Rasmussen's First Poll of Connecticut Senate Race Post Primary: Lieberman Leads

[Adlai Stevenson]

Rasmussen Reports began polling the Ned Lamont-Joe Lieberman general election match-up last night. After 375 interviews, preliminary numbers show Lieberman ahead of Lamont by 3 percentage points. Republican candidate Alan Schlesinger is a non-factor in the single digits.

The last Rasmussen survey of a three way general election found Lamont and Lieberman tied at 40% with Schlesinger at 13%. It appears Lieberman is gaining ground primarily among GOP voters.

Rasmussen will be back in the field tonight to complete the survey and hopes to post final data on their website before midnight.

If you want an advance look at Rasmussen polls for competitive races, I highly recommend their Premium Service.

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2006/08/10/in_connecticut_first_postprimary_poll_shows_tight_race.html

[OC]

This race leans towards Lieberman, Lamont is too liberal on the war.

[TheresNoMoney]

Rasmussen Reports began polling the Ned Lamont-Joe Lieberman general election match-up last night. After 375 interviews, preliminary numbers show Lieberman ahead of Lamont by 3 percentage points.

For Lamont to only be down 3 points at this point is pretty awesome. The vast majority of Republicans are supporting Lieberman.

[TheresNoMoney]

This race leans towards Lieberman, Lamont is too liberal on the war.

Good lord man, don't you realize that 2/3 of CT voters agree with Lamont on the war??

[OC]

You say that most people agree with him on the war. Then why does the Republican lead House delegation Simmons, Shays, and Johnson support the war? Actually, most of CT don't support the war, but they don't want an immediate withdrawal from Iraq. Lamont changed his position twice. He supported the Kerry position and then supported the Levin amendment. And also, there are more independents in CT than Dems.

[Giant Saguaro]

The thing is that Lieberman erased very quickly a massive deficit amongst Dem primary voters and I have to think in the general he's got to have an advantage on getting out the vote. I think Joe has to tailor the message to registered Indies, as I think they're the real wildcard, remind people of the partisanship of Lamont's campaign.

[All life is a blur of Republicans and meat.]

Sorry Lieberman fans but Lieberman up by 3 is statistically the same as them being tied. I still think unless the Republican drops out Liberman has very little chance of winning. When Lamont brings over the Clintons, Feingold, Edwards, Gore and the rest of the big guns that will help quite a bit too...but then again Lieberman has Rove's endorsement. That helps.

[TheresNoMoney]

You say that most people agree with him on the war. Then why does the Republican lead House delegation Simmons, Shays, and Johnson support the war?

Because they're Republicans and their base strongly supports the war.

Actually, most of CT don't support the war, but they don't want an immediate withdrawal from Iraq.

Neither does Lamont!! Come on man!!

And also, there are more independents in CT than Dems

True, but again you miss the point. The majority of independents do not support the war either.

[True Federalist]

When Lamont brings over the Clintons, Feingold, Edwards, Gore and the rest of the big guns that will help quite a bit too.

I 'll believe that the big guns will bother to show up in Connecticut when they show up.  As long as the contest stays between Lamont amd Lieberman, Lamont will have the paper endorsements from the party bigwigs, but they'll have no reason to spend any time or money on Lamont, especially when it could be better spent elsewhere trying to pick up a fifth or even a sixth Senate seat beyond the four seat pickup that now looks probable.  Lamont wil have to count on the same netroots that barely got him the Democratic nomination to get him elected in November.

[TheresNoMoney]

[I 'll believe that the big guns will bother to show up in Connecticut when they show up.

Edwards is already coming to campaign for Lamont on the 17th. Others will be coming to campaign for him soon as well.

[opebo]

Time is definitely on the authentic Democratic candidate's side here.  I suspect that Leiberman's poll numbers have nowhere to do but down from here.

[Nym90]

[I 'll believe that the big guns will bother to show up in Connecticut when they show up.

Edwards is already coming to campaign for Lamont on the 17th. Others will be coming to campaign for him soon as well.

Hopefully we can all agree that this time, energy, and money would be better spent elsewhere, however. Surely Lieberman isn't as bad as Talent, Dewine, Santorum, or Burns? Or even Chafee for that matter; even if you only look at the issue of the war, Lieberman at least caucuses with the Dems.

[TheresNoMoney]

Hopefully we can all agree that this time, energy, and money would be better spent elsewhere, however.

I wouldn't worry. John Edwards has all the time in the world to campaign for candidates. The DSCC will be pouring its money into the other top 6 or 7 races. I don't expect much money to be thrown to Lamont.

Surely Lieberman isn't as bad as Talent, Dewine, Santorum, or Burns? Or even Chafee for that matter; even if you only look at the issue of the war, Lieberman at least caucuses with the Dems.

True, but Lieberman loves to attack his own party to the national party. He's already out there using the old "Cut and run" right-wing talking point against Lieberman. He deserves to lose almost as much as those other guys. I'd take Chafee over Lieberman anyday.

[GOP = Terrorists]

You say that most people agree with him on the war. Then why does the Republican lead House delegation Simmons, Shays, and Johnson support the war? Actually, most of CT don't support the war, but they don't want an immediate withdrawal from Iraq. Lamont changed his position twice. He supported the Kerry position and then supported the Levin amendment. And also, there are more independents in CT than Dems.

You have no clue.  I now know two people who support the war still.  One Republican and One Democrat.  Oh and I supported both the Levin and Kerry amendments because they are both preferable to the Bush stay the course I have no plan kill as many people as possible while blowing as much money as possible option.

That said I don't believe Lamont is only 3 points down at this point.  I expect him to be 10 points down in the first real poll and he'll close that gap.

[GOP = Terrorists]

Hopefully we can all agree that this time, energy, and money would be better spent elsewhere

Nope.  The war is the most important issue and Lieberman is no different than the most far right GOPer on that issue.  It is more important to replace Lieberman than to replace Chafee.  Lieberman allows for Bush to play the "bipartisan" card on his "stay the course destroy the middle east" plan.

[Nym90]

Well, you both are entitled to your opinion, but I feel that regaining a majority in the Senate is more important to stopping Bush's agenda from going forward. I can see at least see where you are coming from, though.