Here’s one way Washington Politicians plant the seeds of a train wreck: Republican Leaders and Political Masterminds are telling anxious Senators and Congressmen the fall election is looking just fine: That the ‘Generic Ballot’ questions – like, ‘In the election for US Congress this fall are you more likely to vote for the Democratic candidate or the Republican candidate?’ – they’re asking in polls show Republicans ahead.  

Their prognosis works brilliantly as a balm to calm the fears of skittish politicians but as campaign strategy it rests on shaky ground: When the rubber meets the road on Election Day the names on the ballot swaying voters will be Hillary and Donald – not Generic Republican or Generic Democrat. An ‘R’ beside your name won’t spell salvation.

No doubt Republicans are comforting one another with all this cooing but they aren’t fooling Democrats: The DCCC just announced its spending a million dollars to defeat ten Republican candidates for Congress by tying them to Donald Trump.

For over four decades Republicans used more or less the same strategy here in North Carolina – we tied local Democrats like Jim Hunt or Kay Hagan to unpopular national Democrats like Walter Mondale or Barack Obama. And it worked.   

This election the shoes on the other foot.

But in Washington Republican ostriches are telling Republican candidates: Don’t worry. The Generic Ballot will save you.