Wednesday Must-Reads: It’s Deeds

Most readers will know this already, but Virginia Democrats have their gubernatorial candidate, and it’s Creigh Deeds. The general election will be perhaps the biggest in ’09, so the win should make Deeds a national figure. That’s a big coup for his campaign manager Joe Abbey. Cillizza singles Abbey out as one of the key winners last night, along with Deeds’ advertising, which made good use of his WaPo endorsement. New polls have come out to help us assess the state of the Republican candidate, and unfortunately for the party, Rush Limbaugh is still the most-named figure among potential party leaders. Also startling: a full third of Republicans have an unfavorable view of their own party. Any comeback for the party may depend on the fast-growing Hispanic demographic. An adviser to San Francisco Mayor (and California gubernatorial candidate) Gavin Newsom details the GOP’s historic struggles with Hispanics in the state, but the chairman of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly thinks there is a way to earn their votes.Here’s a campaign issue we usually tip-toe around: fatness. Politicos and media tiptoe around it, so pollsters don’t regard it as a legitimate question. But will it affect Chris Christie in New Jersey?Odds & Ends

The Republican Party begins to prepare for the special election to replace former-Rep. John McHugh.
Obama poured $16 million—twice what McCain—spent into swing states last year.
the NRSC has unveiled a new website, and TechRepublican details the new features.
The Maine House of Representatives votes to dissolve itself and create a unicameral house, though not with the two-thirds majority needed.