In the northeast, there are a number of promising independent candidates for governor in 2010, including Lincoln Chafee in Rhode Island and Tim Cahill in Massachusetts. Recent polls indicate high levels of support for their respective campaigns . . .
Earlier this month, the Providence Journal reported on a poll conducted by the Chafee campaign and released to the public which shows the former Republican leading all Democratic and Republican rivals:
In a general election race between Chafee, [Republican Rory] Smith and Gen. Treasurer Frank Caprio, Chafee would draw 36 percent, Caprio 34 percent and Smith 8 percent, with a majority of those who chose no side saying they did not yet know.
In a race between Chafee, Smith and Atty. Gen. Patrick C. Lynch, Chafee led the attorney general 37 percent to 24 percent, with Smith drawing 15 percent, and the balance undecided. The poll carries a 4.9 percent margin for error.
Today, Rasmussen released results of a public opinion survey in Massachusetts, which indicates a close three-way race for the governor’s office:
With businessman Christy Mihos as the GOP gubernatorial candidate, [incumbent Democrat Deval] Patrick captures 32% of the vote. Independent candidate Tim Cahill gets 28% and Mihos earns 26%. Fourteen percent (14%) are undecided.
Patrick wins with 33% of the vote if health care executive Charlie Baker is the Republican nominee. In that scenario, the Republican candidate places second as Baker picks up 28% and Cahill 25%. Again, 14% are undecided.
8 responses so far ↓
1 Ross Levin // Nov 25, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Great to see you writing here, d.eris. This is a great post, as I’ve come to expect from you.
2 d.eris // Nov 25, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Thanks Ross. Now I can share posts that don’t make it onto Poli-Tea because they are insufficiently tendentious.
3 Third Party Revolution // Nov 25, 2009 at 6:41 pm
It’s good to see these candidates will have a good showing in the general election.
4 Deran // Nov 25, 2009 at 7:01 pm
Speaking of independents in 2010. I’ve been seeing some fascinating talk abt Ralph Nader running as an indepdent for Seante in Connecticut against Chris Dodd. there’s a small article on CounterPunch, and I’ve seen some articles in the mainstream as well as the alt press. There’s even a group supporting such an idea just started on Facebook.
Ralph Nader would make an awesome independent Senator.
5 Eric Dondero // Nov 25, 2009 at 8:41 pm
These are some odd numbers.
Mihos is the renegade Republican, virtually an Independent. While Charlie Baker is more the establishment GOP pick.
However, if you believe this poll, the Republicans run better with Baker and take more away from the Independent Cahill, rather than with the Independent-Republican Mihos as the GOP nominee.
Obviously, from the Republican perspective Baker is the better pick.
6 Mary-Anne Wolf // Nov 27, 2009 at 7:14 pm
So Joe Kennedy is not on this survey, or is he part of the “undecided”?
7 paulie // Nov 27, 2009 at 7:26 pm
Joe is running for Senate, the survey covers candidates for Governor.
8 VAGreen // Nov 28, 2009 at 9:43 am
I’d like to see Nader run as a Green for Senate in 2010. It’s too bad that Lieberman’s not up for re-election next year.
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