The final push: Fox provides forum for GOP candidates' last-minute appeals

Fox spent the final 24 hours before the midterm elections by continuing to relentlessly campaign for Republicans, hosting 13 GOP candidates or campaign officials, and one conservative candidate, while featuring only three Democrats.

Fox hosts 14 Republican or conservative candidates and campaign officials the day before the midterms

Doocy asks McMahon about internal polls showing her “in a dead heat.” On the November 1 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends, co-host Steve Doocy hosted Connecticut GOP senatorial candidate Linda McMahon. Doocy plugged McMahon's “internal polls” which “have it in a dead heat, right?” Doocy noted that McMahon's opponent, Richard Blumenthal, had both President Obama and President Clinton campaigning for him and claimed that “the Democrats are throwing the kitchen sink at you.” Doocy ended the interview by saying, “We just cited the poll -- the number on how many people are still on the fence today. As you travel the state, what's your closing argument going to be?” Doocy claimed that Fox & Friends also invited Blumenthal, but that he declined.

Carlson allows Fiorina to attack Boxer as “one of the most bitterly partisan, least effective members of the U.S. Senate.” Later on Fox & Friends, co-host Gretchen Carlson hosted Carly Fiorina, Republican candidate for Senate in California. Carlson asked Fiorina, “Why should you be the woman that Californians pick?” After Fiorina responded by claiming that Sen. Barbara Boxer's “ideology is that bigger government, higher taxes, more regulation, more spending, more bailing out is the answer,” Carlson asked: “Interestingly enough, that message - the one you just spelled out, that is Barbara Boxer's -- has worked in California for a long time. ... So what has changed? Why are you so close in this race?” Carlson also invited Fiorina to respond to Boxer's attack on Fiorina's “tenure at Hewlett Packard.” After a break, Carlson allowed Fiorina to continue attacking her opponent as “one of the most bitterly partisan, least effective members of the U.S. Senate.”

Miller appears on America Live to attack both opponents, push allegations of media bias. On Fox News' America Live, host Megyn Kelly interviewed Alaska Republican senatorial candidate Joe Miller. Kelly allowed Miller to attack both his Democratic opponent, Scott McAdams and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), who is running as a write-in candidate. Miller attacked both candidates as supporting “the failed policies of the past” and attacked a New York Times blog which claimed that Democrats had a decent chance of winning in Alaska. Kelly also invited Miller to respond to a voicemail released by Miller's campaign, which led Fox News contributor Sarah Palin to baselessly claim that Alaska television station KTVA was “conspir[ing] to make up stories” about Miller.

Cavuto plugs Kasich: “When you were House budget chief,” you won “respect on both sides.” On Your World (accessed via Nexis), Neil Cavuto told Republican Ohio gubernatorial candidate and former Fox News employee John Kasich, “You could be on the verge of something big.” Kasich responded by saying, "[I]t is not just because people are upset with the direction the country is in, but we have also given them something to be for." Cavuto later told Kasich, "[W]hat a lot of folks forget is that when you were House Budget Chief no one knew those budget numbers, and the arcane math of Washington better than you did, which won you respect on both sides." At the beginning of the interview, Cavuto claimed he had contacted Kasich's opponent, Gov. Ted Strickland, but that his campaign didn't respond. At the end, Cavuto clarified that Strickland was not available for an interview.

Cavuto claims Tancredo is “on fire.” Later on Your World (accessed via Nexis), Cavuto hosted Colorado American Constitution Party gubernatorial candidate Tom Tancredo. Cavuto told Tancredo, who is the tea party endorsed candidate and a former Republican, “Tom Tancredo who was written off now has the momentum maybe to be the next governor ... if the polls are right, you're on fire.” Cavuto later said to Tancredo, "[Y]ou have been tough on illegal immigration ... and spending cuts have been a signature issue and that is a powerful double combination." Cavuto claimed that he had reached out to both of Tancredo's opponents.

Cavuto hosts Coburn to promote Miller, other tea party candidates. Later on Your World (accessed via Nexis), Cavuto hosted Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), who is running for re-election. Coburn didn't plug his own campaign but did promote tea party candidates, including Miller.

Smith asks RNC chairman Steele, “to what degree are the tea parties” and the RNC “at odds”? On Studio B (accessed via Nexis), host Shepard Smith hosted RNC chairman Michael Steele to answer, "[T]o what degree are the tea parties -- plural -- and the Republican Naitonal Committee at odds?" Steele claimed he was “making sure that we are in a position going into this election working in concert to root out those elected officials in office right now who are supporting the Obama-Reid-Pelosi agenda, and those who want to empower small businesses and families and communities through open markets and lower taxes and a smaller government.” Smith later asked Steele why “the RNC could not stop Christine O'Donnell ... who beat the Republican candidate, the RNC candidate in the primary.”

Van Susteren hosts McCain to attack Dems, promote GOP candidates. On On the Record (accessed via Nexis), host Greta Van Susteren hosted Sen. John McCain, who attacked Obama and the Democrats by claiming, "[W]e've gone from a nation that, frankly, believed that President Obama would bring significant hope and change to a government that's governing from the far left in a right-of-center nation. And I think the American people are repudiating that."

Van Susteren hosts Brewer to promote her court case, campaign. Later on On the Record (accessed via Nexis), Van Susteren hosted Arizona Republican Gov. Jan Brewer to promote her legal defense of Arizona's immigration bill. Brewer also promoted her campaign, claiming:

BREWER: I think the people believe me. I believe that when I became governor the state was facing such a huge crisis and I showed leadership and we were able to cut spending in Arizona. We were able to do the things that protect education and public safety, and of course Senate Bill 1070 and the security of the border.

My opponent doesn't support any of those kinds of things. So they know me, I've served them for 28 years, and they know my opponent, and he has served them for probably 25 years and they know the difference between my opponent and myself.

Van Susteren asks Rubio if he's “enjoyed” “watching the drama that's going on with your two competitors. Van Susteren also hosted Florida Republican senatorial candidate Marco Rubio (accessed via Nexis). Van Susteren asked Rubio: “I know the polls say you've a sizable lead. I imagine you enjoyed -- maybe enjoyed is not the right word -- watching the drama that's going on with your two competitors, Kendrick Meek, Governor Crist, and President Clinton.” Van Susteren asked Rubio about his first acts if he is elected to the Senate, and how he will sway over voters who voted for his opponents.

Van Susteren hosts O'Donnell to discuss ad mix-up, campaign against Coons. Van Susteren also hosted Delaware senatorial candidate Christine O'Donnell (accessed via Nexis) and asked about her 30-minute ad that was supposed to have aired on a public access station but failed to air twice. Van Susteren asked: “Is it fair -- is it your understanding that it was an accident or mess up or, I mean, just inadvertent, or do you think something dirty was done?” O'Donnell replied: “I have no idea. At first we suspected something dirty, but then we've gotten so many stories from them. Maybe they did just drop the ball. I honestly don't know.” She then spent time promoting the ad, which was scheduled to air a total of four times. Later, O'Donnell also attacked her opponent, Chris Coons, by saying that he “stands to personally make millions from cap and trade.” After Van Susteren asked her to explain, O'Donnell replied that his family's company makes technology that “all businesses will be forced to buy to comply to green standards.” Van Susteren advised voters to go to both candidates' websites. At the beginning of the segment, Van Susteren said that Coons had been invited on the show several times but that his campaign never responded.

Hannity tells Angle, “I think there are a lot of conservatives like myself looking forward to the announcement” of her race. On Hannity (accessed via Nexis), Sean Hannity hosted Nevada Republican senatorial candidate Sharron Angle, who thanked him for “giving me the opportunity to talk once more to Nevada voters about getting out that vote and the clear choice they have between me and Senator Reid.” Hannity asked Angle if she ran a campaign ad on “when Harry Reid said to our troops the surge has failed and the war is lost.” At the end of the interview, Hannity said, “I think there are a lot of conservatives like myself looking forward to the announcement tomorrow” about the election results.

Barbour: The election is “a referendum on Obama's policies.” Later, Hannity hosted Gov. Haley Barbour (R-MS) (accessed via Nexis), the head of the Republican Governors Association. During the interview, Hannity asked Barbour “what is driving” high Republican poll numbers. Barbour replied:

BARBOUR: It's a referendum on Obama's policies. The American people know that these policies of outrageous spending increases, skyrocketing deficits, huge new trillions in new debt on our children and grandchildren and a tax increase waiting for us around the corner in January.

The American people know those are bad policies. Tomorrow, if Republicans win the victory that I hope we'll win, we will -- the American people will have repudiated Obama's policies. I think that is the main thing.

Hannity hosts DioGuardi to claim that “people are fed up.” Later on Hannity (accessed via Nexis), Rep. Joe DioGuardi, Republican candidate for Senate in New York, appeared on Hannity's “Great American Panel” segment to claim that “people are fed up. They don't want the Washington insiders to continue to spend money we don't have and borrow from countries like China that don't share our values. That's what is coming down tomorrow. People have to press the reset button.”

By comparison, Fox hosted only three Democrats

America's Newsroom pushes Van Hollen on Gallup generic polling. During the November 1 edition of Fox News' America's Newsroom, co-host Bill Hemmer interviewed Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairman Rep. Chris Van Hollen and asked him about a Gallup poll that “has you down 15 points on a generic ballot.” Hemmer asked Van Hollen how “Democrats in Congress [will] work with tea party candidates that -- who will no doubt be swept into office tomorrow” if “you lose the House and you come razor thin to even hanging on to the Senate.”

Cavuto hosts Fatah to discuss college tax credit policy. On Your World (accessed via Nexis), Cavuto hosted Rep. Chaka Fatah (D-PA), who is running for re-election. Fatah did not plug his campaign, however. The segment focused on Fatah's support for making a $10,000 college tax credit permanent.

Van Susteren hosts McAdams to discuss his campaign strategy. On On the Record (accessed via Nexis), Van Susteren interviewed Alaska Democratic senatorial candidate Scott McAdams. Van Susteren referred to McAdams as “the sleeper candidate who [could pull] off the win” and asked McAdams about the state of the three-way race in Alaska and his campaign strategy given that he is polling behind his two opponents.