Posted on 07/02/2004 10:09:42 AM PDT by republicanwizard
New SC Poll Shows DeMint Leading
First post run-off poll has DeMint at 50%; Presidential race will be a drag on Tenenbaum
(The following is an excerpted press release from the National Republican Senatorial Committee this morning)
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Jim DeMint’s strong and impressive victory in last Tuesday’s Republican run-off in South Carolina has him well positioned as the general election heads into high gear. A poll conducted this week shows him holding a firm lead over Democratic challenger Inez Tenenbaum – 50% to 43%.
...The poll shows that DeMint’s name ID equals that of Tenenbaum’s, while overall his image among South Carolina voters is more favorable. Of the voters who have already formed opinions of both candidates, DeMint’s lead increases to 13 points – 52% to 39%.
Glen Bolger of Public Opinion Strategies (POS), the pollster who conducted the survey wrote that, “Jim DeMint has used a strong run-off victory as a springboard to vault past Inez Tenenbaum and into the lead in the South Carolina Senate race.”
Even more troubling for Tenenbaum and Democrats, both in South Carolina and nationally, is the drag that Democratic presidential nominee, John Kerry, will be on her campaign in the rock solid Republican state. South Carolina voters have a more unfavorable than favorable opinion of Kerry, with 40% favorable to 45% unfavorable. In sharp contrast, President Bush carries a hefty 61% favorable to 36% unfavorable.
In a head-to-head match-up, South Carolinians are solidly backing President Bush over Kerry – 55% to 40%....
"Sorry, but this will only just make up for losing IL and CO, as well as probably AK.
To gain anything, we'll need to win at least two out of FL, SD, LA, NC. The maximum possible gain will be three."
I disagree, but no problem. Keep the faith.
"They didin't *really* try to beat Portman, did they? That's one of the most heavily Republican districts in the nation, and Portman's a rock star. I'm still pissed that Portman didn't challenge Voinovich in the Senate primary---I'm tired of Voinovich's McCain-like voting record."
I would have loved to see Portman take out Voinovich, and would have supported the effort with time and money. I suspect Portman's future will include a Presidential run some day.
Well you can add three to five points to IT because of the Edwards pick today. This race just became much closer. Edwards got over 138,000 votes in the Demo primary back in Feb. At this point DeMint will have to run a perfect campaign to beat IT, I hope I am wrong.
"He got 45+% last time, and that was with the bad Florida call which suppressed R turunout. I think it would have been more like 47% without it."
I know about the lost votes in the panhandle, but I wasn't speaking of McCollum, I was speaking of Bush in Washington State.
I'm a little more concerned about North Carolina now that Edwards is on the ticket.
I'm not convinced that Edwards will have enough pull to put NC in the Dem column...but he may have enough pull to put Erskine Bowles in the Senate.
About the last thing I want to see is another Clintonista sitting in Congress!
"I wasn't speaking of McCollum, I was speaking of Bush in Washington State."
I'm not sure it works that way .... might energize NC Republican turnout .... significant lack of enthusiasm for guv/etc. races so far, so high profile Bush-Burr vs. Edwards-Bowles may very well help us.
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