Monday’s political round-up

March 6, 2006

Today’s installment of campaign-related news items that wouldn’t generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers:

* In Pennsylvania’s closely watched gubernatorial campaign, the latest Morning Call/Muhlenberg College poll shows Gov. Ed Rendell (D) hanging onto his lead over former football player Lynn Swann (R), but not by much. Rendell, the poll said, is up, 46% to 43%. The same poll shows State Treasurer Bob Casey (D) leading Sen. Rick Santorum (R), 49% to 37%

* Rhode Island Lt. Gov. Charles Fogarty (D) is scheduled to announce this afternoon that he will run for governor against incumbent Donald Carcieri (R). Fogarty has served two terms as lieutenant governor.

* Rep. Harold Ford’s (D) Senate campaign in Tennessee seems to have slipped a bit of late. A new Rasmussen poll shows Ford trailing his major GOP challengers, by slightly larger margins than a similar poll in January. Former Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker (R) leads Ford 39% to 35%; former Rep. Van Hilleary tops Ford, 43% to 35%; while former Rep. Ed Bryant (R) enjoys the largest lead, 45% to 36%.

* Tomorrow, Houston-area Republicans will vote on whether Tom DeLay should be the GOP nominee in the 22nd district. Yesterday, the Houston Chronicle endorsed DeLay’s opponent, attorney Tom Campbell. There are a total of four Republicans in the race, including DeLay, and if no one gets 50%, the top two will compete in an April 11 run-off. (DeLay, confident that he’ll win, will be at a DC fundraiser when the results are announced.)

* Quinnipiac published a fascinating poll this morning weighing the popularity of major political figures in a “national ‘Thermometer’ survey, where almost 1,900 voters rate their feelings about national leaders.” Respondents were asked to rate leaders 0 to 100 on a “feeling thermometer,” with the highest numbers reflecting the warmest feelings. Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani enjoyed the broadest popularity with a mean score of 63.5. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) came in second at 59.9, followed closely by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) at 59.7. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was fourth at 57.1 and former President Clinton rounded out the top 5 with a score of 56.1. Neither Bush nor Cheney were in the top 10.

I found this, well, interesting:

Interestingly, Giuliani gets a higher rating from self-identified white evangelical voters who either don’t know or don’t care that he favors abortion and gay rights

Or…does that mean they believe he will change his views in order to get the Pres. nomination?

  • As a New Yorker, I would *love* to see Giuliani exposed over the grueling course of a national campaign.

    I promise you the guy won’t wear well. There are a lot more Bernie Keriks in his political closet, and that doesn’t even touch on the difficulties he’ll have explaining away his past (because he’s sure to renounce them) “liberal” views on abortion and gay rights as well as his thrice-married, serially philandering personal ways.

    His one great month after 9/11 ultimately won’t be nearly enough to overshadow the ugliness that marked the balance of his mayoralty.

  • Wow. Ford falling further behind in every poll. What’s the New Black Hope of the Democratic Leadership Council to do? I’m gonna guess…become more like the Republican candidates? With nobody in the campaign to the left of him, liberals will have no alternative and he’ll win with the combined liberal and independent votes. It worked so well for DLC acolytes Gore and Kerry.

    I consider Ford a self-absorbed fake, and look forward to his providing further proof that Schrummery is a losing philosophy with his crushing defeat.

  • Re the Quinnipiac poll: It’s disappointing to see Gore wedged in there between Bush’s 44% and Cheney’s 41%, at a mere 43.2% himself. I thought he had gained alot of (positive) notoriety for his outspokenness lately.

  • Gore is finished; that is the problem. He was so badly defined in 2000 it would take $200 million in media just to get him back in the game.

    His “rehabilitation” is entirely in the mind of web poli wonks.

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