Posted on 10/11/2002 10:35:58 PM PDT by KQQL
Sen. Gordon Smith holds a solid 13-point lead over Democratic challenger Bill Bradbury, according to a new statewide poll conducted for the Portland Tribune.
The survey showed Smith, a Republican, with the support of 52 percent of the voters in his bid for a second term. Bradbury, meanwhile, was favored by 39 percent.
Two other candidates do not appear to be a factor in the race. Libertarian Dan Fitzgerald and Lon Mabon of the Constitution Party together polled 2 percent.
“Our polls and independent polls have been consistent in showing Sen. Smith’s popularity and standing,” said Caroline Mullen, a spokesman for Smith’s campaign. “We’re campaigning hard, regardless of poll numbers.”
The poll held little good news for Bradbury, Oregon’s secretary of state. Smith led among men, among women and in all age groups. Unaffiliated voters, a prized target for candidates, favored Smith 51 percent to 35 percent, and 17 percent of Democrats said they would support him. In contrast, Bradbury had the support of 6 percent of Republican respondents.
“Things look promising for Sen. Smith,” said Robert Eisinger, professor of political science at Lewis & Clark College. “He’s likable and has been more moderate than expected. Combine that with his seniority, and it will be tough to defeat him.”
Smith has employed issues often associated with Democrats. His advertising trumpets his support for hate crime laws covering gays and lesbians and his opposition to drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Bradbury has a difficult road, said Del Ali, president of Research 2000, the firm that conducted the survey.
“Bradbury could run a flawless campaign from now until election day,” Ali said. “But if Smith doesn’t make any mistakes, he’ll win.”
“Let’s keep this in perspective,” said Kim Baldwin, spokeswoman for the Bradbury campaign. “These recent polls were taken when Smith was up on TV for two solid months spending several million dollars being all things to all people. So it’s no surprise he’s in the lead.
“But we’re just starting to make Bill Bradbury’s case to Oregonians, and this race will tighten in the next few weeks.” —
GOP will likely lose in AR and Rats will likely lose in MN. GOP will hold on to TX.
CO,NH,MO and SD could go either way.........
*NJ is slightly leaning RAT at present, but NJ race will be determined by Debates.
P.S Chaffee said to CNN on 10/9… He might pull a Jeffords if the senate goes back to 50R-49D-1IND
Of course, this is one of two(?) remaining states where motorists aren't allowed to pump their own gas at the filling stations.
what? and voting intelligently is tied to your ability to squeeze a gas nozzle?
You must be from one of the freedom loving liberated states where citizens fought bravely for their right to spill diesel on their shoes.
insightful commentary...and so very germaine, in your own mind.
Good. The sooner the scumbag makes his true party affiliation official, the better. Clean house NOW.
I was merely matching an odd bit of trivia from Oregon with another odd bit of trivia from Oregon. I'm not dissing y'all in the least. Is Oregon the only state that votes purely by mail, or are there others?
the right to pump your own gas? come on. You stand up, you pop the hose into the tank and you squeeze. That's hardly an expression of liberty or an inalienable right. Although I guess we "full service flunkies" do give up the right to pump gas into the exhaust pipe if we so choose, but I've never felt the sting from that gentle tyranny.
But in answer to your question, no, I'm not defending it, I've never really understood the restrictions myself. I'm merely reacting (a little too aggressively it seems) to the assinine assertion that the ability to adroitly handle a gasoline hose is an indication of intelligence.
as I understand it, most of the big entities in the fuel sector statewide would like to see the "full service" laws dissolved (it removes the expense of staffing the stations). I don't exactly know why they're still there, but they are. Probably has something to do with how insignificant an issue like this is, to most people. Except for the curious few who attempt to equate their public hose handling abilities with their intellectual prowess.
I'm not sure about the other states, but I for one really like the mail in voting. It'd never fly in floriduh though, you actually have to pay attention and the holes on the ballot are really small.... :)
I was in NJ last spring,and pumped my own fuel when I stopped onthe way to Atlantic City. It SEEMS like everybody else was doing the same thing,too.
In reality, Oregon is a lot like the U.S. as a whole. Pretty balanced, with substantial pockets of far-left and far-right.
The reason all statewide offices other than this U.S. Senate seat are currently held by Democrats has a lot more to do with a lack of good candidate recruiting than anything else.
From what I recall of history, self-serve was illegal in many, if not most, states. In the 1960s and 1970s, most states legalized the practice. Oregon was not among these states.
It's not a huge deal to me; I rather enjoy not having to get out of my truck when it's pouring rain, and I don't get gasoline all over my hands.
At the gas station I usually go to, they even wash my windshield!
13 point lead this close to the election? Sound familiar?
Bets on how soon Bradbury drops out of the race and a Democrat ringer is brought in?
*Smith sounds like a RINO...it's quite sad and EUro-esque that a candidate of the so-called "right" is only on the GOP ballot because he's probably just to the right of far, far left.
Admittedly, some of this is pure lip service. Most of the time, Smith does in fact vote with his caucus.
He still beats having a Democrat in that seat. Smith is the lone Republican Senator from the West Coast.
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.