MARKETS CONTINUE TO TUMBLE; SECOND McCAIN-OBAMA DEBATE FAIRLY TAME; STATE POLLS SHOW OBAMA SURGING; NEW POLLS BAD NEWS FOR HOUSE REPUBLICANS.

P2008. Wall Street recorded another 500+ point crash on Tuesday, bringing the Dow to the lowest close in over five years. International markets were also in crisis on Tuesday, in response to the ongoing economic fears. Hours after the trading for the day ended, John McCain and Barack Obama met for their second debate. This encounter was a town hall format -- albeit moderated and rather controlled as to the questions asked. The town hall format is McCain's favored debate style, but the agreed format restrictions neutered the tone of the "debate." Both men directly engaged, but in a rather tame manner. Those conservatives who wanted McCain to come out punching in a effort to revive his faltering campaign, however, were left disappointed. Instead, the forum was merely another joint appearance unlikely to significantly change the current trajectory of the race.

P2008 - DAILY POLLING UPDATE. Here is our daily update of the latest independent state polls on the Presidential race:
CALIFORNIA (SurveyUSA): Obama - 55%, McCain - 39%, Others - 4%.
COLORADO (Insider Advantage): Obama - 51%, McCain - 45%, Others - 1%.
FLORIDA (Mason-Dixon): Obama - 48%, McCain - 46%, Others - 1%.
INDIANA (Research 2000): McCain - 46%, Obama - 46%, Others - 3%.
INDIANA (CNN/Time): McCain - 51%, Obama - 46%, Others - 3%.
MINNESOTA (Univ. of Minnesota): Obama - 54%, McCain - 40%, Others - 2%.
NEVADA (Research 2000): Obama - 50%, McCain - 43%, Others - 3%.
NEVADA (Insider Advantage): Obama - 49%, McCain - 47%, Others - 1%.
NEW HAMPSHIRE (CNN/Time): Obama - 53%, McCain - 45%.
NORTH CAROLINA (SurveyUSA): McCain - 49%, Obama - 46%, Others - 3%.
NORTH CAROLINA (CNN/Time): McCain - 49%, Obama - 49%.
OHIO (CNN/Time): Obama - 50%, McCain - 47%.
OHIO (PPP-D): Obama - 49%, McCain - 43%.
PENNSYLVANIA (Rasmussen): Obama - 54%, McCain - 41%.
PENNSYLVANIA (Muhlenberg College): Obama - 48%, McCain - 38%, Others - 3%.
PENNSYLVANIA (SurveyUSA): Obama - 55%, McCain - 40%, Others - 3%.
WISCONSIN (SurveyUSA): Obama - 52%, McCain - 42%, Others - 3%.
WISCONSIN (CNN/Time): Obama - 51%, McCain - 46%.

US SENATE. The latest independent polls for the US Senate match-ups:
ALASKA (Anchorage Press/Ivan Moore): Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich (D) - 48%, US Senator Ted Stevens (R) - 46%.
ALASKA (Rasmussen): US Senator Ted Stevens (R) - 49%, Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich (D) - 48%.
NORTH CAROLINA (SurveyUSA): US Senator Elizabeth Dole (R) - 44%, State Senator Kay Hagan (D) - 43%, postal worker Chris Cole (Libt) - 7%.

GOVERNOR. The new independent polls for the gubernatorial contests:
NORTH CAROLINA (SurveyUSA): Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory (R) - 46%, Lieutenant Governor Bev Perdue (D) - 45%.
NORTH CAROLINA (PPP-D): Lieutenant Governor Bev Perdue (D) - 46%, Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory (R) - 43%.

SEND A PIN = GET A FREE PLUG HERE. Here's my open offer for every campaign (and campaign supporter): send me a button or pin from the Governor, US Senate, Congressional, Statewide Office campaign you are involved in -- feel free to add a sticker and brochure -- and I'll place a link to official campaign site here on our home page blog in a daily "thank you" note. (FYI: Presidential coattails items always appreciated). My address: Ron Gunzburger, 409 NE 17 Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301.
Pastor, artist and temperance activist Gene Amondson (Prohibition-Washington) - Candidate for President.

CONGRESS. Here are the latest independent polls for US House races.
ALASKA (Anchorage Press/Ivan Moore): Former State House Minority Leader Ethan Berkowitz (D) - 49%, Congressman Don Young (R) - 44%.
FLORIDA CD-18 (Telemundo): Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R) - 48%, businesswoman Annette Taddeo (D) - 35%.
FLORIDA CD-21 (Telemundo): Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R) - 48%, former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez (D) - 43%.
FLORIDA CD-25 (Telemundo): Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R) - 43%, former Miami-Dade County Democratic Chair Joe Garcia (D) - 41%.
ILLINOIS CD-10 (SurveyUSA): Marketing executive Dan Seals (D) - 52%, Congressman Mark Kirk (R) - 44%.
INDIANA CD-10 (SurveyUSA): Congressman Baron Hill (D) - 53%, former Congressman Mike Sodrel (R) - 38%, economist Eric Schansberg (Libt) - 7%.
NEW HAMPSHIRE CD-1 (SurveyUSA): Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter (D) - 50%, former Congressman Jeb Bradley (R) - 41%, businessman Bob Kingsbury (Libt) - 3%, economist Peter Bearse (I) - 3%.
NEW YORK CD-29 (SurveyUSA): Eric Massa (D) - 51%, Congressman Randy Kuhl (R) - 44%.
NORTH CAROLINA CD-8 (SurveyUSA): Teacher Larry Kissell (D) - 49%, Congressman Robin Hayes (R) - 41%, electrician Thomas Hill (Libt) - 6%.
OHIO CD-1 (Research 2000): State House Minority Whip Steve Driehaus (D) - 46%, Congressman Steve Chabot (R) - 44%, Others - 4%.
OHIO CD-16 (Research 2000): State Senator John Boccieri (D) - 48%, State Senator Kirk Schuring (R) - 38%, Others - 4%.
PENNSYLVANIA CD-4 (SurveyUSA): Congressman Jason Altmire (D) - 54%, former Congresswoman Melissa Hart (R) - 42%.
WISCONSIN CD-8 (SurveyUSA): Congressman Steve Kagen (D) - 54%, former State Assembly Speaker John Gard (R) - 43%.

Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 10.08.08