by Eric Dondero

We've been reporting here for the last few weeks on a new Democrat strategy that has emerged: Blasting Republicans for the House and Senate as "extremist libertarians" who want to cut government, abolish the Education Dept. and privatize Social Security. We've seen this strategy emerge in an Oregon House race (Democrat Rep. Peter DeFazio), and down in South Carolina (Dem Rep. John Spratt). Both Dem incumbents, as if from some DCC playbook, attacked their Republican opponents as "extremist libertarian" government slashers. Up in Wisconsin, young Republican Sean Duffy was criticized in numerous ads for wanting to "abolish Social Security."

Now a brand new poll by the liberal/establishment leaning The Hill, suggests that such a strategy is falling flat on its face. From The Hill (h/t Memeo), "Voters are not worried about ‘extreme’ label on candidates" Oct. 21:

Democratic attacks on Republicans and the Tea Party for being too extreme are failing to sway voters, according to The Hill 2010 Midterm Election Poll.

Only 15 percent of likely Democratic voters said they were voting to “ensure extreme right-wing candidates are not elected to Congress.”

Independents, who are the largest bloc of undecided voters and are vital to Democrats if the party is to retain its House majority, are also unconvinced by warnings about extremism. Only 14 percent of them said they would vote for a Democrat to avoid electing an extreme right-wing candidate; 11 percent said they would vote Republican to avoid electing an extreme left-wing candidate.

Note - Republicans are leading in two of the three races incidentally (Mick Mulvaney in SC and Duffy in WI), with a virtual tie in Oregon.