Free Republic

Here'a a memo from pollsters Paul Harstad and Chris Keating the DSCC will release today: "According to our October 29 to 31 survey of 745 likely Arizona voters, fully 30% of the Arizona electorate has already voted. We expect that perhaps up to two-fifths of the voters in this election will vote early or by absentee ballot. In our October 8 to 31 tracking polls (since early voting started) we have interviewed a total of 594 early voters. Among these early voters, Jim Pederson is leading Jon Kyl by 4 points: 44% for Pederson compared to 40% for Kyl, with...

April 4, 2006--In the race for Senate, Arizona Senator Jon Kyl (R) is maintaining and even slightly widening a big lead over real estate developer Jim Pederson (D), 56% to 33%. Thus early predictions that Pederson's candidacy would make for a competitive contest aren't being borne out. In January, Kyl led 53% to 34%; in December, he led 50% to 30%. GOP voters award 91% support to Kyl. Pederson garners only 68% from Democrats. Kyl siphons off 18% of the Democratic vote, whereas Pederson can persuade only 5% of Republicans to join his own camp.

The son of U.S. Senate Democratic candidate Jim Pederson was arrested by Maricopa County sheriff's detectives Friday night after an investigation into the use and sales of narcotics. James Robert Pederson, 24, was taken into custody at about 7:30 p.m. Friday after a search of his home, Lt. Paul Chagolla said. Pederson was booked on charges including possession of narcotics, possession of prescription-only narcotics, possession of marijuana, possession of narcotic drugs-interstate, possession of paraphernalia and misconduct with weapons, Chagolla said. He was booked into jail and released on his own recognizance Saturday morning. He was not booked on sales charges,...