Politics & Government
Non-Partisan Report: 36th District a "Toss Up"
Cook Political Report calls the Bono Mack vs Ruiz race for Congress as too close to call.
This story was last updated with reaction from Mary Bono Mack's Political Adviser at 4:15p.m.
The non-partisan Cook Political Report has changed its evaluation of the 36th Congressional District today, moving it's outlook from "Leaning Republican" to "Toss Up".
It's the latest change amongst a number of politicos that are saying the 36th is becoming a very tight race.
Find out what's happening in Palm Desertwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
According to Charlie Cook, "Republican operatives admit that a Finkelstein and Associates poll taken in early October showing Bono Mack up 55 percent to 38 percent vastly understates the seriousness of her race against physician Raul Ruiz, and the NRCC just went in with a $218,000 buy [editor's note: media advertising buy] . Bono Mack's campaign has belatedly transitioned into attack mode, hitting Ruiz for participating in a 1997 Thanksgiving protest. But the district's growing Hispanic electorate and Ruiz's digs at Bono Mack's absences from the district are conspiring to make this race surprisingly too close to call."
Marc Troast, Political Advisor to Congresswoman Bono Mack told Patch this afternoon that "they stand behind their latest polling", which show the Congresswoman holding a 17 point lead on Ruiz in polling done earlier his month.
