DEAD HEAT--DASCHLE THUNE POLL

South Dakota GOP ^ | July 23, 2003 | South Dakota GOP

[Pubbie]

SOUTH DAKOTA: NRSC Poll Has Daschle Up One

A McLaughlin and Assocs. (R) poll; conducted 7/16-17 for the NRSC; surveyed 200 likely voters; margin of error +/- 4.9% (release, 7/22). Tested: Sen. Min. Leader Tom Daschle (D) and '02 nominee/ex-Rep. John Thune (R).

Daschle 47% Thune 46%

Daschle Unfavorable 36% Thune Unfavorable 22%

Meanwhile, the polling memo notes that SD voters "are turned off by Daschle's premature start to the campaign season," noting that 68% said "it's too early for political ads and Tom Daschle should stop running them" (release, 7/22). A GOP source notes that the poll was taken after Daschle launched his first TV ad , and these numbers got released because they were surprised Daschle didn't see a bigger bump in his numbers (Hotline reporting, 7/22).

[Pubbie]

Thune looks like he is poised to run.

I'm certain Daschle will go down in 2004 if for no other reason than Daschle can't possibly pretend to be a "Conservative Democratic Friend of George Bush" like Tim Johnson did in 2002.

Another factor is that it's important for a small state like SoDak to have as much influence in Washington as possible, and Having two Democratic Senators in a GOP dominated Washington is not in SoDak's interest.

[Pubbie]

*Ping*!

[mattdono]

I notice that the poll takes the statistical measures of margin of error into account.

Unfortunately, it doesn't take into account OUTRIGHT FRAUD that is not doubt already in the works of '04. Remember, these SCUMBAGS will do anything to hold on to power.

[Tacis]

No, Dashole's right. If you want to continue to get the support of all those dead Indians on election day, you have to start early.

[Joe Boucher]

Can't think of anyone I'd rather see defeated then dashole.
Guy is a slime ball scumbag. He and his wife should be investigated for selling influance.
He should be charged and hung for treason.

[MattinNJ]

The question is, did the FBI investigation into voter fraud scare off a repeat performance.

[Digger]

Yea, the question is at what degree does little Tommy take to insure his victory. The Thune will not fight so what does Tommy have to lose.

[tamikamaria]

Absolutely right. You can't beat a cheater--and you better believe this guy knows how to cheat.

[Coop]

That margin of error seems awfully low for a puny sample of 200.

I wish I could be excited about this, but I still think Daschle wins. Though I'll be happy to skip down the street singing "I was wrong! I was wrong!"

[Pubbie]

There was a ton of fraud in SoDak last year, and even then, Johnson only won by 524 votes.

This time the Republican state party, along with the FBI will be watching those Indian reservations like hawks.

If Thune runs (and he probably will) Daschle is toast, especially given that Bush at the top of the ticket will create enormous GOP turniout.

Daschle is toast, trust me.

[Im Your Huckleberry]

Throw in three percent voter fraud on the Indian reservations and you've got a Daschole re-election happening.

Too bad the spineless 'pubbies won't address the issue of voter fraud in America, especially in minority precincts and on Indian reservations. Illegal aliens are voting in our elections by the millions.

Oh, well, they'll keep losing in places like South Dakota, and states like California, until they do.

[c-b 1]

The question is, did the FBI investigation into voter fraud scare off a repeat performance.

Why would it? Other than one patsy getting arrested they got away with it.

[AngryJawa]

For the life of me I cannot see what the people of SoDak see in that Napoleonic little snot. How is it that he's even managing to run neck-and-neck with anyone?

[afraidfortherepublic]

Oh, well, they'll keep losing in places like South Dakota, and states like California, until they do.

And Wisconsin...

[Pubbie]

He brings home Pork - or at least he used to.

Know that Daschle is in the Minority again, and he's Bush's arch enemy, his ability to bring home goodies is severely curtailed - and ergo - that's why SoDak will vote him out next year.

[Cicero]

I'm still mad at Thune for refusing to contest the last election, which was blatantly crooked. Daschle played the "support the incumbent and get more pork" card last time, which backfired on the S.D. voters, so it may not work as well for him next time.

[Pubbie]

I think Thune didn't challenge the election because he was encouraged to take down Daschle in 2004 by the White House.

If Thune had won against Johnson, we wouldn't have anyone that could take down Daschle next year.

[woodyinscc]

I'm certain Daschle will go down in 2004 if for no other reason than Daschle can't possibly pretend to be a "Conservative Democratic Friend of George Bush" like Tim Johnson did in 2002

There are other factors that favor Thune. He took his heartbreaking(and probably because of voter fraud) loss in a stand-up fashion and will get a good percentage of the 13,000 pubs who voted for Johnson this time around. Let us also hope the Libertarians get their act in order and see the light. Almost 4000 of them voted for their candidate) The dims are no longer the majority and the best reason of all is that Dashole is an a--hole.

[Recovering_Democrat]

Tom Daschle is saddened, deeply saddened.

[Pubbie]

The libertarian candidate stepped down a couple of weeks before the election and endorsed Thune - But the libertarian candidate STILL got 2,000 votes because it was too late to take the Libertarian candidate off the ballot!