5 Hopeful Signs for Democrats in Midterms

Democrats didn’t get the bump in the polls they were hoping for after health care reform passed. Are they doomed in November? Maybe. But they have reasons for optimism, writes Jay Newton-Small for Time , including:

• Michael Steele: He’s “the gift that keeps on giving,” and his gaffes are killing the GOP’s momentum.
• Tea Party candidates: In many states, fringe candidates are sucking up money and threatening to derail theoretically more electable establishment candidates.

• Fundraising: Voter enthusiasm hasn’t translated into donations; the National Republican Campaign Committee has $6 million in the bank, compared to $20 million for Democrats.
• No Newt: The GOP doesn’t have a leader like Gingrich to rally around; only Pelosi and Reid to rail against.
• Legislative victories: It’s got to be better to win the health care fight than lose it, right? We’ll find out for sure in November.

(More Election 2010 stories.)