AP Poll Shows Women, Blacks Backing Kerry (Who'da Thunk?)

WINS News ^ | 2/11/04

[areafiftyone]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- John Kerry built a winning coalition in two Southern states with strong support from women, blacks and Democratic voters hungry for victory in November, according to Associated Press exit polls.

Kerry also finished first among white Southern voters Tuesday, but fared better among black voters in Tennessee and Virginia, leaving some question about the strength of his appeal with a crucial Southern voting bloc.

Retired nurse Bob Casey, a 68-year-old independent from Memphis, Tenn., said he voted for Wesley Clark, but would vote for President Bush in the general election over Kerry, a Massachusetts senator.

"I don't need any more of those liberals from back East," Casey said.

Kerry tapped into voter anger and dissatisfaction with Bush in primaries in Virginia and Tennessee, appealing especially to those eager to win in November, similar to what he found among voters elsewhere in the country.

The results come from exit polls in both states conducted for the AP and the television networks by Edison Media Research and Mitofsky International.

The Virginia results of 1,679 interviews were subject to sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points, higher for subgroups. The Tennessee results from 2,513 interviews were subject to sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points, larger for subgroups.

Kerry ran very strong among those who said the most important quality for a candidate was the ability to defeat Bush - claiming three-fourths of the Virginia voters who said that quality was most important and almost two-thirds of Tennessee voters who wanted to support a general election winner.

None of his rivals were even close to Kerry among those voters - about three in 10 of all Virginia voters and one-fourth of all Tennessee voters. Kerry also ran strong in both states among voters who thought experience was the top quality.

Michelle Darby, 34, a marketing manager for an insurance company in Roanoke, Va., said she voted for Kerry because she wants to see a victory by "anybody but George Bush. ... Electability."

"I like what (Kerry) stands for," she said. "John Edwards is a little too young. (Howard) Dean's a crazy man. (Wesley) Clark's just, I don't know, there's something there I don't like."

Six in 10 Virginia voters said it was very likely Kerry would beat Bush and an additional three in 10 said it was somewhat likely. Only two in 10 said it was very likely Edwards would beat Bush in November.

While Kerry showed many strengths, Edwards battled him to a draw among independents in Tennessee and Edwards finished far ahead among conservatives in Virginia.

Margaret Gerardin, a 41-year-old Edwards supporter from Norfolk, Va., said she decided at the last second to vote for Edwards because she feels like he is more in touch "with the common man."

Kerry and Edwards tied among Virginia voters who said it was most important to have a candidate who cares about people like them, while Edwards edged Kerry among Tennessee voters who said that was most important.

Clark, who dropped from the race Tuesday night, showed more strength among Virginia and Tennessee voters who thought national security and the war in Iraq were top issues than he did among voters who picked other issues. Dean, who did not actively compete in the two states, did somewhat better among voters who said it was most important to have a candidate who stands up for what he believes.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

More AP media bias. This article makes it sound like the women and blacks are separate voting groups and not Democrats.

Ding ding ding! And we have a winnah -- ! :)

[RosieCotton]

This was exit polling. Highly biased to democrats, because republicans had no reason to go to the polls. It would be like holding a poll at the democratic convention. What do you think the outcome would be?

Good point.

[areafiftyone]

Another single woman will be voting for him! ME!! :-)

[petitfour]

Hubby was discussing the current culture of our society with a black female the other day. She would tend to vote for the RAT candidate. However, when the MASS SC ruling came out last week, she had to reevaluate her support for RATS. She will not vote for Kerry.

[k omalley]

Not this woman!

[RosieCotton]

FReeper gals unite! ;-)

[Howlin]

There were so few voters

Thank you for pointing that out. I'd like to see a total for all the people that voted yesterday.

It's frightening how few people decide these things.

[areafiftyone]

Well its a free country and you have every right to vote for who you want to.

[areafiftyone]

Kewl!

[Notasoccermom]

Why not Condi Rice as VP in 2004?

[johnny7]

Time to slip on my 'wife-beater t-shirt and crank-up my David Allan Coe tapes. Maybe time to add to my 'tats' collection too.

[Sam Cree]

Hi, Rosie.

Assuming Bush wins, which seems likely to me, I wonder who we have with enough stature to oppose the witch in 08.

[ZULU]

Why not? Sounds great to me. Either way, she looks Presidential in 2008.

[ZULU]

There are socially conservative blacks out there.

The task of the Repubs is to locate them, target them, recruit them and run them for office. Ditto for conservative Hispanics and Asians.

Race is not relevant. Political philosophy is.

[k omalley]

I was responding to the article you posted which stated that women back Kerry. To make it clear I do not support Kerry. Ugh!

[petitfour]

In Virginia there were 394,720. That is pathetic turnout. Hubby and I voted. And a number of other Freepers. The RATS who turned out are rabid RATS who can not see that they were voting someone UNELECTABLE due to his Massachusetts ultraLIBERAL history. That is good for Bush, but it sure doesn't say much about the core of the RAT party.

[areafiftyone]

I do apologize - LOL I thought you meant you would not vote for Bush! Ya think I need more coffee this morning? Or maybe a lobotomy? ;-)

[Meldrim]

More to the point, does anybody believe John Kerry has any chance to carry Tennesse or Virginia in November?

[Maria S]

"Kerry ran very strong among those who said the most important quality for a candidate was the ability to defeat Bush ..."


I keep hearing this and similar statements overandoverandover...I never cease to be amazed at the seeming stupidity of a great number of Americans! Apparently the safety and security of this country (and their very lives) is less important than defeating President Bush. Just stick anyone in the White House...it doesn't matter as long as we get rid of Bush! Heaven help us all!!

[trebb]

It was the FEMALE vote that put Clinton in office.

That is exactly why God put Man in charge.

Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. {Genesis 3:16}

Satan has turned and twisted things.