A Brown University survey regarding the upcoming Senate race in Rhode Island indicates that if Steve Laffey ends up as the Republican nominee, the Democratic candidate will have a strong advantage.

If the Republican nominee is Mayor Laffey, Whitehouse is ahead by 44 to 29 percent (up from the 35 to 25 percent Whitehouse had in September). If the nominees are Laffey and Brown, Brown has an advantage of 47 to 24 percent over Laffey (up from 30 to 26 percent in September).

Of course, these questions are being asked before the massive propaganda campaign sponsored by The Club for Growth has really gotten started. Expect plane-loads of leaflets to be dropped on your front lawn daily, and armies of College Republicans to be standing on your doorstep every night, offering to sing “God Bless America” in three-part harmony. Or perhaps, as they did in North Carolina when helping to get Patrick McHenry elected, the College Republicans will try to get into your house and set up expensive video and audio equipment to bombard you with their message.

Then the Democrats will have to do something to try to top that. Or not. Which is part of the problem, isn’t it? Elections are partially about how far some politicians will go into “hard sell” mode, and Democrats aren’t known for being nearly as pushy, negative, or devious as Republicans.