SurveyUSA has released its approval poll numbers for all 100 Senators. The relevant ones, of course, are those for Senators up for reelection this year. Michael Barone analyzes:
The big question is how the senators who are in seriously contested races this year are doing. Here we see two patterns. Two embattled Republican senators have seen sharp and, I think, statistically significant rises in job approval in SurveyUSA's midmonth surveys between May and August. See the job approval numbers below:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . May June July August
Rick Santorum (Pa.) 36% 36% 43% 48%
Jim Talent (Mo.) . . . 43% 48% 49% 52%This is evidence that their campaigning is paying off. Two recent polls have shown Santorum within single digits of Democrat Bob Casey Jr.: Quinnipiac (48 to 42 percent) and Morning Call/Muhlenberg (45 to 39 percent). Santorum's campaigning has put him back in contention, but he's still definitely behind. Talent is getting good job approval numbers in the Ozarks (54 percent) and Central (58 percent) regions, both heavily Republican areas he needs to carry by big margins in order to win, and he gets 54 percent in the St. Louis region, his home area, which Democrats have carried in recent close races. His worst performance is in the Kansas City region (42 percent), which has often lacked media attention and been more volatile in elections than the rest of Missouri. An obvious target for his advertising dollars.
There's lots more to read at the link above. All in all, a fascinating and informative read.
Essentially, Barone sees rising numbers for Santorum, Talent, and Kyl, and steady ones for Allen and Chaffee. Stabenow and Bill Nelson are steady among Democrats, with Cantwell and Ben Nelson enjoying public favor. DeWine and Burns, by the numbers, are the ones in deepest trouble.
Barone is right on the numbers of course, but the races in Ohio and Montana have another feature which has yet to gain the voting public's attention: both Democratic challengers are far to the left of the states they seek to represent. As the campaigns begin in earnest, expect this to be pointed out forcefully to the electorates of those states.
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2006 Senate Race, Commentary, Polls
Comments (2)
Yep...Republican Landside..... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Drew | August 19, 2006 6:44 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Yep...Republican Landside..
Iraq...winning 99.9 %
Terror..We are still afraid 99.9%
Medical costs..way down 99.9%
Gas..a bargin 99.9%
Economy...damn near perfect 99.9%
Housing costs...way down 99.9%
Repulican Agenda as stated 2 years ago fulfilled 99.9
Govt. Spending down 99.9%
Voters who believe we are on the right track 99.9%
Bush's positive rating... 99.9%
"It all over but the counting"
1. Posted by Drew | August 19, 2006 6:44 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 19, 2006 18:44
2. Posted by Jim Addison | August 19, 2006 11:29 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Drugs, or a catastrophic head injury?
2. Posted by Jim Addison | August 19, 2006 11:29 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 19, 2006 23:29