OVERNIGHT CAMPAIGN: Nebraska's primary night

TOP STORY: The underdog barks
 
Nebraska state Sen. Deb Fischer had long been written off in Tuesday's GOP primary for the state's open Senate seat.
 
The smart money was on state Attorney General Jon Bruning, who had locked up most of the GOP establishment support, plus the backing of Tea Party Express and Citizens United. Fiscal conservatives were lining up behind state Treasurer Don Stenberg, whose benefactors include the Club for Growth and Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.).
 
All Fischer had was a rag-tag campaign she affectionately described as grassroots, and the doggedness to keep on going no matter what the polls showed.
 
"It's a question of being out there and meeting folks," Fischer said in a recent interview with The Hill. "Having them meet me, listening to their concerns and Nebraskans responding to a positive campaign."

Then, in the final days of the primary and long after most believed the race had settled, something started happening.

First there was an internal poll from Fischer's campaign that showed her closing the gap on Bruning and overtaking Stenberg for second place. Bruning questioned the poll's veracity, while Stenberg said it showed voters were seeking an alternative to Bruning.
 
But a few days later, an independent poll showed Fischer in first place.
 

Another poll released Tuesday by a Democratic firm showed the same thing: Fischer is back.

Meanwhile, Sarah Palin and Herman Cain — two Republicans known for their affinity for bucking the establishment — swooped in and gave Fischer their blessing.
 
It’s unclear what happened over the past week that turned the race on its head. It’s also unclear how much of an impact early voting conducted before Fischer’s surge will have in helping Bruning ward off the underdog’s bite.
 
But if Fischer pulls off a victory, it’s a sure bet that more than a few front-running Senate candidates, sitting pretty atop their primary fields, will feel the urge to start watching their back.
 
Polls close at 9 p.m. EST. The winner takes on former Sen. Bob Kerrey (D-Neb.) in the general election.

TOMORROW’S AGENDA TODAY: Mitt Romney will be campaigning in the important swing state of Florida. Vice President Biden will be campaigning in Ohio, another big swing state.

TWEET OF THE DAY: Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is famous on Twitter for his abbreviation-filled posts. Today’s is no exception: “On my way to another honor flight WWII vets fr Wloo to thank them for fighting to save USA fr AXIS.”

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I'll ask Michelle when I get home.” — President Obama, asked about the best-selling erotic fiction novel, “Fifty Shades of Grey,” on ABC’s “The View.” 

POLL POSITION:

President Obama has opened up a double-digit lead in New Hampshire, according to a survey from the left-leaning Public Policy Polling, leading Mitt Romney 53 percent to 41.

Voters are optimistic the economy will improve in the next year, but still hold doubts on Obama’s economic policies, according to a USA Today/Gallup poll.

Obama’s deputy campaign manager Stephanie Cutter said Monday’s CBS News/New York Times poll, which showed most Americans believe Obama’s gay-marriage endorsement was done for political reasons, can’t be trusted because it’s biased.

AD WATCH:

Voters might believe the economy is improving, but Mitt Romney's presidential campaign is looking to remind them it isn't better yet with a new Web video.

The Democratic super-PAC Priorities USA is up with an ad attacking Romney's time at Bain Capital, accusing him of caring solely about profits at the expense of his workers' jobs. 

BATTLE FOR THE HOUSE:

Arizona: The political arm of Citizens United will spend six figures to back Republican Jesse Kelly, becoming the latest outside group to wade into the special election to replace former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.).

Florida: Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a watch-dog group, is calling on House GOP leadership to demand that Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) resign, claiming that ongoing ethics allegations impede his ability to serve in Congress.

Massachusetts: Republican challenger Richard Tisei has a seven-point lead over Rep. John Tierney (D-Mass.), according to an internal poll for Tisei's campaign. 

SENATE SHOWDOWN:

Massachusetts: Democrat Elizabeth Warren is pivoting to her strong suit — Wall Street reform — in a new radio ad pegged to major losses by investment firm JPMorgan Chase. 

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

Still here: Ron Paul reassures his supporters he’s not exiting the presidential race. And no endorsement for Mitt Romney likely showing up soon.

It’s the economy...: Romney sought to define his candidacy as a crusade against excess spending and debt during an economic address in Des Moines.

Sowing seeds of Democratic discord: Romney suggested Tuesday that President Obama might have "personal beef" with former President Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Like father, like son: George W. Bush endorses Romney. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) also endorsed Romney.

Veep, Veep: Tim Pawlenty takes his name off of Romney’s VP list, saying he went through that already with John McCain.

Dialing for dollars: Newt Gingrich has more campaign debt than any other U.S. politician.

Growing pains: The conservative Club for Growth on Tuesday released a detailed scorecard on House freshmen. It argues that despite Tea Party rhetoric, many of the 87-member freshman class are not conservative enough. 

Tweet this: Social media advertising is only going to grow over the next few years, according to multiple studies.


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