Democrats’ internal polling rings of political ‘triage’
Additionally, three more Democratic campaigns released their own polls. In the Republican-held 10th District of Illinois, Democrat Dan Seals leads Republican Bob Dold 49% to 36%. In Mississippi’s 1st District, Democratic Rep. Travis Childers leads state Sen. Alan Nunnelee 46% to 41%. And in Pennsylvania’s 4th District, Rep. Jason Altmire leads challenger Keith Rothfus 51% to 24%.
The Cook Political Report ranks all but two of these races as toss-ups; the Alabama race is considered “Leans Democratic,” while Altmire in Pennsylvania represents a “Likely Democratic” district.
The traditional caveats apply with these surveys, and in at least one case public polling finds radically different numbers. Most notably, a SurveyUSA poll in Virginia’s 2nd District found Perriello trailing by 26 points. But the decline of reliable independent data makes these snapshots noteworthy.
Releasing these polls is intended in part to blunt reports that the party is ready to cast off embattled incumbents and shift resources to newly competitive districts in an effort to stem the bleeding.
LA Times
9/7/10
Magnolia Tribune
