The stench of death

You can smell it everywhere. Democratic campaigns dying.
From sea to shining sea, Republicans have Democrats on the run.
It's the stench of death.
Each party knows it in its own way.
Republicans saw it in 2008 with John McCain, and 1996 with Robert Dole. You work hard and hope, but know it's not going your way.
Democrats had plenty of the stench of death in the 1980s, and 2004.
But nothing as overpowering as now.