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Tuesday, June 19, 2012

2012 / Election New Poll Shows McKenna, Legalized Pot, and Gay Marriage Winning in Washington State

Posted by Goldy on Tue, Jun 19, 2012 at 2:51 PM

A poll released today by Public Policy Polling shows Republican Rob McKenna taking a 43-40 lead over Democrat Jay Inslee in the race for Washington's governor's mansion, while an initiative to legalize marijuana and a referendum to legalize same-sex marriage lead 50-37 and 51-42 respectively. The poll surveyed 1,073 Washington voters between June 14-17, and has a margin of error of +/-3.0 percent.

The gubernatorial numbers are almost exactly the same as the 42-40 margin McKenna held in the Elway Poll released yesterday. So it's safe to say that Inslee has narrowed the gap. And while the numbers appear to look encouraging for both marijuana and gay marriage, it is way too early in the process for supporters to feel confident. Money and message will be decisive in both ballot measures, so don't be surprised to see a lot of movement in both.

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Didn't we already "legalize" marijuana? Is this a federal initiative? How would this change it, and why is it needed (I see plenty of people smoking in the alleyways in downtown without cops batting an eye...)

Posted by 123andme on June 19, 2012 at 3:00 PM

Jay Inslee should endorse legal pot.

Posted by Don't you think he looks tired? on June 19, 2012 at 3:22 PM

this means that some % of voters endorse both gay marriage & legal weed, but also want to put a republican who doesn't support either of those in the governor's mansion.

let's call them Bailos.

Posted by Max Solomon on June 19, 2012 at 3:26 PM

what is the jay inslee message?

vote for me, I will enact green energy credits that will trickle down and eventually, one of these decades, mean more jobs for Washington, producing more tax revenue, and THAT's how I will fund education?

your comment that he's narrowing a gap is unintelligible. 42 or 43 to 40 is just maring of error. in a blue state he should be 8 points ahead. As for money, didn't we just hear mckenna blew him out of the water?

months ago someone said inslee has no message, and it's still true. without a revenue enhancing plan yes raising taxes, he's just gop lite. so, he has trickle down green energy tax policies, and mckenna has trickle general tax cut policies; this is hardly a difference, it's not wonder inslee is flagging.

damn the mj thing is ahead by nine points and inslee doesn't have the courage of his convictions to even support it. Democrats message seems to be 'I am more mealy mouthed than the other guy" -- it's not working.

Posted by what not 8 ahead!? on June 19, 2012 at 3:46 PM

Voters have never supported gay marriage, right? Here or abroad? So it's a chance to make some real history.

And if legal pot wins, it'll be something else we can use to taunt the Drug War orthodoxy.

Posted by floater on June 19, 2012 at 5:49 PM

@1, "we" as in Seattle have already decriminalized marijuana. Which is why you don't see police arresting people for smoking it downtown. But decriminalization is confined to Seattle city proper (as far as I know, no other city has passed it). It's important to note here that decriminalization is not the same as legalization. Decriminalization makes small-time personal possession safer, and nothing more - the sale and production of marijuana is still pursued by the police and prosecutor. Legalization refers to regulating marijuana much like tobacco and alcohol, allowing only licensed distributors to sell it to ID-carrying non-minors. This initiative would legalize state-wide.

Posted by AnberNen on June 19, 2012 at 5:55 PM

The NYTimes had an investigative piece recently on drug corporations (typically called cartels, a misnomer). Legalization means taking some easy money away from those corporations.

Posted by wxPDX on June 19, 2012 at 6:33 PM

@6, thanks for clearing that up. I didn't realize only the city of Seattle had decriminalized it. I thought it was state-wide!

Posted by Fuzzyfunny on June 19, 2012 at 8:47 PM

Inslee might be a better campaigner if he smoked pot.

Posted by sarah70 on June 19, 2012 at 11:05 PM

If the difference in the poll figures is within the margin of error, can McKenna be said to be leading? Aren't they in "a statistical dead heat?"

Posted by capicola on June 20, 2012 at 1:45 AM

Have we gotten to a point in time where we judge a candidate by what he supports or does not support? Washington state is one of the highest taxed states in the nation and the game plan for the future is to raise more taxes! Jay Inslee is a big government, tax and spend kind of guy. Look at his recent work on the budget. He has proven this time and again by his actions while in Washington DC. On the other hand McKenna has executive leadership / management experience , solid plans for improving education in WA State (currently we’re called a “back-water” by the Gates Foundation regarding education reform – thanks dems for the last 30 years, we’re ranked as one of the lowest in national test scores! And McKenna has has led the fight nationally against human-trafficking. The Puget Sound area has one of the highest rates of Human Trafficking becuase of our internationsl ports in Seattle and Canada. I would like to see some new blood and new ideas in Olympia instead of the same old thing. The saying that by doing the same thing the same way does not effect real change.

Posted by Katrina112 on June 20, 2012 at 12:45 PM