Well, now and again, the Czar gets surprised. But he did not see this one coming: Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) has dipped below 50% in the polls. The Czar cannot imagine a more “safe” Democratic seat, but a recent poll has Frank down to 48% and relative unknown challenger Sean Bielat climing up to 38%.

Yes, this is still a huge gap to overcome—but the fact this has happened at all in the last couple weeks is shocking. When undecided voters are asked for whom they will more likely vote, Bielat’s numbers stay the same but Frank’s numbers drop to 44%.

Maybe with good reason. While no one individual is responsible for the collapse of the housing market and subsequent crash of the economy, Frank would be the Czar’s choice as the Chief Architect and Project Manager. His behavior, always erratic, could be summed up like this: police burst into a home under reports that a serial killer is at work within. There, they find Frank standing nude in his kitchen, body parts all over the floor, and everything sopping in blood as he models a scarf made of human intestine; to the police, he exclaims “Damn those Republicans! Look what they did!”

The Czar suspects Rep. Frank will win, but this could be his last victory. It certainly will not be his easiest.

The Czar of Muscovy

Божію Поспѣшествующею Милостію Мы, Дима Грозный Императоръ и Самодержецъ Всероссiйскiй, цѣсарь Московскiй. The Czar was born in the steppes of Russia in 1267, and was cheated out of total control of all Russia upon the death of Boris Mikhailovich, who replaced Alexander Yaroslav Nevsky in 1263. However, in 1283, our Czar was passed over due to a clerical error and the rule of all Russia went to his second cousin Daniil (Даниил Александрович), whom Czar still resents. As a half-hearted apology, the Czar was awarded control over Muscovy, inconveniently located 5,000 miles away just outside Chicago. He now spends his time seething about this and writing about other stuff that bothers him.