|
|
"A comprehensive, collaborative elections resource."
|
Keep Manchin in the Mansion?
|
|---|
| Parent(s) |
Race
|
| Contributor | Jason |
| Last Edited | Jason Aug 31, 2010 10:26pm |
| Logged |
0
|
| Category | Speculative |
| Media | Newspaper - Wall Street Journal |
| News Date | Wednesday, September 1, 2010 04:00:00 AM UTC0:0 |
| Description | As if Democrats didn't have enough headaches, it now appears another of their Senate seats is in play.
Rasmussen Reports has a new survey out showing West Virginia Democratic Governor Joe Manchin with a slimmer-than-expected lead in November's special election to fill out the unexpired part of the late Robert Byrd's term. The results prompted pollster Scott Rasmussen to move the seat into the "leans Democratic" category.
Mr. Manchin was expected to coast to victory due to his 70% approval numbers and near-universal name recognition, but Rasmussen now shows him beating Republican John Raese by only six points, 48% to 42%. Another finding by Rasmussen perhaps suggests why the race has become closer: 70% of West Virginians say they disapprove of President Obama, one of his highest negative ratings in any state.
Mr. Raese, a wealthy businessman, clearly intends to use Mr. Obama's upside-down numbers and the weak economy to his advantage. While Mr. Manchin leads among voters who think the economy is improving, Mr. Raese has a 14-point lead among those who think it's deteriorating.
Mr. Manchin also will have to watch for a curious phenomenon that can crop up when a popular state executive tries to change jobs. Sometimes voters decide to keep the incumbent in his current office by voting against him. In 1996, little-known Republican Chuck Hagel defeated then-Democratic Governor Ben Nelson of Nebraska for a Senate seat after trailing him by 65% to 18% early in the race. One reason was the desire of voters to keep Mr. Nelson in the governor's mansion. (He eventually won a Senate seat in 2000 as a private citizen.) |
| Share |
|
|
2¢
|
|
| Article | Read Full Article |
|
| Date |
Category |
Headline |
Article |
Contributor |
|
|
