Poll: Graham Would Lose Florida To President

Wednesday, August 6

Poll: Graham Would Lose Florida To President
From The Associated Press
Published: Aug 6, 2003


TALLAHASSEE - U.S. Sen. Bob Graham's campaign tactics in his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination appears to be hurting him at home with voters.
His criticism of President George W. Bush's position on the Iraqi war has driven Graham's approval rating in Florida to a record low 47 percent, a new poll shows. A former two-term governor, Graham has enjoyed approval ratings consistently over 60 percent in the past 20 years.

The 66-year-old senator is campaigning nationally on his contention that he can defeat Bush for the state's 27 electoral votes, a state that decided the presidency in 2000.

But the survey conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research Inc. for several Florida newspapers and broadcasters, shows Bush would defeat Graham in his home state by a margin of 12 percentage points, 51 percent to 39 percent, if the election were held now.

Nearly three in five Florida voters, 58 percent, approve of Bush's decision to invade Iraq. (snip/...)

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/florida/MGAYL8XH1JD.html

If we have a double dipped recession, watch for Bush's lead in Florida to steadily shrink.

you have a guy like Graham who is as honest as they come and is only trying to find the truth about Bush (9/11 and the so called threat to the USA by Iraq) and the people of his own state are shooting him down like that. Bush lied, our troops die and the people of Florida love it!

Graham is still respected in this state, and if he got the nomination, Chimpy would go down in flames. One debate and out.

At the end of the day, voters are behind their own favorite son. This guy has been elected statewide since 1978--25 years! I can understand that some Republicans who traditionally vote for him may not stick by his side, but a majority of Floridians will still prefer a guy they've known for decades over some faux cowboy.

I certainly recall that same thinking in 2000. One fellow I knew for literally WEEKS before the first debate daily would laugh how Gore would easily humiliate and destroy Bush. I believe Gore thought the same.

Overconfidence leads to defeat almost every time.

The Republican controlled media went into full propaganda mode and pretended that the illiterate monkey won. Unfortunately, they did the same when the evil Florida Bush debated prior to his're-election'. It was a total sham with the whore press proclaiming him the winner before it even started.
Debates are meaningless when the press is in the pocket of the Republicans

If you call stealing the GD election defeated then I guess he was.

He won with more votes then any other PRESIDENTS has ever won with!

"more votes than any other president ever won with"

You think a massive population increase over Washington's time for example might be the reason for that?

The whore media spun the debate "analysis" to make it appear Bush won in one to all three debates (depending on who you listened to). I remember the third debate (with the "town hall" format), in which a woman asked Bush about his views on education. He went off on a rambling diatribe about defense, claiming a strong military was necessary for good education (???). The media whores tried to spin that debate in favor of Bush. I scratched my head and wonder if I saw the same debates they did.

That was before I came to realize that the mainstream media turned whore and were nothing more than an extension of the Bushista propaganda machine.

I don't buy that poll one bit. But of COURSE he would lose Florida to the idiot...as long as little brother JEB-thro is Governor and all the rightwing thieves are in place....NO ONE will win Florida but the fraud himself! :mad:

But he has been terrific at bringing up issues about Bush and 9/11 and the various coverups and foreign policy messes. He has done a lot to shape the debate. This has been possible because he is running. His candidacy has been crucial to events of this year and the gradual withering of the Bush infalibility and invincibility persona.

Keep in mind the gap between Dubya and Senator Bob Graham is closing, according to that Mason-Dixon poll mentioned above.

Look at the full breakdown at the Miami Herald:

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/6464039.htm

Also, btw, this thread is similar to one on Politics & Campaigns.

Although a newbie to Florida--

It's quite like California in that there are really 2 states here.

Where exactly are the polls being taken?

If you go to the most populous part of the state 3 counties-- Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade-- you'll find they are more Dem ...

Then how'd we get Jeb... that's another story altogether...

I noticed in the article I posted that more were polled from the archconservative Gulf Coast than South Florida, which makes up more than one-third of all FL voters. The poll is inaccurate in more ways than one.

Gulf coast 199 interviews, South Florida 177 interviews? Gulf coast more heavily republican, South Florida more heavily democratic. South Florida has the higher population, too, I believe.

They invited higher ratings by weasel-wording the ratings as "pretty good" and "only fair." The connotations seem to me to give 'cover' to those (not news junkies) whose impressions of Junior are vaguely unsatisfactory. "Pretty good" (with a shrug) is, for me, a copout -- what I'd say if I wasn't much interested in saying anything at all. "Only fair" makes "fair" sound more disapproving. Harsh. More judgemental. Lots of folks try to avoid being critical of a President (which we know really doesn't apply to Junior) and their general discomfort with such criticisms would extend to someone (Graham) who exhibited less hesitency. I'd guess that's worth about a 1-2% shift from "fair" to "good".

our news channel nine reported that ONLY 600 people were polled....these numbers do not speak for the entire state!!!!

*

Florida is a HIGHLY competitive state and it is pure bullshit that Graham is so unpopular!

It's nice to be in a place where headlines aren't automatic "truth."

I fear this will be heavily used against Graham, possibly even by other Dem candidates, which is tragic. It's a poorly done poll, and even more badly analyzed by the papers.

If Graham can't win Florida, no democrat can win Florida. And that means no Democrat can beat Bush. Which I don't believe for one single minute.

*******

Contribute to Graham For President (Enter "Laura Kinsale" as your BobCat if you want to give me credit toward my pledge to raise 1k for Bob.)

Almost every Democrat I know in Florida are supporting Dean or Kucinich. Graham has pandered to Repukes for years.

I believe a Democrat can win Florida. A Dean/Clark or Clark/Dean ticket can win every state - IMHO!!!!!

'nuff said!

and underestimates minority voters.

Mason-Dixon polls tended to show Bush ahead against Gore prior to the 2000 election.

there is no president for him to lose it to. ;-)

http://www.ericblumrich.com/gta.html (flash re: Harris)

Did they ever restore voting rights to all those people who "accidently" lost their right to vote.

Jesus could come back to earth and run on the democratic party and he'd still lose by a large margin in Florida!

For me, "several Florida newspapers and broadcasters" just ain't good enough. I have little doubt that Graham would poll behind Junior, but I'm dubious about the margin being this wide.

I'd want to know how the questions were asked, what times of day and what days, and how many "did not answer/respond" and "refusal" they got.

to be a glutton for punishment and corruption.

Graham is very popular in Florida. He was a great Governor. This poll must be scrutinized further. Most likely some right wing bias exists in it!!!

it is ludicrous on its face.

Criticism of Bush depresses Graham's approval ratings


Associated Press, August 06, 2003 - 11:50 AM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.
Democrat Bob Graham's presidential bid and his harsh criticism of President Bush's justification for the U.S.-led war against Iraq has cost him the approval of some home-state Florida voters.

The former two-term governor and three-term senator has enjoyed approval ratings above 60 percent for much of his political career, but a poll released Wednesday showed his ratings at a record low 47 percent.

snip

The survey conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research Inc., for several Florida newspapers and broadcasters shows Bush would defeat Graham in his home state by a margin of 12 percentage points -- 51 percent to 39 percent -- if the election were today.

Nearly three in five Florida voters, 58 percent, approve of Bush's decision to invade Iraq.

"Running against the president, he certainly is driving away some of the Republicans who used to support him," poll director Brad Coker said.

The poll of 625 registered voters who say they are likely to vote was conducted July 29-31. The survey had a margin of error of 4 percentage points.

© Copyright St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.

http://www.sptimes.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/APState.woa/wa/story?id=FL_Poll_Graham

It seems like the poll only asked preference for president. If this poll had been taken two months ago, I would have expected pretty much the same numbers. But the article implies that the difference is because of Graham's recent criticism.

Illegally taken off the voting roles participated in this poll.

I moved out of the Tampa area several years back and still have family and friends in the area and I think this poll is BS also.
I voted for Graham and I'm telling you no matter if Florida voters like Graham or not they do believe him to be creditable. Which is a hell of alot more then we can say for Bush.
He needs to be the VP.

Sorry, Al Gore is MY President

He was asked what he would do about current Iraq situation if he were president. He said he would immediately seek new resolutions that would involve NATO and UN and get our troops rotated. He also said that we don't have enough troops there to provide security.

God forbid there's a man w/ a brain in charge.

This thread no longer meets the criteria for the Latest Breaking News Forum, and is being locked. Please feel free to begin a new discussion about Bob Graham in the Politics & Campaigns or General Discussion Forum(s).

Thanks!
VolcanoJen
DU Moderator

Even though Graham trails Bush in the polls, I suspect he still polls higher against Bush in Florida than any other Democrat.