Don’t know about you but sometimes I get dizzy reading all the polls. There are so many variables: how the question was asked, when it was asked, how the sample was selected, etc. etc. So this little piece from the Daily Kos Morning Digest from March 20 was, I thought worth passing on.
NJ-Sen (PDF): Farleigh Dickinson University has Dem Sen. Bob Menendez leading state Sen. Joe Kyrillos 43-33 in their newest poll, little changed from the 43-31 they saw in January. FDU also tested Menendez against “someone else,” who utterly upends the race and leads 37-30. I have to give props to FDU here, because they actually wrote a very funny press release about this possible contender:
According to poll director Peter Woolley, “Most voters think someone else is a nearly ideal candidate. They say someone else is refreshing, straightforward, honest and represents the true interests of ordinary people.”
Woolley continued, “Someone else is almost always more popular. Someone else is a better dresser. Someone else gets the hot stock tips. Someone else gets promotions and pay raises too. Someone else even wins the lottery.”
Someone else does have a downside. “Someone else seems to have a troubled domestic life,” opined Woolley. “Someone else always leaves dishes in the sink, lets the dog get out, and chips the paint on your brand new car. Someone else is also reputed to have broken up more than a few marriages.”
The poll did not ask about anyone else. “Asking about anyone else would be ridiculous,” said the poll director. “Anyone else may not even be eligible to run.”
Where does David Nir find this stuff?!
So here is some hopeful news, also from the Daily Kos of March 20.
GENERAL ELECTION TRIAL HEATS:
NATIONAL (Rasmussen Tracking):Obama d. Romney (46-45); Obama d. Santorum (48-43)
NEVADA (Rasmussen): Obama d. Romney (50-44); Obama d. Santorum (52-36)
VIRGINIA (Quinnipiac): Obama d. Romney (50-42); Obama d. Santorum (49-40); Obama d. Paul (49-39); Obama d. Gingrich (54-35)
Can we believe those Nevada and Virginia numbers? Guess we will have to wait until November to find out.