Florida Rep. Adam Putnam doesn't think Barack Obama can win the South. But he predicts Obama's campaign strategy will cause Republicans significant down-ticket damage:
No, U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Bartow, doesn't think John McCain is in any real danger of losing Florida, given McCain's natural appeal to veterans, independents, and pro-Israel voters. But the Chairman of the House Republican Conference thinks Barack Obama's ability to turn out African-Americans voters across the south could pose trouble for some Republican incumbents in states that McCain will still carry.
"I think you'll see House members who won their last race by 60%-65% percent lose because of the turnout model that Obama brings,'' said Putnam after taping a Political Connections interview on Bay News 9. He wasn't talking about any Florida seats, but his pick for the five races to watch in Florida: the seats held by Democrat Tim Mahoney, by the Diaz-Balart brothers, by Tom Feeney, and by Ric Keller.
Another Republican congressman agrees -- but he thinks it's a good thing.
Meanwhile, McCain might be in trouble after all: a new poll of Missouri shows him only three points ahead.