As reported by the New York Observer, the Federal Reserve will most likely still have its greatest nemesis in Congress, and the Department of Peace its greatest champion: polling leading up to the March 4th local primary challenges to Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul show both congressmen crushing their opponents:

A new poll from the Raleigh-based Public Policy Polling shows Kucinich handily beating [Cleveland city councilman] Cimperman, 55 to 29 percent. The only potentially troubling sign for the incumbent: He trails Cimperman among independents, who are free to vote in Tuesday’s primary. A (much) higher than expected independent turnout could tighten the race…

Meanwhile, another Public Policy poll in Texas has Paul routing his Republican congressional challenger, Friendswood Councilman Chris Peden, 63 to 30 percent. Peden has made Paul’s libertarian-based assault on some conservative orthodoxies the linchpin of his effort, calculating that the district’s Republicans were previously unaware of Paul’s strident opposition to the Iraq war, among other issues.

There had been suggestions that both were looking at trouble for taking time out of their normal duties to run for higher office. Apparently that’s not looking to be the case. A big win would be especially sweet for Kucinich, considering that the current mayor in Cleveland (Kucinich’s hometown and the heart of his congressional district) has been campaigning actively for his defeat.