June 16, 2010
Rahall Hold Six Percent Lead on Maynard
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Charleston, WV (HNN) – An early summer poll conducted by Charleston-based MBE has the margin of separation in the West Virginia Third District Congressional Race in single digits.
Conducted June 9 and 10, incumbent Congressman Nick Rahall ( D) received 42% while Elliott “Spike” Maynard (R ) tallied 36%. 16% of those polled were undecided.
How well this bodes for Maynard, a Democrat turned Republican, remains subject for debate. While the survey breaks down the Democratic voters opinions, it relies on the 79% job approval rating for WV Governor Joe Manchin and discouraging numbers for President Obama (62% disapprove).
A press release from Maynard’s office trumps Rahall’s Obama/Pelosi baggage, but fails to mention that Rahall and Maynard have not yet debated. Maynard, a former Democrat WV Supreme Court justice, ran into controversy concerning his rulings in a Massey Energy case before the court. A photo surfaced of Maynard having lunch with Massey CEO Don Blankenship in Europe.
The United States Supreme Court eventually decided that Massey campaign contributions should have disqualified Justice Brent Benjamin from the bench.
Now, Blankenship has the UBB mine tragedy fresh on his plate, which likely will impact Maynard’s base once the fall campaign hits full steam.
Mik Carpenter, Maynard campaign manager, said, “It’s the middle of June and this race is very, very close. Considering Rahall has been in Congress for three decades and has the full backing of President Obama and Nancy Pelosi, I am very confident our campaign is headed in the right direction and will take this momentum into the fall.”
Left unsaid, the backing of both Obama and Pelosi in this year’s mid-term election are not necessary crown jewels due to their baggage from the health care ram rod drive. Furthermore, Obama received only 42% of the WV vote in 2008 (about four points less than John Kerry in 2004).
Rahall’s trends in past general elections from 2002-2008 have ranged from a high of 70.2% to a low of 65.2%. Republican opposition has stayed in the low to mid 30% range. Marty Gearheart tallied 33.1% in 2008 and now Huntington mayor Kim Wolfe amassed 30.6%. Rick Snuffer in 2004 brought in 76,170 votes the highest against Rahall and good for 34.8%.
Still, Carpenter believes 2010 will be different as the issues are not Republican or Democrat but “what is good for the economy of Southern West Virginia and how we can keep and create good paying jobs.” He continued, “I think [voters] reject the politics of Obama, Pelosi and Rahall which would devastate our economy.”
One of those proposals, the Cap and Trade Bill, has slid somewhat off the table, but, environmental concerns due to the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are certain to be a hot topic, yet coal mine safety and Massey Energy symbolically serve as the Mountain State’s symbols of Deepwater Horizon and BP.
The poll showed voter dissatisfaction with the President, but did not address state favorability ratings for West Virginia’s own Senatorial and Congressional representatives, except Rahall.
Voters mostly believe things in West Virginia are headed on the right track (50%) while 39% believe things are on the wrong track. Poll results suggest the same can’t be said for Washington. Forty-two percent (42%) say they are more likely to vote for a Republican candidate for US Congress while 37% say a Democrat. Coupled with poor approval ratings for Washington Democrats such as President Obama there appears to be a strong anti-incumbent sentiment. “Hope and change and Nick Rahall have done very little to protect our economy and grow our job market,” Carpenter concluded.
From Rahall’s perspective, he may want to distance himself from Obama, Pelosi and carbon Cap & Trade agendas.
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Rahall Hold Six Percent Lead on Maynard
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Charleston, WV (HNN) – An early summer poll conducted by Charleston-based MBE has the margin of separation in the West Virginia Third District Congressional Race in single digits.
Conducted June 9 and 10, incumbent Congressman Nick Rahall ( D) received 42% while Elliott “Spike” Maynard (R ) tallied 36%. 16% of those polled were undecided.
How well this bodes for Maynard, a Democrat turned Republican, remains subject for debate. While the survey breaks down the Democratic voters opinions, it relies on the 79% job approval rating for WV Governor Joe Manchin and discouraging numbers for President Obama (62% disapprove).
A press release from Maynard’s office trumps Rahall’s Obama/Pelosi baggage, but fails to mention that Rahall and Maynard have not yet debated. Maynard, a former Democrat WV Supreme Court justice, ran into controversy concerning his rulings in a Massey Energy case before the court. A photo surfaced of Maynard having lunch with Massey CEO Don Blankenship in Europe.
The United States Supreme Court eventually decided that Massey campaign contributions should have disqualified Justice Brent Benjamin from the bench.
Now, Blankenship has the UBB mine tragedy fresh on his plate, which likely will impact Maynard’s base once the fall campaign hits full steam.
Mik Carpenter, Maynard campaign manager, said, “It’s the middle of June and this race is very, very close. Considering Rahall has been in Congress for three decades and has the full backing of President Obama and Nancy Pelosi, I am very confident our campaign is headed in the right direction and will take this momentum into the fall.”
Left unsaid, the backing of both Obama and Pelosi in this year’s mid-term election are not necessary crown jewels due to their baggage from the health care ram rod drive. Furthermore, Obama received only 42% of the WV vote in 2008 (about four points less than John Kerry in 2004).
Rahall’s trends in past general elections from 2002-2008 have ranged from a high of 70.2% to a low of 65.2%. Republican opposition has stayed in the low to mid 30% range. Marty Gearheart tallied 33.1% in 2008 and now Huntington mayor Kim Wolfe amassed 30.6%. Rick Snuffer in 2004 brought in 76,170 votes the highest against Rahall and good for 34.8%.
Still, Carpenter believes 2010 will be different as the issues are not Republican or Democrat but “what is good for the economy of Southern West Virginia and how we can keep and create good paying jobs.” He continued, “I think [voters] reject the politics of Obama, Pelosi and Rahall which would devastate our economy.”
One of those proposals, the Cap and Trade Bill, has slid somewhat off the table, but, environmental concerns due to the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are certain to be a hot topic, yet coal mine safety and Massey Energy symbolically serve as the Mountain State’s symbols of Deepwater Horizon and BP.
The poll showed voter dissatisfaction with the President, but did not address state favorability ratings for West Virginia’s own Senatorial and Congressional representatives, except Rahall.
Voters mostly believe things in West Virginia are headed on the right track (50%) while 39% believe things are on the wrong track. Poll results suggest the same can’t be said for Washington. Forty-two percent (42%) say they are more likely to vote for a Republican candidate for US Congress while 37% say a Democrat. Coupled with poor approval ratings for Washington Democrats such as President Obama there appears to be a strong anti-incumbent sentiment. “Hope and change and Nick Rahall have done very little to protect our economy and grow our job market,” Carpenter concluded.
From Rahall’s perspective, he may want to distance himself from Obama, Pelosi and carbon Cap & Trade agendas.
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