Posted on 09/05/2010 9:22:04 AM PDT by curth
Rasmussen Reports post-primary survey of West Virginia’s U.S. Senate race, Democratic Governor Joe Manchin attracts 48% of the vote while Republican John Raese earns 42%.
The latest statewide telephone survey of Likely Voters shows four percent (4%) prefer some other candidate while seven percent (7%) are undecided.
Just after state legislators officially approved a special Senate election this year to replace the late Robert Byrd, Manchin led Raese by a 51% to 35% margin.
The latest numbers move the West Virginia race from Solid Democratic to Leans Democratic in the Rasmussen Reports Senate Balance of Power Rankings.
Manchin still earns high reviews from voters for his job as governor. Seventy percent (70%) approve of his job performance, which includes 36% who Strongly Approve and 34% who Somewhat Approve.
However, there’s a gap in support for the governor’s Senate run between those who Strongly Approve of his performance and those who Somewhat Approve. While Manchin holds a lead among voters who Strongly Approve of his performance as governor, the race is a virtual tie among those who Somewhat Approve of Manchin’s job.
Perhaps one explanation for this divide is that among those voters who Somewhat Approve of Manchin’s performance, 64% Strongly Disapprove of President Obama’s performance.
Overall, voters in West Virginia are more critical of the President than voters on the national level as measured in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll. Just 29% in West Virginia approve of Obama’s performance, while 70% disapprove.
Both Manchin and Raese pick up 67% support from their respective parties following Saturday’s primaries. Those numbers represent an 11-point jump in support from Republicans for Raese and an 11-point decrease in Democratic support for Manchin. Among voters not affiliated with either major political party in the state, Raese holds a 45% to 40% edge.
(Excerpt) Read more at rasmussenreports.com ...
A coal mining state voting D is strange to me.
You have to understand WV is stuck in the 1930s.
Dems are conservative, support coal and guns and are pro life.
The GOP, until just a few weeks ago, had a Pro Abortion party chairman. He was just voted out. The GOP just entered 1981 this month.
The only GOP congressperson is a pro abortion pro tarp RINO: Shelley Moore Capito.
So, this is the disconnect. Now, the GOP may have a real shot if they run on conservative issues.
This race truly has gone to Leans Democrat.
“while Republican John Raese earns 42%.”
The trend is in the right direction and Raese now has an outside chance of winning. I would love to see him pull it off.
WV no longer revolves around King Coal. Coal mining, though still an important contributor to jobs and the tax base in WV, is no longer the dominant economic force in the state. Walmart in fact is the biggest private employer in the state. Another factor is that a good part of the WV’s population would prefer to see coal mining disappear. The campaign to ban mountain top removal, mine pollution and associated disease, damaging coal trucks, and unsafe mining practices has a decent following in WV. Also the history of the mine wars 90 years ago when the GOP controlled the state, set the stage for Democrat dominance. Maybe a miricale will happen though and Manchin will snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
WV is still strongly pro-union, attracts few businesses, loses young people to more sophisticated states. Raese is considered an outsider because he is not native. He is also very wealthy. Here’s hoping these “I have always been a Democrat” types in WV wake up to see the Dems aren’t doing them any favors.
WV is #1 at having adults with the fewest teeth.
You think JedNEed/Zed is going to vot GOP?
LOL!
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.