Quinnipiac has a new pollout this morning in the Senate race and the results are decidedly negative for Sen. Chris Dodd.
In addition t0 Dodd’s job approval rating of 40%-54%, every Republican challenger runs well against him in a head-to-head matchup. Former U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons led Dodd by 11%, former Ambassador Tom Foley led by 7%, Linda McMahon led by 2%, Sen. Sam Caligiuri ran even with Dodd, and Peter Schiff was only 1% behind Dodd.
In the Republican primary contest, this first poll with the whole basketball team in the race showed Simmons with the support of 28% of registered Republicans, with McMahon at 17%. Tom Foley came in at 9% and no other Republican broke 5%.
On the Democratic side, Merrick Alpert’s support is up to 22% against Sen. Dodd’s 55% support among registered Democrats. Alpert’s number jumped nine points from September.
These numbers reveal a very difficult political landscape for Senator Dodd. After months of “I’ll just keep doing a good job” as his political rehabilitation strategy, the voters seem not to have not cared. They’ve had enough of Chris Dodd. Even rescue missions from the President appear unlikely to help, as 75% of those polled said it would make no difference whether the President was helping Dodd or not.
One other tidbit from the poll – Sen. Joe Lieberman. 51% of those polled said his views are more in line with the Republican Party and a 49%-44% job approval rating.
24 responses so far ↓
No kidding.
I suspect that they’re hoping that making him the poster boy for the Financial Regulation bill (that’ll make it to the floor next year, ahem) will save his sorry butt.
But nobody can overlook the fact that he was the Chairman of the Banking commitee when the Housing Bubble SHTF. And other failings.
Dodd should bow out. If he doesn’t, he should be primaried out. And if that fails, then he should be “Scozzafava’d”. We need to demonstrate that we refuse to be politically blackmailed into giving him another term just to keep the seat blue.
It’s early. Enjoy it while you can.
If you look at Dodd’s trendline he basically hasn’t gone anywhere all year (save for a disastrous April when he dipped as low as 34%). Rob Simmons has not gone lower than 43% and is now at 49%, an 11 pt advantage. Dodd will have to make a decision soon.
Linda McMahon’s ad buys have out her on the map, at the expense of Rob Simmons. She’s now gaining 17% to Simmons 28% of the Republican vote. That has to be worrisome for Simmons. A slight majority of Republicans think she has the requisite experience to be a Senator and few seem concerned about her money giving her unfair advantage as most see it keeping her free from undue influence by special interests.
After spending $3 million Linda is in the margin of error with Dodd while Rob and Foley are well above. This race sure is going to be interesting.
Dodd Retires! Blumenthal In as Heavy Favorite!
What are you wingers going to do when you read those headlines?
Thank god this circus is almost over. Huckster Peter Schiff will get to go back to CNBC. Linda McMahon can return to WWE and work on keeping their stock from falling further. Simmons can retire and enjoy his multiple government pensions. Foley can get back to making money and forget how bad he was on the stump. And Caligiuri can run against Big Dick to see if he can break 35%!
Healy and Rennie deserve all the credit. They shot their anti-Dodd load in the winter of 2009, and took Dodd down way too early. Had they been able to wait a year, who knows? But they didn’t, and the rest is soon to be history.
These numbers difinitively demonstrate that Dodd is shredded. He hasn’t rebounded in nearly a year and he hasn’t had any new dumb scandals of late.
More importantly his base is fracturing. When 22% of Democrats are walking away from him, that’s trouble. And I highly doubt Blumenthal gets in this thing because I am sure Dodd will not get out. He will march boldly into the political woodchipper.
There is one piece of good news for Dodd in these polls though… he is running like 42 points higher in his Senate race here than he did in Iowa for President.
AndersonScooper : Dodd Retires!
And if Dodd doesn’t retire? Which Democrat will stand up and tell him it is time to leave? I didn’t see anyone from your party tell Joe Lieberman in 2006 he shouldn’t run as an Independent after running unsuccessfully as a Democrat. I doubt we will see anyone stand up and tell Chris Dodd what to do either.
Headless–
Your premise that Blumenthal won’t step in because Dodd won’t leave is wishful thinking and simply false.
The thing is that Big Dick isn’t some upstart. Instead he’s held statewide office for twenty years, been patient, and acted like a team player.
After this legislative session ends, I believe that Dick will make the call to Dodd, and that Dodd will see the writing on the wall and gracefully retire.
But if Dodd doesn’t bow out, it hardly matters. Dick would win that primary almost as easily as he’s going to win the general election. Last week CT Dems saw the writing on the wall, and we know how costly 2010 could prove, — if we were to stick with Dodd.
How many of the party brass benefit if Blumenthal steps in? Murphy(think 2012), a precarious Himes, all the gubernatorial hopefuls, plus everyone who would hope to be the next AG.
Blumenthal, i.e. Mr. 78%, holds all the cards. He just decided he doesn’t want to be governor. Dodd’s Senate seat is up for grabs…
PS– I don’t think a soon to be 65yr old Blumenthal wants to wait two years, for a primary against Murphy, and an unpredictable showdown against Lieberman. Would you?
Dodd Retires! Blumenthal In as Heavy Favorite!
What are you wingers going to do when you read those headlines?
Check the temperature in Hell, for starters.
Dodd Retires! Blumenthal In as Heavy Favorite!
You are dreaming. This isn’t going to happen. Talk to any Democrat insider and they will tell you Dodd is going to ride this out – sink or swim.
Blumenthal is going to force Dodd from the race? Ha. That’s laughable.
Look at Blumenthal’s record. Anytime he had the chance to run for higher office he has walked away from the fight.
He’s not going to all of a sudden sprout a backbone and decide to push Chris Dodd out the door.
When I first had this thought I said to myself, “That’s crazy”. Then when I considered his insatiable appetite for revenge I thought, not so much. I can see Lieberman endorsing the Republican in the senate race. Maybe even in the primary if Dodd drops out (though I doubt very much that Dodd will).
It’s the general and it’s close between Simmons and Dodd, Joe will find it hard to resist the vision of Chris’ heart in his hands. A bit hyperbolic I know but I can see the editorial cartoon in my head.
When has Blumenthal ever done anything for anybody but himself? He doesn’t care about the state Dem party, if he did he wouldn’t have stuck them with Kennelly, Curry or DiStefano. Simmons would beat Blumenthal, especially in this cycle. It’s not a good time for Dem office holders. Why would he risk such a safe position?
Of course Blumenthal is self-interested. What politician isn’t.
The question is what will he do, and gauging what’s in his best interest is always a good place to start.
And your notion that Blumenthal might lose to Simmons is ridiculous. Big Dick is the most popular politician in the state, with approval ratings that are off the charts. He could easily run on a clean government campaign, and if he did, with what would the GOP be able to hit him?
“Of course Blumenthal is self-interested. What politician isnt.”
(I’ll forego adding the question mark you obmitted, which — given that you are a Blumenthal partisan AND a partisan Democrat, may well be Freudian.)
M. Jodi Rell, to name one.
OMITTED. I hate typos.
Scooper, I’m trying to figure out who you work for…at first I thought it was Dodd, but now I’m thinking it must be Blumenthal….
Who I work for? That’s a laugh!
A comment like that does make it sound as if you’re on someone’s payroll though.
And again, I’m not against Merrick. I admire his moxie, but I just think his campaign is hopeless. I also wonder if he didn’t blow his political future by such a bad launch.
In terms of Dodd and Blumenthal, I’m not certain Dick is a better Democrat, but at least he’d win easily. Dodd, I fear, will go down under a barrage of negative ads.
Notice Rob Simmons was Connecticut’s first State’s Business Advocate. Did this “Jobs for the 21st Century” Act (PA 06-83) help Connecticut?
On February 26, 2007, Rob Simmons was nominated by Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell to become the State’s first Business Advocate. The Office of the Business Advocate was established as part of the Governor’s 2006 “Jobs for the 21st Century” Act (PA 06-83), for the purpose of providing centralized assistance to businesses in the state, and to pro-actively provide assistance to businesses of broader economic significance to the State. The office was originally intended to be a part of the Office of Policy and Management, but is now slated to be relocated into the Department of Economic and Community Development, for administrative purposes only, as part of the Governor’s Fiscal Year 2008–2009 Proposed Budget.
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Rob_Simmons
“A Government Failure, Not a Market Failure”
http://www.commentarymagazine.com/viewarticle.cfm/a-government-failure–not-a-market-failure-15191
However the government insist it’s the market. More control for them on the horizon.
Connecticut Attorney General’s Office
“It emboldens and empowers my office — and all state attorneys generals — to continue the fight against financial fraud and abuse, including deceptive debt rescue schemes and skewed credit rating practices. It preserves — not preempts — states’ rights to enact more powerful and protective laws when necessary.
http://www.ct.gov/ag/cwp/view.asp?Q=450556&A=3673
“Pseudo-private “government-sponsored enterprises” The New America!
Interesting how fast the government is making changes in our country, force feeding us with new rules regulations etc. Seems like this was planned, I never seen them work this fast before have you?
What are we in for if our government controls our enterprises Free Market?
Quote from Peter Schiff:
“There was just in the news that the post office reported losses of 7 or 8 billion $ and they want to eliminate Saturday mail delivery. I mean, the post office has been around for I don´t know how many hundreds of years or whatever plus years, and they still can´t make a profit. The government can´t even deliver the mail and make a profit. ”
Yes I do support Peter Schiff for Senate
Chris Healy is calling for Sam Caligiuri to run against Chris Murphy in
CT-5…..
http://blogs.courant.com/capitol_watch/2009/11/gop-head-chris-healy-urges-sta-1.html
This From The Hill…
Caligiuri sounds like he will think about it.
His statement: “I want to thank Chairman Healy for his kind words and encouragement of my potential candidacy in the Fifth Congressional District.
Over the last several days I have been exploring this option with Chairman Healy and other leaders in the party who have reached out to me in support of this move. My goal has always been to best serve the people of Connecticut by reviving our economy, reforming government, and restoring fiscal responsibility.
Over the coming days, I will make a decision on how I can best continue to fight for those principles and serve the people of Connecticut.”
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