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Hickenlooper holds comfy lead in Colo. gubernatorial race
The Denver Post ^ | 10/24/10 | Karen E. Crummy

Posted on 10/24/2010 8:27:31 AM PDT by MissTed

Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Hickenlooper has a wide lead over his opponents going into the last days of the election, despite third-party candidate Tom Tancredo's ability to siphon votes from the Republican nominee, according to a Denver Post/9News poll.

With 49 percent of those surveyed backing him, Hickenlooper now has more support than Tancredo and Republican candidate Dan Maes combined.

Tancredo, a former Republican congressman, continues to peel off GOP voters, garnering 39 percent, while Maes continues to slide, coming in at 9 percent. Only 1 percent of those polled said they were undecided.

"It's hard to see how Tancredo changes this game. Even if Maes drops to 5 percent, it isn't enough," said Denver pollster Floyd Ciruli. "Hickenlooper has had the benefit of not having to deal with just one Republican opponent and has kept a low profile, eliminating the chances of making mistakes and starting controversies."

Last-minute switch

Tancredo switched his affiliation to the American Constitution Party and announced his candidacy right before the August GOP primary. Maes and Scott McInnis, both hit with scandals and missteps, refused Tancredo's call to get out after the primary if the winner trailed Hickenlooper in the polls. Maes edged out McInnis, but his numbers have consistently declined in the past two months.

If Maes doesn't get at least 10 percent of the vote, Republicans will drop to minor-party status. At this point, most political observers agree that Tancredo has become the de facto GOP candidate.

The implosion of both the McInnis and Maes candidacies has given Hickenlooper, the mayor of Denver, a significant edge in a year in which Republicans are expected to pick up seats all over the country.

Instead of having to fight in the trenches, Hickenlooper has had the luxury of remaining what Ciruli calls "bland and issueless," as well as of appearing at fewer public events than most major gubernatorial candidates in years past.

It's the kind of strategy that looks politically savvy if he wins but naive if he loses, said Norman Provizer, a political scientist at Metropolitan State College of Denver.

"It's a calculated move. If I were consulting him, I would've said, 'We're in good shape; let's not go negative, let's not rock the vote,' " Provizer said.

Hickenlooper is collecting almost 90 percent of Democratic votes and leads Tancredo among those surveyed who have already returned a ballot by 14 percentage points. Among those who haven't voted but say they will, Hickenlooper is up by 7 percentage points.

Tancredo is picking up two out of three GOP voters and four out of 10 unaffiliateds.

While Tancredo has a 3 percentage point lead among men and is ahead in the Colorado Springs area, Hickenlooper has a 25 percentage point lead among women and is ahead in the metro Denver area and the rest of the state.

The automated telephone poll of 621 likely and actual voters was conducted by Survey USA Tuesday to Thursday last week and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

Personal choices

Democrat Carole Tomsick of Arvada said her top concern is the economy. She likes that Hickenlooper ran a business before becoming mayor.

"Jobs and business are what I'm worried about," said Tomsick, who is retired. "Hickenlooper is far superior than the others, and I have more trust in him."

Richard Van Dresser, a retired steel worker from Pueblo, said he's backing Tancredo.

"Maes seems like a crook, and Hickenlooper is way too liberal," said Van Dresser, 58, who is a registered unaffiliated. "And Tancredo said he will do something about illegal immigration


TOPICS: Politics/Elections; US: Colorado
KEYWORDS: colorado; hickenlooper; tancredo; tomtancredo
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Ugh, this makes me sick to my stomach. I pray they are wrong.
1 posted on 10/24/2010 8:27:34 AM PDT by MissTed
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To: MissTed
Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Hickenlooper has a wide lead over his opponents going into the last days of the election, despite third-party candidate Tom Tancredo's ability to siphon votes from the Republican nominee

Yes, it's true, you have to have failed English comprehension at the most basic level in order to be qualified to be a lamestream media "journalist".

2 posted on 10/24/2010 8:31:25 AM PDT by coloradan (The US has become a banana republic, except without the bananas - or the republic.)
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To: MissTed
All we will see until election day is hit pieces, smears, October surprises, and cheerleading from the communist media. It reminds me of 1984 and 1988. After election day, their refrain goes from “You aren't going to win,” to “You didn't really win.”
3 posted on 10/24/2010 8:32:07 AM PDT by Luke21
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To: MissTed
"Hickenlooper has had the benefit of not having to deal with just one Republican opponent and has kept a low profile, eliminating the chances of making mistakes and starting controversies."

Right. [C]Hickenlooper calling every Coloradan outside Denver a potentially violent homophobe just never happened.

4 posted on 10/24/2010 8:35:21 AM PDT by EternalVigilance ("No person shall be deprived of life without due process." -- The US Constitution)
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To: MissTed
Denver pollster Floyd Ciruli is a Democrat Party Hack.

5 posted on 10/24/2010 8:36:09 AM PDT by Uri’el-2012 (Psalm 119:174 I long for Your salvation, YHvH, Your law is my delight.)
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To: MissTed

This fictional poll is designed to create reality, not report on it.


6 posted on 10/24/2010 8:37:41 AM PDT by EternalVigilance ("No person shall be deprived of life without due process." -- The US Constitution)
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To: MissTed
automated telephone poll of 621 likely and actual voters

Margin of error is 99%. LOL...

7 posted on 10/24/2010 8:38:51 AM PDT by EternalVigilance ("No person shall be deprived of life without due process." -- The US Constitution)
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To: MissTed
I don't know this person but I do know Colorado..I hope if this man wins he will search his soul and do the best thing for Colorado and stay away from the communist in Washington..

Do the people from Hollywood or any other state for that matter have a vote in Colorado if they have a vote in California or other states, owning homes in both states? Colorado is a vacation spot for the rich..This might be something someone should look into..I don't think you can vote in two states..That is legally..

8 posted on 10/24/2010 8:39:21 AM PDT by PLD (When you receive a kindness,remember it;when you bestow one,forget it)
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To: UriÂ’el-2012

Good. Report this to all the Dems. No reason at all for them to go to the polls whatsoever...


9 posted on 10/24/2010 8:40:02 AM PDT by EternalVigilance ("No person shall be deprived of life without due process." -- The US Constitution)
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To: Luke21
It reminds me of 1984 and 1988. After election day, their refrain goes from “You aren't going to win,” to “You didn't really win.”

1984, on election eve the MSM was STILL touting "neck -n- neck" between Mondale and Reagan!

10 posted on 10/24/2010 8:40:08 AM PDT by EGPWS (Trust in God, question everyone else)
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To: MissTed
More lies, Denver Post is saying today that Dems are pulling away in all races. These polls are only to influence the dumb masses, it may work. Nevertheless they are lies
11 posted on 10/24/2010 8:40:19 AM PDT by Friendofgeorge (Sarah 2012 or bust)
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To: MissTed

Rasmussen says that Tancredo is continuing to close the gap and that this race is a toss up. I believe Rasmussen.


12 posted on 10/24/2010 8:40:28 AM PDT by jospehm20
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To: MissTed

Tancredo is toast in my book. Those pushing him to run in 2012 I say screw him.


13 posted on 10/24/2010 8:40:34 AM PDT by stockpirate ("......When the government fears the people you have liberty." Thomas Jefferson)
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To: EternalVigilance
Margin of error is 99%. LOL...

How were they able to hone in so tightly on it with only 621 calls? LOL!

14 posted on 10/24/2010 8:41:56 AM PDT by EGPWS (Trust in God, question everyone else)
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To: MissTed
I'm not so sure about this. We better check the methodology on this poll. Real Clear Politics has Rasmussen showing Tancredo to be down only five on October 16. This is the second Denver Post poll that has Hickenlooper at 10 and 11 respectively. The last Denver Post poll was on October 19. But we have Magellans Strategies poll on October 20 showing Hickenlooper up only one.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2010/governor/co/colorado_governor_maes_vs_hickenlooper_vs_tancredo-1677.html I suspect this poll, Tancredo had the momentum and was closing.


15 posted on 10/24/2010 8:44:56 AM PDT by nathanbedford ("Attack, repeat, attack!" Bull Halsey)
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To: EGPWS

Reminds me of a somewhat recent election(my memory is not what it used to be)

CNN said that Texas could go Democrat and that it was to close to call. They played this right up to the last second and then finally called the race for Republicans on election night...Was not even close


16 posted on 10/24/2010 8:46:10 AM PDT by Friendofgeorge (Sarah 2012 or bust)
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To: nathanbedford

Has Denver Post endorsed anybody? I take it they are a Republican right leaning outfit?? WINK WINK HEAVY SARCASM :)


17 posted on 10/24/2010 8:48:22 AM PDT by Friendofgeorge (Sarah 2012 or bust)
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To: MissTed

Not an insurmountable lead: (I would question anything that has the word ‘comfy’ in the title. What serious journalist would choose that?)

Colo. Governor
Hickenlooper (D) 45%
Maes (R) 10%
Tancredo (C) 40%
10/16 Fox News/Pulse 1,000 LV

Source: Politico: Campaign Polling Center

http://www.politico.com/2010/pollingcenter.html


18 posted on 10/24/2010 8:48:30 AM PDT by Outlaw Woman (Live Free or Die)
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To: MissTed

SUSA polls aren’t biased, but they are significantly more erratic than Raz or Mason-Dixon.


19 posted on 10/24/2010 8:50:27 AM PDT by Redmen4ever
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To: MissTed

Don’t believe it!!


20 posted on 10/24/2010 8:50:43 AM PDT by Carley (For those who fought for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.)
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