US Election Daily Update: What does Hurricane Sandy mean for the election?

Governor Christie describe Obama's response to Hurricane Sandy as "outstanding"

As the East coast begins the clean up after being battered by Hurricane Sandy, Eliot Pollack considers the implications for both candidates...

Following the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, we are watching a bizarre, possibly once-in-a-lifetime kind of US election. Despite the tightness of the race, there is little campaigning, the news channels are focused entirely on the clean-up operation, and it has almost been forgotten that in just six days time, Americans have a chance to stick someone new in charge of the whole thing.

Yet the election is not going anywhere, and despite the carnage on the East Coast, 36 hours on, it may be time to consider how Sandy will impact Obama v Romney next Tuesday.

In almost every way, the situation favours the President. He has no option but to tour devastated areas, be photographed with some heroes, announce emergency aid, and generally look like the guy in charge. And unlike George Dubya in the aftermath of Katrina, Obama is doing this well, with even prominent Republican Chris Christie (the Governor of New Jersey), describing his response as "outstanding".

By declaring New York and New Jersey disaster areas, the President opened up federal aid to the suffering states. Yet the body overseeing it, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), was subject to an attack by Romney during the Republican Primaries, where he advocated cutting its budget. The best Romney can offer right now therefore, is pointing out how as Governor of Massachusetts, he offered refuge for victims of Katrina, as well as be filmed packaging up food parcels for those suffering.

The only swing states affected by the storm are Virginia, New Hampshire and North Carolina. Polls put the two men neck-and-neck in Virginia, but benefiting from the storm, we like Obama to take the state at 1.9110/11.