Conservative Revolutionary American Party III: Bill Shaheen’s "Drug Baiting" of Obama Hurts Wife’s Senate Campaign

Friday, December 28, 2007

Bill Shaheen’s "Drug Baiting" of Obama Hurts Wife’s Senate Campaign

Posted by Jane Hamsher, Firedoglake at 7:10 AM on December 27, 2007.

I think the political lesson here is also clear -- some campaign tactics are simply best left to Republicans.

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It appears Bill Shaheen's attack on Barack Obama is hurting his wife's Jeanne's Senate chances. From the latest ARG poll:

Shaheen (D) 41

Sununu (R) 52

Undecided 7

The last Survey USA poll, taken in November, had Shaheen leading Sununu, 53% to 42%.

CQ Politics:

Though the singular poll hardly guarantees success for the one-term senator, it was a major bright spot after at least six months of abysmal poll numbers for Sununu. Even the American Research Group had Sununu trailing 28 points behind Shaheen in their June 2007 poll and behind by 5 points in September.

[]

Dick Bennett, president of American Research Group, told CQ Politics that he believes some poll respondents were influenced by the Shaheen flap because Democratic voters, especially those supporting Obama, may have negatively reacted to reminders that the Shaheen family has already signed on to Clinton's campaign.

"Democrats get touchy during presidential contests," Bennett said. "And if you look at the breakdown by party, it would be closer if Shaheen's support among Democrats equaled Sununu's support among Republicans."

A whopping 93 percent of Republicans said they supported Sununu while 79 percent of Democrats pledged their vote for Shaheen.

Bennett warned both campaigns that if voters leave a side, one can't be certain they'll return.

Jeanne Shaheen is Chuck Schumer's hand-picked candidate, and she certainly has name recognition in the state, but she's hardly the most progressive candidate (the advantage on that front would definitely go to Jay Buckey).

It may be as Bennett says a temporary aberration, but if the moral factors of the situation weren't enough, I think the political lesson here is also clear -- some campaign tactics are simply best left to Republicans.