OVERNIGHT CAMPAIGN: Convention confusion

by Cameron Jospeh and Emily Goodin - 06/27/12 10:23 PM ET

TWEET OF THE DAY: “I resent recent charges that investigation of Fast/Furious is political motivated I have been leading this for 18 months Why now the charge.” — Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). The House holds its contempt vote on Attorney General Eric Holder on Thursday.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “My guess is they’re not sleeping real well at the White House tonight — that’s the way it ought to be.” — Mitt Romney at a campaign event in Sterling, Va.

POLL POSITION:

President Obama has opened up a 40-point lead over Mitt Romney among Hispanics, 66 percent to 26, according to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Telemundo poll.

{mosads}Obama is expanding his lead over Romney in swing states that will be key in determining the outcome of the 2012 election, two new polls show.

Obama continues to hold a commanding advantage over Romney in terms of personal likability, but Americans are skeptical that either man has a clear plan for solving the country’s problems, according to a new poll by Gallup.

Obama holds a seven-point lead in the crucial swing state of Virginia, 49 percent to Romney’s 42, despite more than half the voters in the state saying they hold conservative views on issues like taxes and government spending, according to a new poll by Old Dominion University and the Virginian-Pilot.

More Americans are confident in Obama’s ability to handle an alien invasion than in Romney’s. According to a survey conducted for the National Geographic Channel, 65 percent said they’d pick Obama to deal with an invading alien force over Romney.

AD WATCH:

The Republican National Committee charged President Obama with “hypocrisy” in a new Web video criticizing his decision to exert executive privilege over documents related to the botched “Fast and Furious” gun-tracking operation.

BATTLE FOR THE HOUSE:

Michigan: Freshman Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) took first place for best use of social media among House Republicans, according to challenge organizers.

SENATE SHOWDOWN:

Sens. Bob Casey Jr. (D-Pa.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) are in strong position for reelection, but Sen. Bill Nelson‘s (D-Fla.) race against Rep. Connie Mack (R-Fla.) has tightened considerably, according to a series of new polls from Quinnipiac University.

The Republican-affiliated outside groups American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS are up with new ads in New Mexico and North Dakota, expanding on previous buys in two states they have made priorities as of late.

Massachusetts: Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) and Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren traded barbs Wednesday over the proposed bipartisan agreement that would prevent interest rates on student loans from doubling next month.

Missouri: Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) defended her decision to skip the Democratic National Convention, denying that she was trying to distance herself from President Obama.

Ohio: Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) has a single-digit lead over his GOP rival, state Treasurer Josh Mandel, 46 to 39 percent, in a new poll from Public Policy Polling.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

A spokesperson for The Washington Post said the newspaper would not be retracting a controversial report about Mitt Romney‘s tenure at Bain Capital despite a request from the candidate’s campaign. The announcement came after members of Romney’s staff met with senior editors in Washington on Wednesday afternoon to ask them to withdraw the article.

Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), an early supporter of Romney’s presidential campaign who is speculated to be under consideration for the Republican vice presidential nomination, defended the presumptive Republican nominee’s foreign policy credentials in a speech Wednesday.

President Obama will visit Colorado Springs on Friday to view damage from a massive fire that could be the state’s worst-ever natural disaster to date.

Donald Trump seems to think that he and Romney will be hosting a glitzy, high-dollar fundraiser Thursday at the Pierre Hotel in Manhattan — but the Republican presidential candidate’s campaign has indicated otherwise.

Vice President Biden will be the keynote speaker at the National Council of La Raza’s (NCLR) annual conference, organizers announced Tuesday.

Please send tips and comments to Emily Goodin, egoodin@digital-stage.thehill.com; Cameron Joseph, cjoseph@digital-stage.thehill.com; and Justin Sink, jsink@digital-stage.thehill.com

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