At Politico:
DES MOINES, Iowa —Democrats’ hopes of keeping the Senate may well rest on the outcome of the race in this state on Tuesday. But party faithful here are increasingly anxious that victory is slipping away, with some Democrats openly saying that Republican Joni Ernst has the momentum as the campaign barrels to a close.Braley's toast. He's an asshole too, a typical Democrat douchebag, just the kind of guy Walter James Casper can get behind (IYKWIMAITYD).
In conversations with more than a dozen voters and activists in seven cities across Iowa, Republicans appeared confident, even giddy, while Democrats acknowledged they were worried that Ernst would win an open-seat race that many in their party initially thought would be an easy victory for their candidate, Bruce Braley.
“I kind of think she has the momentum,” sighed Linda Osborn, 65, a staunch Democrat who was at a canvassing kick-off with Braley in Democratic Jasper County on his birthday this week.
No one on either side is saying it’s over for Braley, a congressman. Ernst has held a tiny lead in most recent public polls, some within the margin of error. A Des Moines Register analysis indicated Friday that Democrats may be slightly ahead in early voting, but that the outcome of the race is anybody’s guess.
And Democrats have brought in big guns like Hillary Clinton to give Braley a last-minute boost. Energy on the ground, as Mitt Romney learned in 2012, doesn’t always predict the final outcome.
But the pro-Ernst sentiment, for whatever it counts, is hard to miss.
Asked why the Republican state senator may be pulling ahead, voters and activists said that polls showing her ahead generate buzz about her viability; that the nation’s renewed focus on foreign policy could help Ernst, an Iraq war veteran and member of the National Guard; and that President Barack Obama’s sinking polls numbers could weigh down Braley.
Democrats also acknowledge that Ernst is simply running a solid campaign.
In the final week before Election Day, both Ernst and Braley kept up frenetic schedules, hitting the road with high-profile surrogates. Ernst, who was wrapping up her 99-county tour, appeared with Republican Sens. Marco Rubio and John McCain. Braley, who earlier this week finished his part of the Democrats’ 99-county tour, was joined by Vice President Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton. Former President Bill Clinton is expected Saturday...
More.
And at RCP, "Iowa Senate - Ernst vs. Braley."