September 10, 2008 - 8:04am
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Lautenberg continues to lead Zimmer
By Matt Friedman, PolitickerNJ.com ReporterEvidence of John McCain’s convention bounce might have turned up in New Jersey, but that momentum hasn’t translated to former U.S. Rep. Dick Zimmer’s U.S. Senate campaign.
According to a Fairleigh Dickinson PublicMind poll released today, incumbent Frank Lautenberg (D-Cliffside Park) leads Zimmer 46% to 35%.
That’s roughly the same margin that Zimmer has trailed Lautenberg by in several other polls taken during the summer.
“All of the attention has been on the national race,” said FDU pollster Peter Woolley. “And both of the state’s U.S. Senate candidates have been off-stage in this year’s presidential drama.”
Zimmer, who left Congress in 1996 to run an unsuccessful Senate candidacy against Robert Toricelli, then attempted to go back by running against incumbent Rush Holt (D-Princeton) in 2000, appears to suffer from the same name recognition problem that’s been dogging his campaign since he entered the race in April. Sixty-nine percent of Republicans say they’ll support him, but 41% of all voters – and 35% of Republicans -- have never heard of him. Of those who have, 32% don’t have an opinion about him, 23% have a positive opinion and 9% have an unfavorable opinion.
Ninety-one percent of all voters have heard of Lautenberg, however, with 41% holding a favorable view and 29% holding an unfavorable one.
The poll surveyed 840 likely voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4%.
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Danger signs for Frank
Another survey showing him under 50%, a low favorable of 41% and a near death unfavorable of 29%. If you're not for Lautenberg now, you're probably never voting for him. The question is whether Zimmer can motivate right-leaning undecideds to vote for him, something that didn't happen in either 1996 or 2000.
Learn from Sarah Palin
The lesson from Sarah Palin, which Mr. Zimmer would do well to heed, is to get away from the Country Club mediocrity and hit hard with a Conservative message. A Conservative message will boost Mr. Zimmer in the polls. Mediocre Democrat-lite positions will ensure that Old Mediocre, "The Lout," trounces Mr. Zimmer.
Did I mention that Mr. Zimmer was anointed by the ever-losing-state-wide elections Republican establishment?
Laus Deo,
Jesse O. Kurtz
Managing Editor for The Atlantic City Scoop
http://cityofatlantic.wordpress.com
Jesseokurtz@gmail.com
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