Anger at D.C. Shapes Races
by STEPHANIE SIMON And ANA CAMPOY (excerpt)

WALL STREET JOURNAL

In Colorado, a little-known suburban city councilman, Republican Ryan Frazier, raised more money last quarter for his congressional bid than all but one of the state's incumbent members of the U.S. House.

In Arkansas, Lt. Gov. Bill Halter raised $1 million in just two days after announcing he would challenge two-term incumbent Sen. Blanche Lincoln in the Democratic primary. That figure "shows the depth of voters' anger" said Justin Ruben, executive director of MoveOn.org, the liberal activist group that coordinated fund raising for Mr. Halter.

Anger at Washington is undoubtedly strong. A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll conducted in late January showed that just 28% of Americans believe the federal government is "working well" or "okay." And 93% say there is too much partisan infighting inside the Beltway.

(P)olitical analyst Nathan Gonzales doubts the insider label will hurt Republicans. Voters sour on Washington politics are "more likely to take that anger out on the party that runs Washington these days, and that's the Democrats," said Mr. Gonzales, an editor with the nonpartisan Rothenberg Political Report.