Slog News & Arts

Line Out

Music & Nightlife

« Whole Foods Still Wants to Shr... | This Week on Drugs »

Friday, October 3, 2008

Obama Up by 10 Points in Washington State

posted by on October 3 at 17:17 PM

Thus sayeth the latest Rasmussen poll.

Barack Obama has regained his solid lead over John McCain in Washington, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of the state. The Democrat now leads his opponent 53% to 43%.

So, Obama is leading McCain in Washington 53-43, but, as we saw earlier, Gregoire is tied with Rossi here 48-48.

What’s that about? One cause seems to be the very different levels of support Gregoire and Obama are receiving from independents. Gregoire is losing them to Rossi, 37-57. Obama is winning them over McCain, 48-44.

Obama-backing Rossi voters, if this poll can be believed, just might give this state’s electoral college votes to the Democratic ticket while giving the governor’s mansion to a Republican.

RSS icon Comments

1

Correction: Dino Rossi "Prefers GOP"

Also, three words in answer to your question: plastic bag tax

Posted by Just Sayin' | October 3, 2008 5:27 PM
2

Still thinkin about the possibility that the R-base gets all morose and stays home if an Obama victory looks pretty definite by the polls, thereby throwing the race to Chris by a hair.

Posted by Barak G | October 3, 2008 5:30 PM
3

Gregoire twenty points back among Independents? Wow. That's pretty sucky.

Perhaps favoring rebuilding the Viaduct was not a way to get on the "change" message.

Posted by PC | October 3, 2008 5:31 PM
4

OFF TOPIC: Did you see the AP wires? Palin learned about the Michigan pullout when she read it in the paper this AM. She's told FOX it was a mistake and she thinks they should go back into Michigan.

wow wow wow

Posted by cranky | October 3, 2008 5:41 PM
5

She read a paper?

Posted by threnody | October 3, 2008 5:48 PM
6


We Washington Italians are voting as a bloc for Rossi.

All 212 of us...

Posted by John Bailo | October 3, 2008 5:56 PM
7

People want change no matter what party. I don't think I have ever voted for a Republican (knowingly) in the 26 years I have had that pleasure, and I certainly am not voting for Rossi, but I don't know how Gregoire has made my quality of life better.

Posted by elswinger | October 3, 2008 6:05 PM
8

Gregoire has made some bad missteps (ex viaduct), no question.

But she's also done the most for gay rights than any other governor in state history, gave us a budget surplus in past years, created one of the most nationally recognized best business climates, and efficiently run state government.


All of this has been well-documented on Slog and in the dailies. Let's not forget it.

Posted by Original Andrew | October 3, 2008 6:09 PM
9

Perhaps Gregoire woudl be ahead, then, if she had actually stood for something really different than the GOP.

I mean I'm not going to give money and volunteer and shit for a highway loving gov whose claim to fame is a surplus, good business climate and efficient government, though those things are nice to be sure. But even nicer:

better opportunity for working families, more kids in the state health plan, greater enivornmental protection for Puget Sound etc.

You know, supporting an overall progressive/Democratic type frame, and message?

How do we get there if D's run like R's????

off topic,

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/horseraceblog/2008/10/nebraska_and_maine.html

explains how there can be a 269-269 tie in the electoral college resulting in potential absurdities and nightmares like an Obama-Palin administration.

Posted by PC | October 3, 2008 6:30 PM
10

Rossi is a fucking trojan horse. He covers his history of right-wing extremism with colorful anecdotes ala Reagan and Palin. He has a long history of opposing all that is good--choice for women, gay rights, funding for human services, you name it.

If you are really thinking of voting for Rossi, take a look at who is supporting him for governor. Follow the money.

Posted by tiptoe tommy | October 3, 2008 7:18 PM
11

@6 - no, you're not. I know two Italians in Washington who are voting for Gregoire.

But they're both women, so you probably THINK they're voting Rossi, when they're not.

Posted by Will in Seattle | October 3, 2008 7:38 PM
12

vote obama. If you are even thinking about voting for John Mcstupid, go watch the movie Escape from New York. That's how America will look in 4 years.

Posted by obamalover | October 3, 2008 8:50 PM
13

An Obama-Palin administration would be HILARIOUS.

Posted by Fnarf | October 3, 2008 9:25 PM
14

Some people vote for a candidate because of their stance on various policies. Others vote for a candidate they like or connect to, not really caring all that much about policy.

It is the second group that Gregoire is loosing. Rossi, despite his policies, comes across as much more folksy and likable. Gregoire, despite being good at her job, comes across as brittle and grating, not likable at all. I've met her on several occasions, and she always gets on my nerves, even though I agree with her policy choices 90% of the time.

I'll vote for her, of course, but it is easy to see why Rossi is doing as well as he is.

Posted by Reverse Polarity | October 3, 2008 9:43 PM
15

Why--why on earth--do Democrats expect their candidates to be absolutely perfect? So you don't like Gregoire because of the viaduct. Do you honestly think Rossi has a better solution? What about preserving choice? Gay rights? Even the fucking estate tax?

I know this sounds like "lesser of two evils" crap, but sometimes we have to hold our nose and vote for someone who doesn't walk on water. Al Gore and John Kerry weren't perfect either, but who would you have rather had in the White House for the last eight years?

Posted by RainMan | October 3, 2008 10:03 PM
16

Rossi has her cold on the budge deficit - the how the hell do you cut billions now thing.

She runs a crappy campaign, too.

She did a whole series, day after day after day, millions spent, mostly useless value ads. So she like kids, ROSSI HAS FOUR INCL YOUNG ONES.

Wrong year to be on the defensive about budgets.... California is going to go bankrupt, even Utah called a special session last week to work on a 500 million shortfall. Few states are immune, above all not sales tax Washington.

What is the Gregoire plan.... to cut 4 billion. She has none.

Going to be blood on the marble steps.

Rossi will win. Palin's voice turns out the right wingers to the max.

Obama people don't dig Grating Gregoire. Zero charisma in a telegenic society.

Every fag in the state likes Gregoire but I can't see that that will be her margin.

Pure terror is brewing about fiscal matters.

Rossi looks like the guy with the - cut the budget ax, sorry to say.

Posted by Jerry | October 3, 2008 10:21 PM
17

If you consider McCain to be a semi-incumbent (and that makes a lot of sense considering how close he has been to the Bush presidency), then WA independents are polling to throw incumbents out -- almost always a laudable sentiment.

Posted by Fritz | October 3, 2008 10:52 PM
18

@16: The deficit is coming in 2011 unless stuff changes, and it does. Clinton was predicted to run his presidency out with a severe deficit. What happened?

Rossi's plans speak against his idea that he can cut spending-- he's spending $20bn plus on transportation issues, all but 15% of which will be in Western Washington

When Eastern Washington speaks up, do you think that $20bn will stay so low? Or do you think they'll want their own horizon-to-horizon roads?

Posted by AJ | October 4, 2008 12:13 AM
19

Once again, Gregoire is running a very weak campaign. She had better get really negative on his ass and do it very quickly. Come on Gov.! Go after this hypocrit!

Posted by Vince | October 4, 2008 7:19 AM
20

If people are for Obama and think his presidency will do great things for Wasgington state, they need to understand that Rossi would obstruct or undermine every bit of that.

The deficit issue is bogus, and people who spread it are just fucking liars. That means YOU, Jerry @ 16.

Gregoire, and everybody who sits in the WA governor's chair, is REQUIRED BY THE FUCKING LAW not to spend more money than the state has available.

So she'll make the cuts BECAUSE IT'S THE LAW, do you people get it?

As for PC @ 9, what planet are you on, pal? If this is what you want:

better opportunity for working families, more kids in the state health plan, greater enivornmental (sic) protection for Puget Sound etc.

Then I ask again, what planet are you on? Gregoire has delivered all this and more in the past four years, and she'll deliver it again -- if people wake up and realize she's the only choice, and vote accordingly.


Posted by ivan | October 4, 2008 8:28 AM
21

"Gregoire, and everybody who sits in the WA governor's chair, is REQUIRED BY THE FUCKING LAW not to spend more money than the state has available."

D'oh! I thought the FUCKING LAW was something to do with exotic dancers!

Posted by Seajay | October 4, 2008 8:53 AM
22

@3,

I'd say caving in to the City and not doing anything about the Viaduct was more to blame for Gregoire's dismal numbers.

Please do remember that an elevated replacement far more votes than the tunnel proposal did, and a teardown without replacing the AWV would probably have fared as badly as the tunnel did (if not worse, based on the polling data at the time) with voters had it been on the ballot. All of which is to say that no option would have gotten over 50% in a public vote (except perhaps a retrofit, had the voters been given the opportunity to weigh in on it).

I think it's safe to say that caving in to the worst instincts of the Seattle Democratic establishment probably still plays poorly for the Guv in Ballard and West Seattle, let alone the suburbs and exurbs.

Posted by Mr. X | October 4, 2008 9:06 AM
23

I would never vote for a Republican for national office because of their track record. That said, I've not been impressed by Gregoire at all. A vote for Rossi wouldn't be a vote for him so much as a vote against her.

Posted by Ryan | October 6, 2008 9:55 AM

Comments Closed

Comments are closed on this post.