, John Anzalone, Brad Bannon, Dave Beattie, Andy Bechhoefer, Cornell Belcher, Matt Bennett, Mitchell W. Berger, Mike Berman, Stephanie Bosh, Paul Brathwaite, Donna Brazile, Mark Brewer, Ed Bruley, George Bruno, Bonnie Campbell, Bill Carrick, Guy Cecil, Martin J. Chavez, Tony Coelho, Larry Cohen, Jerry Crawford, Jeff Danielson, Peter Daou, Howard Dean, Scott DeFife, Jim Demers, Tad Devine, David Di Martino, Debbie Dingell, Monica Dixon, Patrick Dorton, Pat Dujakovich, Anita Dunn, Jeff Eller, Steve Elmendorf, Carter Eskew, Vic Fazio, Peter Fenn, Scott Ferson, Jim Fleischmann, Tina Flournoy, Don Foley, Jeffrey Forbes, Vincent Frillici, Gina Glantz, Niles Godes, John Michael Gonzalez, Joe Grandmaison, Anna Greenberg, Stan Greenberg, Pat Griffin, Larry Grisolano, Michael Gronstal, Lisa Grove, Marcia Hale, Jill Hanauer, Dick Harpootlian, Paul Harstad, Laura Hartigan, Doug Hattaway, Mike Henry, Karen Hicks, Leo Hindery Jr., Harold Ickes, Marcus Jadotte, John Jameson, Steve Jarding, Jonathon Jones, Jim Jordan, Gale Kaufman, Lisa Kountoupes, Celinda Lake, David Lang, Penny Lee, Chris Lehane, Jeff Link, Bob Maloney, Jim Manley, Steve Marchand, Jim Margolis, Paul Maslin, Keith Mason, Susan McCue, Gerald McEntee, Steve McMahon, Tom McMahon, Phil McNamara, David Medina, Michael Meehan, Mark Mellman, John Merrigan, Michael Monroe, Steve Murphy, Janet Napolitano, David Nassar, Marcia Nichols, John Norris, Tom Ochs, Tom O'Donnell, Jeffrey Peck, Debora Pignatelli, Tony Podesta, Jefrey Pollock, Jack Quinn, Larry Rasky, Mame Reiley, Ed Rendell, Steve Ricchetti, Will Robinson, Steve Rosenthal, David Rudd, Ryan Rudominer, John Ryan, Michael Sargeant, Stephanie Schriock, Terry Shumaker, Sean Sinclair, Phil Singer, Erik Smith, Doug Sosnik, Greg Speed, Darry Sragow, Ken Strasma, Doug Thornell, Jeffrey Trammell, Ed Turlington, Rick Wiener, James Williams, JoDee Winterhof, Brian Wolff, Jon Youngdahl, and Jim Zogby.

GOP Political Insiders  Dan Allen, Stan Anderson, Gary Andres, Saulius (Saul) Anuzis, Rich Ashooh, Whit Ayres, Brett Bader, Mitch Bainwol, Brian Baker, Gary Bauer, David Beckwith, Paul Bennecke, Clark Benson, Wayne Berman, Brian Bieron, Charlie Black, Kirk Blalock, Carmine Boal, Jeff Boeyink, Ron Bonjean, Jeff Buley, Luke Byars, Nick Calio, Al Cardenas, Danny Carroll, Alex Castellanos, Ron Christie, Jim Cicconi, Jonathan Collegio, Rob Collins, Cesar Conda, Jake Corman, Scott Cottington, Jay Cranford, Greg Crist, Diane Crookham-Johnson, Fergus Cullen, Tom Davis, Mike Dennehy, Ken Duberstein, Debi Durham, Sara Fagen, Frank Fahrenkopf, John Feehery, Don Fierce, Mindy Finn, Carl Forti, Alex Gage, Bruce A. Gates, Sam Geduldig, Adam Geller, Benjamin Ginsberg, David Girard-diCarlo, Bill Greener, Jonathan Grella, Lanny Griffith, Janet Mullins Grissom, Doug Gross, Todd Harris, Steve Hart, Christopher Healy, Ralph Hellmann, Chris Henick, Terry Holt, David Iannelli, Ed Ingle, Jim Innocenzi, Clark Judge, David Keating, David Kensinger, Bob Kjellander, Ed Kutler, Chris LaCivita, Jim Lake, Steven Law, Steve Lombardo, Kevin Madden, Joel Maiola, Gary Maloney, David Marin, Mary Matalin, Dan Mattoon, Brian McCormack, Mark McKinnon, Kyle McSlarrow, Ken Mehlman, Jim Merrill, Lisa Camooso Miller, Tim Morrison, Mike Murphy, Phil Musser, Ron Nehring, Terry Nelson, Neil Newhouse, David Norcross, Ziad Ojakli, Jack Oliver, Todd Olsen, Kevin O'Neill, Connie Partoyan, Billy Piper, Van B. Poole, Tom Rath, Scott Reed, David Rehr, Tom Reynolds, Steve Roberts, Jason Roe, David Roederer, Dan Schnur, Russ Schriefer, Rich Schwarm, Brent Seaborn, Rick Shelby, Andrew Shore, Kevin Shuvalov, Don Sipple, Ken Spain, Fred Steeper, Bob Stevenson, Terry Sullivan, David Tamasi, Eric Tanenblatt, Richard Temple, Heath Thompson, Jay Timmons, Warren Tompkins, Ted Van Der Meid, Dirk van Dongen, Jan van Lohuizen, Stewart Verdery, Dick Wadhams, John Weaver, Lezlee Westine, Dave Winston, Ginny Wolfe, Fred Wszolek, and Matthew Zablud.

This article is from the archive of our partner National Journal.