Dem closes gap in race for Stupak's seat - Check the new poll's sponsor!

[Bozita]

Last Updated: October 13. 2010 2:42PM
Poll shows tight race for Stupak’s U.S. House 1st District seat
Nathan Hurst / Detroit News Washington Bureau


Washington — Republican Dan Benishek’s lead in the race for Michigan’s 1st District U.S. House seat has tightened, a poll released today shows.

Benishek leads state Rep. Gary McDowell, D-Rudyard, 42 percent to 39 percent in the survey of 404 likely voters released by Washington-insider newspaper The Hill. The three percentage point lead is within the 4.9 percent margin of error, and shows a significant shift from early post-primary internal polling in the district, which showed Benishek with double-digit advantages.

The latest poll was conducted by New York-based polling firm Penn Schoen Berland and sponsored by the American Natural Gas Institute.

The race between McDowell and Benishek for the seat being vacated by the retiring Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Menominee, is one of the nation’s most closely watched. Benishek had a significant advantage coming out of the primary, as he had announced his candidacy before Stupak announced his retirement, giving him more name recognition across the district, the largest by land area east of the Mississippi.

The two haven’t pulled any punches in the campaign, with McDowell and the Democrats highlighting Benishek’s support from the tea party as extreme, and Benishek and the Republicans tearing into McDowell for his vote in the Michigan Legislature to add a sales tax on services.

more...

From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20101013/POLITICS02/10130396/1361/Poll-shows-tight-race-for-Stupak’s-U.S.-House-1st-District-seat#ixzz12GbPnFUw

[FBaggins]

1. That's a democratic polling firm.

Are you saying that the poll must necessarily lean right because of the sponsor?

[Bozita]

2. I googled "American Natural Gas Institute" - Nothing found.

Frackers?

[FBaggins]

3. I think it's "Alliance", not "institute"

Frackers?

They're an industry trade group that includes both "traditional" NG companies and the newer sources as well.

[catbyte]

4. Actually I'm shocked the margin's so close given the district...

Lots of teabaggers in the UP and not much support for Dems. He must really be a nutjob.

Diane
Anishnabe in MI