Influence Alley

Chris Frates On Power, People And Influence From Capitol Hill To K Street

What Messina Told Democratic Senators at Lunch

By Chris Frates // September 19, 2012 | 4:03 p.m.

Deputy White House Chief of Staff in his office (Richard A. Bloom)

President Obama's campaign manager Jim Messina updated Senate Democrats this afternoon on the state of the presidential race.

So what did he say?

Messina said he told the senators that Chicago is "running a grassroots campaign that talks to a bunch of people in what we expect to be a very close and competitive election."

And what does that mean for Democratic senators running for re-election?

"I've always said that if we run the kind of grassroots operation that we are in the battleground states that'll help all Democrats and I think that's what the data shows," Messina told the Alley.

Messina, who was on his way back to Chicago, said he was just in town to brief the senators at their last weekly lunch meeting before the elections.

Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer said Messina's message was, "We're feeling good, but we can't get too cocky. That was the theme."