September 19, 2007
Signs of life for the GOP
This will likely keep Bob Kerrey, the only Democrat with a shot at the open Nebraska Senate seat, from running. Johanns was very popular former Governor and Agriculture Secretary. From Reid Wilson at Real Clear Politics:
The Lincoln Journal Star reports this morning that U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns will resign his position and return to Nebraska to run for the seat being vacated by Senator Chuck Hagel. The Journal Star says Johanns and his wife went "house-hunting" in Lincoln over the weekend. [....]Kerrey has informed New School University trustees that he may resign to make a run at the seat, though no decision is final. Already running are Attorney General Jon Bruning and former Omaha Mayor and Congressman Hal Daub, who announced his candidacy on Monday.
And this, also from Reid Wilson at RCP, may be good news too for Sununu in New Hampshire, if he is only down 5%. Shaheen will have expensive primary against Tom Lantos' daughter- Katrina Swett. Sununu is still most vulnerable incumbent this cycle in either party. .
Former New Hampshire Gov. Jeanne Shaheen, who last week stepped down from her post as Director of the Harvard Institute of Politics to seek a rematch with Sen. John Sununu, got some good news thanks to a new American Research Group poll, out today, though Sununu can claim the poll as a shot in the arm for him as well.Six years ago, Sununu beat Shaheen 51%-47%. Now, ARG, a New Hampshire polling firm that has done work for Republican candidates in the past, shows Shaheen in the lead:General Election Matchup
(Now/GOPers/Dems/Indies)
Shaheen 46 / 8 / 88 / 46 (-11 from last poll, in 6/07)
Sununu 41 / 80 / 7 / 35 (+12)Polls earlier this summer showed Sununu trailing by huge margins, including 57%-29% in June's ARG poll and 54% to 38% in University of New Hampshire's Survey Center poll.
Is a poll showing a much narrower race an outlier? Is it further evidence that once a potential candidate becomes an actual candidate, their support drops? Look for another poll, from UNH, in the very near future.