Here are today’s Battleground Dispatches - a roundup of what is going on right now in the year’s hottest races, based on reports from local and national media, with 19 days remaining until Election Day.

Indiana 2: Research 2000 poll shows Democratic challenger Joe Donnelly leading GOP Rep. Chris Chocola, 50 percent to 45 percent, giving Donnelly an edge equal to the survey’s margin of error, according to the AP.

• New Jersey Senate: Former Gov. Thomas H. Kean makes first major campaign appearance on behalf of his son, Tom Kean Jr., the Republican challenger to Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez, the Newark Star-Ledger reports.

• Idaho 1: The National Republican Congressional Committee spent $135,442 for ads against Democrat Larry Grant, says the AP.

• Montana Senate: Montana State University-Billings poll shows Democratic challenger Jon Tester leading Republican Sen. Conrad Burns, 46 percent to 35 percent, says the AP.

• Maryland Senate: SurveyUSA poll shows Democrat Benjamin Cardin and Republican Michael Steele tied at 46 percent, according to the Washington Times.

• Connecticut 4: GOP Rep. Christopher Shays and Democratic challenger Diane Farrell debated Wednesday in Stamford, the Stamford Advocate reports.

• Missouri Senate: The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports on Wednesday’s final debate between GOP Sen. Jim Talent and Democratic challenger Claire McCaskill.

• Connecticut Senate: The New London Day reports on Wednesday’s debate between Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, staging an independent bid, Democratic nominee Ned Lamont, Republican Alan Schlesinger, Green Party candidate Ralph Ferrucci and Concerned Citizens Party candidate Timothy Knibbs.

• Colorado 7: The Denver Post reports on Wednesday’s debate between Republican Rick O’Donnell and Democrat Ed Perlmutter.

• Virginia Senate: Former President George Bush will headline a fundrasier today for GOP Sen. George Allen, the same day that former President Bill Clintion attends a fundraiser for Democratic challenger Jim Webb, according to the Washington Post.

• California 50: SurveyUSA poll shows Republican Rep. Brian P. Bilbray leading Democratic challenger Francine Busby, 49 percent to 46 percent, putting Busby within the margin of error

• Pennsylvania Senate: Rasmussen Reports poll shows Democratic challenger Bob Casey Jr. leading GOP Sen. Rick Santorum, 54 percent to 41 percent.

• Iowa Governor: The Des Moines Register reports that a poll conducted for TV station KCCI showed Democrat Chet Culver with a slim lead over Republican Jim Nussle. Culver was supported by 49 percent of respondents, compared to 44 percent for Nussle.

• Next on the Calendar: The deadline for House and Senate candidates to file pre-election fundraising reports with the Federal Election Commission on Oct. 26, according to CQPolitics.com’s Political Calendar.

Source here