Kyl continues lead over Pederson (46-36)

KAET and Arizona State University ^ | 29 August 2006 | KAET-TV

[okstate]

TEMPE, Ariz. – With only two months to go before the November elections, former state Democratic chairman Jim Pederson's campaign to unseat incumbent U.S. Senator Jon Kyl has yet to catch on with Arizona voters, according to the latest Cronkite-Eight Poll . The statewide poll of 846 registered voters, conducted by the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University and Eight/KAET-TV, found Kyl leading Pederson 46 percent to 36 percent with 18 percent undecided. Previous Cronkite-Eight Polls in April and June showed Kyl leading Pederson by 11 and 14 points, respectively.

According to poll director Dr. Bruce Merrill, “Kyl is maintaining his lead over Pederson by winning the party crossover battle and by attracting socially conservative voters to his campaign. In the ‘crossover' battle, 22 percent of all registered Democrats are supporting Kyl while only 11 percent of the Republicans are defecting to Pederson. Because there are more Republicans than Democrats in Arizona , Pederson must strengthen his appeal to traditional Democratic voters and attract a majority of independents to his campaign in order to win. It is important to note, however, that almost one-in-five voters (18 percent) still are unsure about how they will vote, so Kyl does not have the campaign sewn up at this time.”

[okstate]

This poll is weird due to the huge number of undecideds. At first I thought it was due to the group conducting the poll (as in maybe they don't push enough for "leaners"). However, a Rocky Mountain poll in July had 25 percent undecided. Even Rasmussen and Survey USA, both of which are good about pushing leaners, have had undecideds between 9 and 13 percent. And Arizona State's last poll had 28 percent undecideds, which makes sense if one assumes that less voters should be undecided as the campaign continues. Overall, though, I have a feeling that Kyl really leads by 20, not 10.

[slowhand520]

Here in Tucson all you see is enormous Jon Kyle signs. I assume he will win by 15

[Still Thinking]

I love the ads from the idiot Pederson about how he got too big a tax break and how he's a self made man, blah, blah, blah.....he fails to explain why he's not doing some private charity so his tax dollars could go to the purpose they should have been put to, or how we can cut taxes below the levels people actually pay, or that even the Bush tax cuts exacerbated the "progressivity" in the rates.

[Montana4Jesus]

It will be interesting to see how the undecided votes go. These two are already spending a lot of money on TV ads. Kyl seems to be taking credit for writing every major piece of terrorist and victim protection legislation on the books and Pederson is pounding away at Kyl's voting record and oil money contributions. Neither seem to be completely above board in their claims.

[martinidon]

This poll as in all others are meaningless at this time. I don't believe for a minute there are 11% of Republican voters willing to vote for a democrat. Also, in the ads and signs around the Phoenix area Kyl list his party affiliation. In Pedersons ads and signs there is not one mention that he is a democrat. Even on his web site he does not mention he is a democrat. What is he hiding from?

[Still Thinking]

Democracy. ;-)

[Still Thinking]

Ohm yeah, and the ends of his mouth barely move. It's like he's too cheap to buy Polident and are afraid his teeth will fall out if he opens his mouth all the way.

[kaktuskid]

I love the ads from the idiot Pederson about how he got too big a tax break and how he's a self made man,

Who declared bankruptcy and gets tax breaks for glorified strip malls

[Still Thinking]

Are you serious? And he has the gall to implicitly criticize the rest of us for objecting to the largest government ever inflicted on the citizens of this country????? What an asshat.