SC-02: It's Miller Time?
Wither Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC 02)?
A new Public Policy Poll (IVR) (D) out today shows Wilson trailing his challenger, '08 nominee/ret. Marine Rob Miller (D), 44-43%.
Things certainly have changed since Nov., when Wilson defeated an aggressive Miller challenge. Then, even the high African-American turnout, along with a solid campaign by Miller, couldn't propel the Dem to a victory, as Wilson won a close 54-46%. John McCain won an identical 54% of the vote there.
Nat'l Dems are surely fired up about Wilson's infamous "you lie" shout to Pres. Obama at his 9/9 speech -- Miller has raised over $750K online in the two days since the ruckus, and the DCCC has also attempted to raise some money off the incident.
But this poll suggests local residents are just as fired up. Sixty-two percent of voters say they disapprove of Wilson's actions while just 29% think they were "ok." But residents were divided on whether the "substance" of his comment -- that Obama was lying -- is correct. Forty-two percent say he was lying, while 46% don't believe he was.
The key for Miller will be to maintain this momentum. If not, once the incident moves off the front pages, this race may well revert back to its environmentally friendly GOP status. Indeed, just after Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN 06) made her controversial remarks on MSNBC's "Hardball" last Oct., a poll showed her losing to her Dem opponent. But less than a month later, she recovered to win a slim re-election. Both MN-06 and SC-02 are similarly comfortable GOP-leaning seats.
Politically, this is solid GOP territory, and in an off-year election, any GOPer should win handily. Despite his early lead in this poll, it'll still be an uphill race for Miller. But events this week certainly put him in the game for the long-haul.
UPDATE: We noticed that African-Americans made up 24% in this survey. That may be assuming too high a %age for a midterm election, as the voting-age population of the CD is right around 25%. That may explain a bit of the Miller bounce. Still, interesting numbers indeed.
(TIM SAHD)
hey tim, how about ALL the internals, so we can REALLY tear this disinfo apart? ya know. bring it on mr murrow.
More Republican lies. Lets compare some bills. In 2003 the Republicans, including Joe Wilson, voted for the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003. Section 1011 states,
"$250 million are appropriated for each fiscal year, 2005 through 2008, in additional federal funding for emergency services to undocumented aliens, to be paid directly to providers"
The Democrats bill HR3200 section 246 states,
"NO FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR UNDOCUMENTED ALIENS. Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States."
It's amazing how the Republicans can fool half the country into believing their lies. Just more proof of how stupid Americans are. Maybe the Democrats should have set aside $250,000,000 a year for illegal immigrants healthcare, just like the Republicans did in 2003.