Posted on 10/31/2006 5:47:51 AM PST by areafiftyone
Democrat Jim Webb is slightly ahead of Republican incumbent Sen. George Allen with a week to go in a key race that could determine control of the Senate, according to a poll released Tuesday.
The poll by Opinion Research Corp. is the first to show Webb with an advantage in the bruising and expensive contest in once reliably Republican Virginia.
"Virginians are a lot smarter than that, and he insulted their intelligence," said Webb spokeswoman Kristian Denny Todd. "It was a baseless attack on Jim that didn't make sense."
On Oct. 23, a statewide survey by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc. showed that 47 percent supported Allen while 43 percent favored Webb. Allen's advantage was also equal to the poll's margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
Among likely voters, the former Republican was the choice of 50 percent of those surveyed while 46 percent favored Allen and 4 percent were undecided.
Because Webb's edge is equal to the margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points, it means the Democrat can be considered slightly ahead.
The result is based on telephone interviews conducted for CNN from Oct. 26-29 among 597 registered Virginia voters who identified themselves as likely to vote.
Among the larger sample of 904 registered voters, the results were about even, with 48 percent of the respondents backing Webb, 46 percent for Allen and 5 percent undecided. Independent Gail Parker also is on the ballot.
While Webb supporters crowed over the results, longtime Allen adviser Christopher J. LaCivita said the poll was skewed because half of it was conducted over the weekend.
"It sure doesn't reflect anything we're seeing," said LaCivita, a national GOP consultant. "Any survey conducted Fridays and Saturdays, everybody knows they're skewed toward Democrats."
The latter two days of the survey, however, reflect two intensive days of news coverage of Allen's claim that selected sexually explicit passages in some of Webb's six gritty novels about war are demeaning to women.
Allen is leading.
He will win.
LaCivita -- who is a stone, cold certified f***ing genius, is correct about the friday/saturday polls
Go Allen, go!
We plan to vote for George Allen. Webb "sold his soul to the devil" when he signed up with the leftist socialist revolutionary party.
Zogby and Rasmussen and a CNN poll done yesterday had Webb leading Allen. I tend to believe they are about even in the polls!
Webb is such an ass! Hhow is he gaining as we come down the home stretch?
Any breakdown of the demographics (D, R, I) of those polled?
It will be a very tight race. And don't be surprised if WEBB Contests the race if its a squeaker! I wouldn't put it past Webb or any Democrat for that matter.
Zogby, Rasmussen and CNN all got the 2002 midterms WRONG.
Mason-Dixon was the best.
I know A51, it's like the pedophilia exposure has made him more popular.
I can't figure people out.
GOTV...broken glass baby.
>"Virginians are a lot smarter than that, and he insulted their intelligence," said Webb spokeswoman Kristian Denny Todd. "It was a baseless attack on Jim that didn't make sense."<
Watch it, Kristian, dear, your projection is showing.
when a pollster is willing to say it's a statistical tie, you can count on the reps being up 5-7 points..
If Allen loses this race, I think we can say that the country really is going to hell. If someone like Allen can't win, then we are in trouble.
I think there will be about 10 court challenges to cloce races.
Democrats are already screaming fraud in Early Voting, just setting uip the challenges to come.
But RCP has Webb up by 5.
Yes, Zogby, Rasmussen and The new CNN Poll has Webb up. I would probably believe that they were tied. I don't think Allen is ahead and neither is Webb. This is going to be a tough race.
That's all Democrats know how to do is cry and whine and scream foul. They never grow up and handle things the right way.
Or if Webb, who may be called upon to vote on matters concerning kiddie porn, child molesting etc., IS elected we are in REAL trouble.
Think people of Virginia.
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