I wonder if this was the same outfit that showed Bush ahead in MI around a week before the 2004 vote though. ;(
Besides overestimating Demo strength in '02, pollsters also missed John Engler's upset win in 1990. And going way back to 1982 the GOP nominee for governor that year, Dick Headlee, was expected to get trounced but he made a very respectable showing, as I recall. Did better than expected.
The 2004 internals showed Bush ahead or at least within striking distance, or so I was told by the national folks. I do think Mitchell showed the race closer than other polls though.