Setting ways. For critics, who claim that theres no distance between the parties, governors have taken on big battles between employee unions, underfunded state Pension Plans, and what they called blotted state government. They have not necessarily been cheered. Governments are fond of saying that its the state, not the federal government that functions as a laboratory for new ideas. And voters are not prepared to say theyre happy with the results. With just under two weeks to go before the midterm elections, president barack obama has hopped on the campaign trail. Gubernatorial campaign trail. Across the nation, ther six governors may lose their seats for the First Time Since 1984. On monday, obama made his way to chicago to cast his vote for the democratic candidate, pat quinn. The incumbent is only up by a hair in the polls. On sunday, obama through his support behind marylands governor, Anthony Brown in miami. Hope for a better choice. Thats what Anthony Brown is about. Hope. Brown is leading the race for governor only by a slim margin over his competitor, republican, larry hogan. And the president wasnt the only obama on the trail. First lady, michelle obama, met with College Students in madison, wisconsin last week, there to praise the democratic candidate for governor, mary burke. We can do this if women, minorities and young people show up. If we each vote, mary wins. In the latest mark kept university poll, wisconsins governor, scott walker, was tied with burke. The two challengers went headtohead last week. Four years ago, we inherited a 3. 6 billion budget deficit and we paid our bills off. Unfortunately, some of the things that Governor Walker has done have made it harder it to do that. He cut shared revenues, and according to the fbi reports, we have seen an increase in Violent Crimes that are second in the midwest. In Gubernatorial Races, incumbents usually have the leading edge, so why are so many races this competitive . The answer may lie in the sphere between macro and micropolicies. A latest poll asked respondents how they felt that things were heading in the country. 32 said the right direction, and of 8 , the wrong direction. And the top issues on their minds were the economy, economic recovery, terrorism, National Security and defense, and jobs and unemployment. Major social issues are also bearing down in some races. In florida, incumbent rick scott is ahead in the polls over former governor, Charlie Crist. Who is for us to tell other people who to love . And what is it in our right to tell people who to marry . I believe in traditional marriage, and the court is going to decide. And they will make the decision. And as the 36 Gubernatorial Races continue to vie for your vote, the campaign lines are getting bigger. 380 million has been spent on tv ads this cycle, 58 million more than in u. S. Senate races. The governors races this time on the program. California, florida, kansas, pennsylvania, georgia, new york, michigan, wisconsin, illinois, hawaii, not all are close, not all are hospital, but they give a very different glimpse into the mood of the country, from a lets say a look at the house and senate races. Joining us for that conversation, michael is back, analyst. And Betsy Woodruff is with me here in washington, political examish, and laura washington, an an lift for abc 7, and columnist for the chicago sun times. Michael assurer, why are voters down on democrats, on president obama, saying that the country is going in the wrong direction, ready to vote in many states for a democratic, nonincumbent governor . Its part of the issue of what happened four years ago was the tea party. And the tea party sent governors to statehouse was a similar ideology. And that being, were going to cut the state budget and taxes and cut spending, and it was sort of the mood of the moment. And whats happening now, four years later, the lectorate in those states said that things did not work out as well as we thought. Even in republican states. The economy in florida is a no more liftissomething more for rt to run o. But youre seeing cuts to teachers and law enforcement, and it has always been less partisan, but even this time, theyre saying, we have to get back to where we are with jocks, and were running state deficits, so its a problem. Without a doubt, the number of the Gubernatorial Race thats were seeing, and people are seeing people that might not match their ideology. The races dont get nationalized the way that you would expect. Chris christie in new jersey, hes the archetypical candidate here, and in c, in maine, we have governor paula page, one of the most vulnerable governors in the cycle who never pulls above 38 . But because a third power candidate usually splits the vote, he has been able to stay in power. And it will be interesting to see if they want such a conservative tea party governor. Laura washington, you are sitting in chicago, where pat quinn, if you had asked political pros a year out who was on the short list for having found other work, he was definitely on the top of the list, hardly out of the woods yet, but this is a competitive race, why . Well, four years ago, he barely won reelection to a very conservative opponent. Just by a couple of percentage points, and he has struggled mightily with his own legislature. Our legislature on the General Assembly is democratic and has dominated for many years, and yet they dont get along, and there has been a lot of infighting and tensions over education funding, and pat quinn is sort of, in many ways, he came in and he has been a lifelong performer. We call him the accidental governor, and he came into office after the former governor was impeached. So he never got along were traditional members of his own party, and that has made it difficult for him to govern, and the rap on him now, especially from the republican party, he hasnt gotten much done. There are a lot of atkins pat quinns, and the people against him are running away with it. Rick scott has low Approval Ratings in florida, and john kasich was a hugely unpopular governor, and scott walker in wisconsin, a closely divided state. But the guy or gal in some cases isnt running away with it either. Yeah, florida is always the anomaly because Charlie Crist is on the ballot there. So its an anomaly as well. But when you look at them trying to go against john case kasich, he has come to the center. And the obamacare and the Affordable Care act is here to say. So its hardtop find candidates to run against him. The democrats are shaking their heads in michigan against rick snyder, and similarly in nevada, Brian Sandoval who came . In 2010, they might have had a shot there. But sometimes thats what happens. You dont get the candidate you want. So you have to bring the other one toward you. And betty talked about as she said, hasnt pulled above 38 . Mike misho, somebody who is known to people in maine. And saying, were not going to do this anymore. And even though the numbers dont work out for us, we can come up with a candidate. Laura washington, has the president been neutralized . Has his own popularity made it a very short list of states, including illinois, where well see him very active . Well, well see him in other parts of the country, whereas you know, many of the members of his own parties are afraid to run with him or say that they voted for him. Illinois is a very blue state. And barack obama has been to illinois twice in the last month to illinois and to fundraise, and as you know, he was here today, voting and doing fundraisers, and last night, he led a huge rally for pat quinn and for other Democratic People on the ballot. And i think primarily because hes from chicago, but because theres as much a strong africanamerican base in chicago and down state illinois, and thats where theyre appealing to the democrats. Obama has the one element that can get people excited and to turn out in november. But thats one of the places where the president is not popular, we see a former president. When the republicans look at this, and its not like george w. Bush, out there on the trail. But bill clinton, the blast from the past everywhere. Without a doubt, omnipresent, he is enjoying his role as elder statesman, and another one very involved, mitt romney, very active in this cycle, including rhode island, where he has been gunning for find. That race is probably closer than it looks, and romney even has political currency in rhode island. Well be back with more inside story after a short break. Well continue our look at governors races around the country. Given the very Different Directions in which some governors have taken their states, is there more than usual at steak when you go to the polling places . Welcome back to inside story on aljazeera america. Im ray soares. In california, a political meophyte is taking on one of the state governors in history. A former governor who has changed parties. In wisconsin, the governor is facing the voters for the second time after just four years in office, and maybe people dont remember the saga of scott walk, betsy, but he faced a recall election. And he became a National Star as he won that recall. Republicans saw him as a hero, someone who could take on the unions, but now hes 4747, and hes hanging on by the skin of his teeth for his political life. And yet john case okay, who did some of the things that walker did in wisconsin, is coasting. Kasich is out by a think its 20 or even more points over his democratic challenger, fitzgerald. And it comes down to how important candidate selection is. Because walker and kasich are running tough campaigns in states where the democrats usually walk away with. The governor has had trouble fundraising and very little political i. D. He was in a scandal with a woman who wasnt his wife at 4 30 in the morning. And so it shows how things can get very very squirmy in a typical competitive or uncompetitive candidate. If scott walker prevails for national office, but what does it do for the issue of municipal and state employee unions . They were very much in the scrum, in the political debate early on in the cycle when walker went after them head on and prevailed. You know, ray, its obviously an issue thats going to be talked about in the wake of whatever happens in the wisconsin gubernatorial election. He has had an organized opposition, which john kasich hasnt had in ohio. So mary burke inherits a little bit of that. And a lot of that is precisely because of what you just listed. The idea of collective bargaining and unionized workers and what that brings out in the northwestern beltish sort of state. Its always at play there, so its going to speak more to wisconsin than i think it will be contagious in other states. As i mentioned earlier, kasich has come center on a lot of those issues that are so toxic for walker in wisconsin. He prevailed. But its the type of issue thats going to be talked about Going Forward because you need the working class voters. The democrats have succeeded a lot of them, and the working class voters are so important for them to hang onto. Marilyn, is it possible for the democrats to do damage to it . Scott walker tied in the polls, and quinn maybe eeking out a win, perhaps the statehouses are the blight spots for the democrats . I think so. And when you look at the whole union issue, again if its hands on where you are. Bruce router is pat quinns republican opponent, who was a nonpolitician, never ran before. And if hes in trouble, one reason in the primary, he declared warp on the states unions. And he basically implied that he was going to move the state toward a right to work if he could, and the unions corrupt, the state establishment is corrupt. And he scared the bajesus out of them. Theyre not good friends with pat quinn, though hes a democrat because pat quinn has crossed them on a number of issues. But they are energized. And pat quinn is competitive, though bruce ronner has put 40, 50 million into the race, and hes still in it because of the unions, and because they have come together and created these pacts and they have helped pat quinn be exceptive on the money front. In the end, were looking at 60 million is being spent in illinois, and the Union Contributions are strong in that area. Patsy, the one guy, chad quinn, this is the case in a couple of states where the main parties are virtually tied, or tied within the margin of error and then getting 5, 6, 7 depending on the poll for a Third Party Candidate. And can they make a difference in some of these things . Without a doubt. The Third Party Candidates are throwing wrenches into a lot of senate races. Particularly in georgia, and a number of Gubernatorial Races. Like in florida, as we discussed. The libertarian candidate, focused on marijuana legalization, and conservative economics, and hes polling comparatively well compared to democrats in the past. And they arent sure where hes drawing the lines, and courting the voters. Is there a potential for shrinkage on election day . Because the polls are consistent. Theres not a lot of variation in the vote in those particular cases, and maybe libertarians are feeling a little bit more emboldened and ready to stick with their guy and gal all the way to the end. They could be. And as youve seen in kansas in the gubernatorial elections, the democrats actually drop out and give that space on the ballot to the opposition republican who was before that a Third Party Candidate. Theres a chance for that, but what generally happens, if you go on precedent, when it comes time to vote, i would say that louisiana and georgia are the exceptions, but in other states, i would say North Carolina is one of them, and youre seeing the tightening in the senate race, them leave the Third Party Candidate and go on who they think will win. But in those two races in louisiana and georgia, it could affect and be a big part of the story on election night. Well be back with more in a moment. Wisconsin, kansas, pennsylvania and others, the incumbent governors have put a very different stamp on state government, taking up policy positions of the tea party, are they acting as referendums on ideology or is it something personal . Stay with us. Youre watching inside story on aljazeera america. Im ray suarez. Were looking at governor races around the country. There are 36 of them this time around and as many as 11 incumbents in real peril. We have not seen more than six governors lose since 1984, and the predominance of the gop in governors manages could be over. In this midterm season. Still with us, michael shure, political analyst, betsy, and laura washington, columnist for the chicago sun times. And laura, when we have seen this policy experimentation and cutbacks, going after the unions, trying to renegotiate the Pension Plans and so on, does the challenger in places like pennsylvania and like wisconsin, say look, im going to undo all of that stuff, and im going to restore the budget cuts for the schools. Im going to take the deal for the Affordable Care act and expand medicare in my state. Are they running with real opposition so voters have wide choice when they head into the booth . I think theyre appealing in particular because of the antiincumbent move, and because of the attitude when washington and gridlock. Theres a feeling that nothing happens in washington on a federal level and the states are always where the game is played, at least thats what you want to believe in the statehouse, so the people are listening to that message and its appealing to people, and theyre looking at alternatives that they might not have four years ago. Do you think that well see a very very different approach, or will governors quietly try to incorporate some of the economies of their predecessors, though they were very unpopular in order to keep state taxes low . I think that its very difficult politicalry to raise taxes. If you take a state where taxes are low and you are going to make peoples paychecks lower, thats not good. But in kansas, he cut taxes so much that there was a projected revenue shortfall and the states bond rating was downgraded. So if he loses, the democrats could make more significant and dramatic changes. But the incumbent governor is a tough act to follow. If mary burke wins, is she going to have collective bargaining. I think that they are so instrumental in getting her into office, and if she loses, she could be toast in reelection. Michael, its abstract and when you have to live through it, its less pealing . To a certain segment of the voters state by state, it doesnt sound so great. Those are federal employees and teachers and Governor Union workers, so it doesnt sound great to them at first, but in a macro way, it sounds good. You said this in a leadup to this conversation, ray. Is this a referendum for those budgets . Yes, it is. If the governors are reelected or not, it is a referendum on the wave that sent the tea party to the statehouses. Though its not kansas, though kansas is the most profound and it has the biggest push back from republicans to a republican governor. So that makes it an interesting case. So its there all the way. And its not just a referendum on that. I mean, there are people and personalities as in every election n florida, it doesnt matter whats on the ballot. I think that the florideans are pretty used to voting for or against charliist crist or rick scott. Laura, very quickly before we go. As an old chicago boy, im dying to know, if pat quinn squeaks in, will he have the juice to solve the unfunded state mention problem . Will he have any power if he just makes it back to springfield . I dont think so. I think hes going to be in the same place as he was before he started. Hes unpopular in his own party, and he will not be able to build the statehouse. Laura washington, michael shu r b etsey. Im ray suarez. Haiti, october 2010, at a hospital in a small, rural town north of the capital. These were the first victims of a horrific, unknown disease in a country still reeling from a devastating earthquake. Patients were dying in the space of a few hours. Children were especially vulnerable. Al jazeera was the first news channel on the scene. In the following days and weeks we tracked the epidemic as it