HIM DOING THAT FROM MY COUCH.
NEVER MIND, HERE IS REACT, GUY
BENSON, TOWNHALL.COM POLITICAL
EDITOR, HOST OF "BENSON & HARF,"
THE RADIO SHOW.
HE IS FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR.
>> ARE THERE SNACKS ON THE SHOW?
MELISSA: I MIGHT SHARE THE
POPCORN WITH YOU, IF YOU ANSWER
QUESTIONS PROPERLY.
THERE ARE A LOT OF RACES WHERE I
AM FIRED UP TO SEE HOW THEY TURN THERE ARE A LOT OF RACES WHERE I
AM FIRED UP TO SEE HOW THEY TURN
OUT.
FLORIDA, THE GOVERNOR’S RACE,
FLORIDA, THERE ARE SOME RACES IN
SENATE SEAT, WHAT IS YOUR
PREDICTION GOING ON DOWN THERE
AND WHAT ARE YOU WATCHING?
>> FLORIDA IS PERENNIALLY A VERY
CLOSE STATE.
IF YOU LOOK AT POLLING, A LOT OF
PUBLIC POLLS SHIFTED IN
DEMOCRATS DIRECTION IN BOTH OF
THOSE RACES BUT A HANDFUL OF
POLLS CUT THE OPPOSITE WAY.
JUST TODAY A REPUBLICAN ALIGNED
POLLSTER PUT OUT FINAL SURVEY OF
STATE OF FLORIDA ON ELECTION DAY POLLSTER PUT OUT FINAL SURVEY OF
STATE OF FLORIDA ON ELECTION DAYFROM THE LAST TWO OR THREE DAYS,
FROM THE LAST TWO OR THREE DAYS,
IT HAD REPUBLICANS SLIGHTLY
AHEAD BY FOUR POINTS IN THE
GOVERNOR RACE, TWO POINTS IN THE
SENATE RACE.
IT IS ALWAYS CLOSE IN FLORIDA.
I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF WE GET A
VERY EARLY CALL DOWN THERE, BUT
AGAIN, IT’S A STATE THAT IS
RARELY WON BY EITHER PARTY IN A
BLOWOUT.
PRESIDENT TRUMP WON IT BY JUST
OVER A POINT IN 2016.
AND THOSE ARE HOTLY-CONTESTED
RACES WITH REALLY SIGNIFICANT
IMPLICATIONS FOR THE NUMBER ONE
LARGEST, MOST DIVERSE SWING
STATE AHEAD OF 2020.
MELISSA: NO, IT IS REALLY
AMAZING BECAUSE IF THEY CHOOSE
TO VOTE AGAINST THEIR OWN
ECONOMIC BEST INTERESTS AND GO
WITH GILLUM AS THEIR GOVERNOR,
IT WILL CHANGE THE TAX
STRUCTURE.
IT WILL HAVE A DECISION, WHEN
YOU SUCK THAT MUCH CASH OUT OF
THE ECONOMY, GIVE IT TO THE
GOVERNMENT, THAT HAS A HUGE COST
OF LIVING IMPACT ON EVERY SINGLE GOVERNMENT, THAT HAS A HUGE COST
OF LIVING IMPACT ON EVERY SINGLE
PERSON IN THAT STATE.
GUY, YOU THINK THAT IS A POINT
THAT FOLKS THERE, VOTING
UNDERSTAND?
DO THEY, THEY DON’T CARE?
>> LET’S SEE WHO WINS THE RACE.
BUT I THINK WHAT THE GILLUM
CAMPAIGN IS SORT OF COUNTING ON
IS A LOT OF PEOPLE TO SAY, ALL
RIGHT, YEAH THE ECONOMY IS IN
GOOD SHAPE, I AM GLAD ABOVE
SCOTT HAS BEEN IN CHARGE, TRUMP
DOING OKAY JOB WITH THE ECONOMY,
BUT THINGS WILL BE FINE
REGARDLESS WHO IS IN CHARGE.
MELISSA: WOW.
>> SOMETIMES PEOPLE GET
COMPLACENT.
IT IS RARE VOTERS VOTE OUT OF
GRATITUDE.
WE SAW IN THE LOWEST ECONOMIC
RECOVERY IN THE MODERN ERA AFTER
WORLD WAR II UNDER THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION, IT HAS BEEN A
VERY DIFFERENT STORY UNDER THE
LEADERSHIP OF PRESIDENT TRUMP
AND GOVERNOR SCOTT AND
REPUBLICANS ARE HOPING THAT SORT
OF THOSE DOTS ARE CONNECTED BY
THE VOTERS OF FLORIDA.
MELISSA: I’M ALSO CURIOUS, WHY
IS MARSHA BLACKBURN HAVING SUCH
A HARD TIME IN TENNESSEE?
WHAT IS UP WITH THAT STATE?
THAT IS A RACE THAT SHOULD LEAN
HER WAY.
A LOT OF THINGS ARE GOING RIGHT
FOR REPUBLICANS BUT SHE HASN’T
BEEN ABLE TO CLOSE IT OUT?
>> THE DEMOCRATS GOT A PRIZED
RECRUIT, FORMER GOVERNOR, NRA
LIKES ME, I WOULD HAVE VOTED FOR
KAVANAUGH.
IT IS THE TYPE OF NOMINEE
DEMOCRATS NEED IN A STATE LIKE
TENNESSEE.
BLACKBURN FROM WHAT I HEARD,
FROM MY SOURCE IS STILL AHEAD BY
MID TO HIGH SINGLE DIGITS.
UNLESS SOMETHING REALLY
SURPRISING HAPPENS SHOULD WIN
BUT AGAIN, EVERY TIME THERE IS A
MIDTERM ELECTION AFTER A NEW
PRESIDENT IS ELECTED THE WINDS
OF HISTORY ARE BLOWING HARD
AGAINST THE PARTY IN POWER.
THAT IS ONE OF THE DYNAMICS
WE’RE WATCHING TONIGHT.
WHY SOME OF THESE RED STATE
RACES AND RED DISTRICT RACES
HAVE A REAL CHANCE GOING BLUE.
MAYBE NOT TENNESSEE SENATE BUT
CERTAINLY OTHERS IN THE COUNTRY.
MELISSA: THAT IS DEFINITELY OUT
THERE BUT DO YOU THINK ONE WAY
OR THE OTHER, THESE RACES WILL
BE A BELLWETHER FOR ANYTHING
GOING FORWARD BECAUSE AT THE END
OF THE DAY IT IS ABOUT THE LOCAL GOING FORWARD BECAUSE AT THE END
OF THE DAY IT IS ABOUT THE LOCAL
CHARACTERS OF THEIR STATE AND
WHAT THEY WILL DO FOR THEIR
STATE?
>> IT IS EXCEPT IN THIS CASE, IT
IS SUCH A NATIONALIZED ELECTION, >> IT IS EXCEPT IN THIS CASE, IT
IS SUCH A NATIONALIZED ELECTION,
SO MUCH ABOUT PRESIDENT TRUMP.
FRANKLY MELISSA, ALL DEMOCRATS
HAVE TO DO LIVE UP TO THE
HISTORIC AVERAGE, WIN 30 SEATS,
WIN THE HOUSE, THAT IS JUST
AVERAGE.
HEADWINDS ARE THERE FOR THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY.
THEY HAVE A FEW THINGS AT THEIR
BACK AS WELL, SUCH AS THE
ECONOMY.
BUT THE BIG QUESTION MARK IS WHO
WILL TURN OUT?
THE OLD CLICHE IN POLITICS.
IT IS ESPECIALLY TRUE.
MASSIVE TURNOUT ACROSS THE
BOARD.
DEMOCRATS HAVE A BIT MORE
INTENSITY.