But while the Beltway game of political chicken was going on, the Republican debate — the first one to feature Gov. Rick Perry of Texas, who is leading in several nation polls — gained some welcomed publicity.
That's not quite up to the stellar ratings of Obama in 2012, who according to exit polls gained 87% of the Puerto Rican vote in the state compared with 13% for the Republican candidate, Mitt Romney, but it's getting there.
Scott refused to extend early voting hours even as problems at the polls gained more attention.
With President Barack Obama and the Republican candidate, Mitt Romney, running very close in the latest polls, gaining even a sliver of Hispanic votes could be crucial to either party — but especially to the Republican ticket.
Following Blair's announcement of his resignation and Brown's bid for leadership, the Labour Party rose in popularity in the polls, gaining three points after months of low polls and trailing behind the opposition Conservative Party However, Labour subsequently lost this lead.
From the rise of the SNP in Scotland to Ukip's poll gains, politics in the UK is proving less and less predictable, and with the necessary groundwork new political forces can emerge.
In a post-debate Newsweek poll, Mr Kerry gained four points and Mr Bush lost four, putting the Democrat two points ahead.
He led in all three states in its polls — and gained an average of seven points from We Ask America's prior polling of the same states.
Verbal feedback (whether gathered from larger samples using surveys and polls or gained from specific expert knowledge) can be translated into definitive and quantifiable values.
Humphrey, after a National Convention in Chicago marred by violence in the streets, was far behind in opinion polls but gained ground.
