Posted on 09/20/2004 11:57:58 AM PDT by nypokerface
Republican Matt Blunt and Democrat Claire McCaskill are locked in a dead heat for the governor's office, with independent voters poised to pick the winner in November, according to a Post-Dispatch/KMOV-TV (Channel 4) poll.
With six weeks to go before the vote count, the survey of 801 likely voters showed Blunt with 46 percent, McCaskill with 45 percent and 9 percent undecided. The poll has a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points, which means that any individual number could be that much higher or lower.
Based on the numbers, pollster Del Ali predicted the Nov. 2 election would be decided by a margin of 1 or 2 percentage points.
(Excerpt) Read more at stltoday.com ...
Given that this is a Research 2000 poll and given Bush and Bond are gonna win MO big I still like Blunt's chances
Bush won the state in 2000, and Ashcroft still lost to a dead man.
Ashcroft lost due to a very unique sympathy vote, circumstances are not the same in this year's governor race.
Bush didn't win as big as he will this time and second, some fraud was going on in Miss Jean's race but I won't bore you with facts since I doubt you care bout those
"Bush won the state in 2000, and Ashcroft still lost to a dead man."
That got rectified in 2002.
I think Ashcroft has to take some blame for allowing that non-Constitutional vote to happen.
Ashcroft can take some blame alright, but not over a legal election. He was kind of caught between a rock and a hard place. Continue to campaign or respect for the dead? He chose respect for the dead and he lost.
Oh I'm always interested in hearing about fraud. Lemme see what you've got?
Yah, but he was ahead in all the polls till his opponent died. It was sympathy vote all the way. That and a judge keeping polls open extra late in liberal areas in the state because...well...just because.
Oh well, Blunt should win by a few points, but a blowout would have been nice and a lot more relaxing at this time.
Ashcroft lost by almost 50,000 votes, 51% to 48% It wasn't that much of a squeaker.
"Ashcroft can take some blame alright, but not over a legal election. He was kind of caught between a rock and a hard place. Continue to campaign or respect for the dead? He chose respect for the dead and he lost."
The Constitution is clear, the person who is running must be alive (so you can be sworn in)
Ashcroft's respect for the dead violated his own oath of office to uphold the Constitution.
His first responsiblity was to the Constitution of the United States, not to State politics.
50,000 votes is a very close race.
The open polls may not have cost him the race, but almost. There were thousands who voted after the polls were suppose to close.
Actually you're half right. The person sworn in must be alive, but nothing in the Constitution prevents a state from electing a dead man. States set election rules, not the federal government. Missouri law required Carnahan's name be on the ballot and nothing prevented people from voting for him. Once his election was certified, then the Senate seat was declared vacant, and it was filled in accordance with the Missouri constitution. All legal, if somewhat bizarre.
"Actually you're half right. The person sworn in must be alive, but nothing in the Constitution prevents a state from electing a dead man. States set election rules, not the federal government. Missouri law required Carnahan's name be on the ballot and nothing prevented people from voting for him. Once his election was certified, then the Senate seat was declared vacant, and it was filled in accordance with the Missouri constitution. All legal, if somewhat bizarre."
How could the Senate seat be declared vacant if the person who was elected never took the oath of office
Sounds very fishy to me
That would mean that a dead man's name could constantly be put up and after he won the Gov. could appoint anyone he wanted.
Maybe there are some constitutional scholars out there who can resolve the question.
Or, maybe you are one and you can explain it more fully.
Didn't the Constitutional Party file a suit against the action?
What was the finding?
Simple. Ashcroft lost the election so he could not fill the seat after his term of office expired. Carnahan won the election, but he couldn't be sworn in what with him being dead and all. The seat was then declared vacant. The Missouri Constitution states that in the event that a U.S. Senate seat is vacant then the governor will appoint someone to fill that seat and that person will serve until the next election.
That would mean that a dead man's name could constantly be put up and after he won the Gov. could appoint anyone he wanted.
No. Missouri election law states that one qualification for being placed on the ballot int he firt place is that the candidate must be alive and kicking. Once on the ballot, however, Missouri law further states that no changes to the ballot may be made within 2 weeks of election day. Carnahan was killed, I think, 13 days before the election. The law did not allow for his name to be removed. Any votes cast for him went to him, dead or alive.
Didn't the Constitutional Party file a suit against the action?
Not that I'm aware of. There was talk of refusing to seat Mrs. Carnahan in the Senate, but the GOP didn't have a legal leg to stand on so they quickly dropped it. It was just one of those flukes in the system which make politics so intersting. And definitely made John Ashcroft a future 'Trivial Pursuit' question.
Thanks for the information.
I guess in fairness to Ashcroft, there was nothing he could do.
What we had in 2000 election was a conondrum. For lack of a better term. The "sympathy" vote in Missouri is no less strong than other states. The widow Capps, Bono, Boggs,etc. are living proof of same. It normally carries them for one election. After that, they must stand on their own two high-heels. Ma Carnahan failed vs. Jim Talent.
I still believe Matt Blunt is up. He is a strong supporter of RKBA. Claire has some 'splainin to do re:her real estate tax deal.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.