It's Kerry over Bush by 12 points (in MN)

http://www.startribune.com/stories/784/4702737.html


WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Seven months before the election, Democratic Sen. John Kerry has a 12-point lead over Republican President Bush in Minnesota, according to the latest Star Tribune Minnesota Poll. The poll, conducted last week, showed Kerry leading Bush, 50 percent to 38 percent. Independent candidate Ralph Nader had backing from 2 percent of the state's likely voters.


(snip)

The poll of 562 likely voters was conducted during a week in which Richard Clarke, the former White House counterterrorism adviser, dominated the national news with criticisms of the administration's handling of terrorism. One Bush adviser questioned the poll's validity, saying the sample included too many Democrats.

(snip)

The Bush campaign anticipates "a very close election," said Tracey Schmitt, spokeswoman for the Bush campaign. "We will continue to highlight the clear distinction between the president's pro-growth policies, which created 308,000 jobs in March alone, and John Kerry's job-destroying policies of higher taxes and $1.7 trillion in new government spending."

(snip)

More than half of those with incomes of $50,000 or more support Bush, while more than three in five of those with incomes of less than $50,000 support Kerry. Ideologically, Kerry has a larger proportion of his base than Bush does of his. Kerry has the support of 86 percent of liberals, while 71 percent of conservatives back Bush.

(snip)

The poll found that support moved dramatically during the four days of interviewing, perhaps reflecting a toll on Bush from Clarke's media interviews and testimony before the Sept. 11 commission. On Sunday and Monday, Kerry's lead was four points. But it ballooned on Tuesday and Wednesday, boosting him to the 12-point lead. That shows that there's a potential for large shifts in support as the campaigns ramp up their efforts closer to the election.

(snip)

hurts Kerry bad enough... if this poll is any indicator, it looks like that fear is lifted.

They will have one touchscreen machine in each precinct, though. This was my understanding last fall, anyways.

*

Carter had Mn in 1980
Mondale had Mn in 1984
Dukkakis had Mn in 1988
Clinton had mn in 1992 & 1996
Gore 2000

I would be shocked if Kerry was able to blow the trend.

Yes we always have been, but it was close last time with Gore. I am very happy to see that headline this AM. It broke our hearts when Wellstone died, and to add salt to the wound Coleman got his seat. We seated one of the most loathsome senators in this country. We also put in a Republican Gov. Actually we are considered a swing state this election, and are hearing Bush's ads. So Karl Rove pack up your bags and get those vile pieces of crap off our airways. We aren't buying what you're selling.

:toast:

I hope that Minnesotans tell their neighbors the news. We need to see the same thing in Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio....

Yeah, it's sad that we're considered a "swing state", but IMHO the only reason we're considered one is because of the Greens' 5% showing in 2000. And even with that, Gore still won by 5%.

IMHO Nader will be a non-factor here this year. I've seen a total of THREE Nader supporters at various rallies at the capital (anti-war and pro-gay marriage), and they were getting zero attention.

Also, there's a lot of new blood coming into the DFL from the Dean and Kucinich campaigns, bringing a new level of enthusiasm I have not seen since Wellstone's first 1990 run (I was there, and went to the state convention as a Wellstone delegate). Most of these people are more than willing to fight for ALL democrats this year, because they know what's at stake-- even though our candidates didn't get the nomination.

Especially now that our asshat of a governor is doing such a crappy job, this election may be ours to lose. The state is broke, the schools are broke, the gov's Education Commissioner wants to teach creationism in public schools, and the Transportation Commissioner is obsessed with highways and ignores public transportation. Shoot, even the month-long metro area bus strike is getting pinned on gov. Pawlenty.

We're gonna kick some serious Repub butt this fall. Dubya can stick that "swing state" claptrap up his @$$.

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

you will serve the force well.


ain't it just so damn cool Kerry's kicking Bush's fascist ass outta here?

course...maybe it woulda helped if dubya wasted some of his campaign treasure here....

norm. hey, norm, did you see the poll? Yeah? Oh....go and change your armor.

I cannot tell you how happy I am to be on the board. We need each others support. I am so disgusted that this race is even close. How much more do people need to know to become enlightened? My god doesn't anyone read anymore? I tell some of them I am tired of trying to save their asses from these crooks! If we all wouldn't go down too I'd say have your 4 more years and see what you got left after that. But then all the history books etc will be forever changed, and no one will ever know the real truth. We gotta press on.

the last time Minnesota's electoral votes went to a Republican was in '72.

:bounce:

You mean like the Gallup polls that have 75% thugs. What nerve.

My ass. Norm Coleman can lick the bottom of my shoes.

The contested states are what really matter IMO. Certainly the 12 point lead might hint that Bush will have more problems in those contested states....but I can't get too excited cause MI was going to go democrat anyway.

Or have I missed something?

Republicans think they can take Mn. Yes it's considered a battleground state. This is good news but now we are really going to be subjected to a Republican blitz.

If it gets to lopsided and hopeless, CREEP might chose to conserve their dough and use it elsewhere. Personally, I hope it's close enough that they have to spend the dough, but it gets them nowhere.

when the win for Gore was closer than expected. in 2002 Minesota gave up the Senate seat to a most umpleasant (R) Norma Coleman over legend Walter Mondale who sat in at the last moment after the devastating loss of Paul Wellstone. We also elected Tim Pawlenty Gov, a real step back to the 50's republican, with a nasty neo-con(vict) flair. Don't be fooled, Rove has been playing MN hard, and Mn is in play for 2004.

I honestly don't see Nader as a factor this year-- I doubt he'll even be on the ballot, much less able to get above 3%.

And even when Nader got 5%, Gore still won by 3-5%. Add in at least 80% of Nader's 2000 vote, plus a more polarized state and energized DFL, and you're looking at a safe 5-10% victory for the Dems.

The way Pawlenty's going lately, the Repubs will be in some serious sh!t come November. His numbers are dropping. The state is going to hell, and they're blaming the Repubs.

Both the MN state house and the office of the governor went Republican in the last election cycles.

the pukes want to be to hang Minnesota' hide on the wall as a trophy of their "triumph" over heartland progressivism. Demographic shifts are favoring the pukes lately - but as far as I'm concerned this is still Wellstone Country and it will remain in the Blue column for some time to come.

Next in line for the wrath of the Minnesota voter is the fraud governor, who has gone beyond the call of duty to make Minnesota the northern Mississippi (with apologies to liberal Mississippians who fight the noble battle.)

Then there be the re-election of Mark Dayton.

Followed in 2008 by a drubbing of the pack-sacker Norm Coleman.

Minnesotans have a lot to look forward to.

Cheers!

I'm looking forward to the fight!

:kick:

We aren't going away. I can't stand Coleman as much as Bush. I want to kick his ass back to New York. He is so sure he is headed for the White House.

and I still don't know what to make of Mark Dayton.

Was very disappointed that he voted for the fetus' rights

There had to be a bill attached to it if he did. Where did you see that? He has a voting history of 100 pct choice.

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=108&session=2&vote=00063

And, yes, Daschle voted yes, too, but Kerry voted no.

He will have to explain that one. Just weakens Roe v Wade, and it was already considered a crime. All grandstanding once again to divert attention from the real crimes originating from the White House daily. If anyone hasn't seen the Yuricareport.com website check out the article titled "The Despoiling of America". It is long but well worth the read, and will make the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. It is like 50 pages, but worth printing. It is the 2nd article if you page down. It tells you where we are headed, and this vote passing is proof.

Just what I needed with my morning cup of coffee! And here I thought daylight savings time was going to ruin my day.

Hold the line, we need all those battleground states to vote for Kerry. Send that punk ass chump bu$h' back to clearing brush in Crawford full time.

Sonia