Markey Leads Gomez By 4 In First PPP Poll

[DonViejo]

As the special Senate election to replace John Kerry in Massachusetts enters the final stretch, Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) leads Republican opponent Gabriel Gomez by a surprisingly slim margin, 44 percent to 40 percent, according to a new survey released Friday from Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling.

Gomez, a former Navy SEAL who spent years in private equity, has characterized himself as an outsider and businessman ready to reform government by working across the aisle. Markey, who was first elected to Congress in 1976, has been widely considered a strong front-runner in deep blue Massachusetts.

Massachusetts voters view Gomez in a more favorable light, according to PPP’s first post-primary poll. Surveyed voters view the former Navy SEAL with a 41% favorable rating, compared to a 27% unfavorable rating. Voters remain more divided on Markey, however. Forty-four percent of respondents have a favorable opinion of the Democrat, compared with 41 percent who have an unfavorable opinion.

Markey begins with race with a comparative advantage — a large campaign war chest and plenty of time to define his Republican opponent, a relative newcomer unknown to many Massachusetts voters. To that end, his campaign fired an opening salvo this week claiming that Gomez carries more extreme positions than even former Republican Sen. Scott Brown.

full article
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/05/markey-leads-gomez-by-slim-margin-in-first-ppp-poll.php?ref=fpb

[brooklynite]

1. Apparently I'm getting out my checkbook again...

[hack89]

2. A state that can elect Scott Brown can elect Gabriel Gomez

if Markey get complacent or runs a bad campaign. Markey needs to bring his A game.

[sofa king]

3. Turnout for Markey was 3x that of Gomez in the primaries.

As mentioned in a related thread. Another way to look at it is if all of Markey's unfavorable voters had turned out to vote for the other guy in the other party primary, the other guy would have received more than double the votes that he actually got.

The only thing that is going to keep the other guy in the race is Markey's unfavorable rating. Provided his oratory hasn't slipped and there are no immature skeletons in his closet, I think Markey's unfavorables will decline from here with a lower limit of 33%--though we can see the pollsters already playing their game by defining, "sure to lose" as "trails by 4."

[otohara]

4. If Dems Stay Home Like They Did in 2010

we're fucked.

Hopefully the TeaP-Bagger class of 2010 scared the begeezers out of them to get to the polls next year.

[sofa king]

5. True dat.

This is arguably the most important mid-term Democrats have faced since they failed to wrest Congress from the Republicans in '98. Failing to punish Republicans for their attempted coup then led directly to everything that followed.

This time, we need to do it just to give President Obama a two year window to stabilize the economy, strengthen regulations, and build in an anti-corruption oversight structure so that Jeb can't get away with the same shit his less competent brother pulled off.

America won't survive another four to eight years of Republican greed. It's either drive the stake in their hearts now, or wait for them to show up as soon as the sun sets.

[BlueDemKev]

12. +1,000

I can't believe we're facing the prospect of Massachusetts stabbing us in the back again...even after the Teapublican Party has proven just how dangerous they really are.

[bigdarryl]

6. Damn!!! what's up with Mass.

Not good at all

[RBInMaine]

7. Relax. Campaign's just getting started. Many outside of eastern MA are just getting to know Markey.

If Markey defines his opponent well and runs a tough, aggressive, campaign from the outset and campaigns like crazy everywhere, then he will win.

[Dawson Leery]

8. He has the money. He MUST campaign anywhere he is asked to.

[RBInMaine]

9. And also many places he is NOT asked to. He needs to go EVERYWHERE and campaign VIGOROUSLY.

[Dawson Leery]

10. Yes.

[Dawson Leery]

11. kick

[ziffelzoom]

13. 4? Should be 40. nt

[mgcgulfcoast]

14. Markey will win by 30+