Poll: Murtha’s lead down to four, within the margin of error
posted at 11:55 am on October 23, 2008 by Allahpundit
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Democratic Rep. John Murtha leads retired Army Lt. Col. William Russell by a little more than 4 percentage points, within the Susquehanna Poll’s 4.9-point margin of error. The poll of 400 likely voters was conducted for the Tribune-Review on Tuesday, amid uproar over Murtha’s statement that some of his constituents are racist.
Stanley Shemanski, 67, a retired meat cutter who lives in Apollo, said he’s undecided about the congressional race. He doesn’t know much about Russell, but he’s upset with Murtha’s comment that racism in the district could hurt Democrat Barack Obama’s chances.
“I didn’t like that at all. He shouldn’t have said it,” Shemanski said…
About 54 percent of voters among those polled say it’s time for someone else to represent them in Congress. About 35 percent say Murtha deserves to be re-elected…
“I’ll probably vote for (Russell) just to vote Murtha out,” said Mary Eileen Churchel, 58, of Washington. She added that she still doesn’t know much about the challenger, but thinks Murtha has been in office too long. Churchel, who plans to vote for Obama, said Murtha’s comment about racism was “the last straw for me.”
Russell’s actually outraised him by $400K but he has less cash on hand at the moment, so you know what to do. Who knows? If Happy Jack craters and Coleman can inch ahead of Stuart Smalley up in Minnesota, I might not even have to sedate myself for election night.
Here’s Russell’s new ad. Why he’s reminding people of how much money Murtha’s dumped into the district instead of hitting him again on the racism comments, which obviously have some traction, is beyond me.
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Racists unite!
jgapinoy on October 23, 2008 at 11:55 AM
Break out the checkbooks, folks. This is not a contribution, it is an investment.
Vashta.Nerada on October 23, 2008 at 11:58 AM
Polls?
Amazingly you all here in righty land are just like the loons in lefty land. You both poo poo the outlier polls when they don’t go your way, and jump all over those rightous polls that do.
Monkei on October 23, 2008 at 11:58 AM
Western Pa Racists against the Cracker Congressman!!
Elizabetty on October 23, 2008 at 11:58 AM
Keep hope alive, rednecks.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on October 23, 2008 at 11:59 AM
Ill bet Murtha flies into a rage over the littlest things, he reminds me of the old guy in the neighborhood who would stop his car in the middle of the street to yell at kids running through his yard.
Bishop on October 23, 2008 at 12:00 PM
I am Joe the Redneck
Elizabetty on October 23, 2008 at 12:00 PM
This would be a sweet sweet takedown. What a great victory it would be for us to get Murtha voted out.
t.ferg on October 23, 2008 at 12:00 PM
This is “Righty Land?”
Damn, I thought it was ‘VRWC Cracka Land’. I may need to go somewhere else.
Bishop on October 23, 2008 at 12:01 PM
He’s hitting the theme that Murtha can be “purchased” aka alleging corruption. Also, he’s hitting the theme of wasteful government spending…..spending that is coming from the people’s money.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on October 23, 2008 at 12:02 PM
The STORY is that he’s even CLOSE after calling his constituents “racists” and “rednecks”. Crazy.
marklmail on October 23, 2008 at 12:02 PM
It’d probably be a better idea to cut a check to the Murtha campaign - buy him as many opportunities as possible to go onto television and call his constituents “racist.”
Tacitus_SGL on October 23, 2008 at 12:02 PM
The 67-year-old “doesn’t know much about Russell?”
I guess the media in PA is carrying the traitor Murtha’s water 24/7 also?
Hey Pennsylvania: wake the h*ll up! Your country needs you!
Russell/McCain/Palin ‘08
Let’s roll!
ex-Democrat on October 23, 2008 at 12:02 PM
Put Murtha on a pork diet. Vote him out Western Pa. Your fellow cracka brothers and sisters in the rest of the country support you. You know what to do.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on October 23, 2008 at 12:03 PM
Allah’s not saying that this is entirely accurate. I’m pretty sure that’s why he prefaced it with “Dare we dream?” and follows up with “Who knows?”. It’s according to one poll but, as the article mentions, there are very few polls coming out of the district. It wasn’t expected to be too competitive.
amerpundit on October 23, 2008 at 12:04 PM
Americans, and Pennsylvanians, admire a fighter and underdog, but they especially appreciate a candidate who respects his constituents.
CliffHanger on October 23, 2008 at 12:05 PM
It’s time for that old dog to be walked out to the barn anyway.
Geronimo on October 23, 2008 at 12:06 PM
Lets think about it this way:
Murtha, hates his own Military Branch, constantly votes for Taxes and deflection of your money to be spent on merger items and pork barrel issues.
Sullivan… someone who hasn’t been tainted by Politcians and would never think of calling out our Troops.
Hmmmm let me think about this!
upinak on October 23, 2008 at 12:06 PM
May I direct you to the headlines that say “Gulp” about 5 times a week?
Matticus Finch on October 23, 2008 at 12:06 PM
Do you want Murtha to stay in office?
a capella on October 23, 2008 at 12:07 PM
This scumbag is a perfect model for term limits. Add Biden, the redneck from Delaware, and you have a pair unfit for public office. What in the heck are people from their states thinking? I guess their constituents mirror their candidates. Proves the democratic public school system is workng like they want it to.
volsense on October 23, 2008 at 12:08 PM
BUZZ it up, my brothers (and sisters)!
AubieJon on October 23, 2008 at 12:08 PM
Murtha’s gonna win by 20. Sad, but true.
lorien1973 on October 23, 2008 at 12:08 PM
At this late stage of the election, no one should be undecided. I know we all want to back a winner, but sitting on the fence doesn’t do any one any good.
Tommy_G on October 23, 2008 at 12:08 PM
I hope that fat….no longer a Marine, corpulent pile of maggot feces goes down. That would be sweet.
Mr. Joe on October 23, 2008 at 12:09 PM
People are just gonna blindly vote democrat.
lodge on October 23, 2008 at 12:11 PM
OK—-If we’re using associations in this election cycle, can we dream that if Murtha goes down the toilet hole, he takes his ex-girlfriend Nancy Pelosi down with him?
Rovin on October 23, 2008 at 12:11 PM
lol
carbon_footprint on October 23, 2008 at 12:11 PM
If Murtha’s constituents re-elect him after he trashed them as belong redneck racists, then they will prove, without any doubt, that he is right because only a redneck racist would vote for him.
volsense on October 23, 2008 at 12:13 PM
Wish in one hand and crap in the other. See which one gets filled first, my friend. There are no sane voters in San Fran Nan’s district.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on October 23, 2008 at 12:20 PM
Even I will gladly pray to see the end of this ignorant lying sack of sh!t’s career.
LimeyGeek on October 23, 2008 at 12:22 PM
Hopefully Murtha will keep flapping his yap until the election. He’ll probably drive lots of bitter racist redneck God-clingers and gun-clingers in Western PA to vote en masse for McCain. He’s probably going to drive away the Semper Fi vote with his baseless accusations against the Marines of Haditha.
Since McCain is a Navy man and not racist, he might want to remind those gentle folk in ads that he wants them to give them jobs in clean-coal plants that Joe Biden wants to send to China.
Murtha and Biden campaigning for McCain in PA–who’d a thunk it?
Steve Z on October 23, 2008 at 12:24 PM
You just boiled the whole thing down to its essentials!
As for the polls: if people think about the basic differences between Murtha and Russell (or, sadly, have the truth they should already have seen pointed out to them), the polls won’t mean a thing, no matter what they say today.
That applies to the McCain v. Obama race, too.
MrScribbler on October 23, 2008 at 12:24 PM
LOL! VRWC Cracka Land - Love It!!
tru2tx on October 23, 2008 at 12:25 PM
Yes people’s brains have gone to mush, I don’t know how we’ll ever reverse this epidemic. This elections are demonstrating that things have gone downhill far worse than we suspected.
neuquenguy on October 23, 2008 at 12:25 PM
This poll may or may not be an outlier. You, on the other hand, have a history of being an “intellectual” outlier to the discussions at hand, dating to CQ days.
So I am surprised at a confession that the left goes nuts over polls.
BTW, I’m hearing that Russell does have a legitimate shot… and I welcome that.
either orr on October 23, 2008 at 12:26 PM
Wow, apparently more Pennsylvanians are becoming racist bigots…
CliffHanger on October 23, 2008 at 12:31 PM
Please don’t forget Chris Hackett and Lou Barletta (who is running against the reprehensible Paul Kanjorski), both have a pretty good chance to take House seats, and both are conservatives. Sending Barletta to DC would send a strong message to the Amnesty set.
doubleplusundead on October 23, 2008 at 12:34 PM
Upinak says;
Amazing isn’t it that Murtha is ahead at all. What is wrong with this constituency?
Think PA THINK!
FireBlogger on October 23, 2008 at 12:34 PM
Is it fair to say that Murtha is “erratic”?
Buy Danish on October 23, 2008 at 12:37 PM
I find it so hard to believe that the electorate would be so blindly stupid. I understand the argument that a senior congressman is in a better position as a committee chair to bring home more pork than a freshman congressman - hence the continual re-election of the most incompetent and/or venal people. But come on, think about the country as a whole for a change!
HawaiiLwyr on October 23, 2008 at 12:37 PM
As for Pork Fat Jack, I really hope people in Western PA don’t allow themselves to be his b*tch and take his abuse.
doubleplusundead on October 23, 2008 at 12:38 PM
Not to mention he’s a searer of Marines. He needs to be tossed out on his big behind. Then maybe the DOJ will investigate him and he’ll wind up a cellmate of Randy Cunningham.
rbj on October 23, 2008 at 12:40 PM
I think that is up to the voters in his district in PA. The rest quite frankly can pound sand.
Monkei on October 23, 2008 at 12:42 PM
As can you, Monkei.
either orr on October 23, 2008 at 12:45 PM
doubleplusundead, don’t forget Craig Williams in the 7th (Delco/Montco) and Tom Manion (Bucks) in the 8th and Melissa Hart in the 4th (north side of Pgh). That should be the goal: +6 for the GOP in Pa.
Wouldn’t that be a b***h for the b***h Pelosi?
either orr on October 23, 2008 at 12:46 PM
Perhaps your friends at ACORN can arrange for you to cast your ballot for Haditha Jack.
ManlyRash on October 23, 2008 at 12:52 PM
They already have. They already have.
Actually, as I recall from Ed’s days at Captain’s Quarters, Monkei lives out that way.
either orr on October 23, 2008 at 12:57 PM
…I can’t understand it, either. The point of the ad seems to be that he brings a lot of dough to the district, but he shakes people down for it. Most of today’s jaded electorate thinks that this is how the system works, and are happy so long as the pork keeps rolling in…so, in essence, his opponent is calling Murtha a savvy customer.
…foolish….
Inertia is a powerful force in congressional politics. Roll the words “18-term congressman” around in your skull…and consider that Maxine Waters, John Conyers, Robert Byrd, Barney Frank, any Kennedy you can name, and Pelosi have better job security than any sitting justice on the Supreme Court!
…as it used to be said in Texas, it’d take being discovered in bed with a dead hooker or a live boy to dynamite these people out of office…otherwise, they’ll be there until they screw some pooch, figuratively or literally…theirs are lifetime appointments.
…sad to say, I’ll be surprised if Murtha loses, and as sad if he loses as if he wins….
…he didn’t lose after being caught neck-deep in Abscam….
…he didn’t lose after accusing Marines in combat of war crimes without the slightest shred of proof….
…outrage after outrage, his constitutents kept him in office.
Now, if he loses, it’ll be because he called his constituents or their neighbors a bad name, making them feel less sophisticated than they believe themselves to be….
…he hurt their vanity…pitiful….
Puritan1648 on October 23, 2008 at 12:58 PM
…there’s a dandy bumpersticker in there somewhere….
…I’m Joe the Redneck, too…and I have the pickup to prove it!
…no wheels on my house, though….
Puritan1648 on October 23, 2008 at 1:01 PM
If someone were to start making Cabbage Patch Senior-Citizens… they’d look just like John Murtha.
I dearly hope that the good people of the 12th Congressional District do the right thing on Nov. 4th and that fat assed reprobate curmudgeon gets his big fat ass handed to him at the polls.
FlatFoot on October 23, 2008 at 1:02 PM
Enough is enough with this blow-hard — he’s offended our troops, his constituency, and greater America with his stupid statements and irresponsible behavior in congress.
Richard Romano on October 23, 2008 at 1:08 PM
I wonder if he has been the recipient of some Murtha pork. Pretty hard not to be, I guess, so watching the origin of one’s livlihood fall into the danger zone has to be a little scary. I say we cut him some slack till his emotions settle down and he realizes he can make a living without a nanny.
a capella on October 23, 2008 at 1:10 PM
Murtha is still at it even today
William Amos on October 23, 2008 at 1:24 PM
“Churchel, who plans to vote for Obama, said Murtha’s comment about racism was “the last straw for me.”
While, Obama’s comments about bitter Americans clinging to traditions like zenophobia are just peachy. I guess it’s better to vote against an old, white meathead rather than a half-black wunderkind Marxist.
Christine on October 23, 2008 at 1:25 PM
Why is this close? Murtha is a stain.
On-my-soap-box on October 23, 2008 at 1:40 PM
Its barely been more than a week since Murtha did this. Give it time to sink Murtha
William Amos on October 23, 2008 at 1:46 PM
the question is where is murtha from! is he from a bunch of voters who think that it is ok to call the people who vote for murtha that it is ok to call the voters racist or red neck! i really do not know what part he repesents. as a white man i am tired of being a racist or redneck because I will not vote for obama.
i would like to know if i do not agrre on obama about abortion. how am i a racist?
if i do not agree with obama about national security? how am i a redneck?
if i do not agree with obama’s stance about energy independance how is it that i am a racist.
when obama is a socialist why is that no one can say that!
when i vote mccain i will be labled as a hate monger and racist!
TomLawler on October 23, 2008 at 1:56 PM
Send Palin in.
Blaise on October 23, 2008 at 1:59 PM
Looks like this Pork Chop needs shut his trap.
Russell 08!
HornetSting on October 23, 2008 at 2:22 PM
Fox News has picked this up
Hi Fox thanks for posting the story. Should have credited hotair and me for that :)
William Amos on October 23, 2008 at 2:31 PM
W.A., what these folks need to understand that this area is loaded with what I call “congenital Democrats”. Daddy was a Dem, Granddaddy was a Dem, Great-Granddaddy was a Dem, etc., etc., etc.
It’s genetically very difficult for them to pull the lever for a Republican.
either orr on October 23, 2008 at 2:36 PM
Because all these people ARE racists and they need an issue to give them cover to vote against Murtha?
csdeven on October 23, 2008 at 2:50 PM
Oooops, forgot the sarc tag.
csdeven on October 23, 2008 at 2:51 PM
I’ve donated to Russell!! EVERYONE HELP THIS MAN…
Michelle Bachmann in Minnesota needs help too, the NRCC has puller her funds…
reshas1 on October 23, 2008 at 3:07 PM
I have invested several hundred in this campaign, as i did when Daschle lost. That was also a SWEET victory for the good people of whatever state that tool is in (I forget exactly, but Thuene beat him).
So people PLEASE go to his website today and drop some money into his campaign. He is running some hard hitting commercials (I am in MI and donating for the good of the country)
karenhasfreedom on October 23, 2008 at 3:28 PM
Kick ass on “Porky, the Pig.”
whitetop on October 23, 2008 at 3:40 PM
I’m a strong democrat, and I want this guy to go. With a future democrat congress and president, the party needs disciplined leaders, not ones that spout off about their constituents being racists.
Ric on October 23, 2008 at 4:06 PM
Hey!
I live in the 12th district. I’m voting for Russell.
He has a new ad out on Murtha’s “racist” comments. Many people I talk to are pretty ticked off at Murtha over this. Many of them have said they are voting for Russell now.
pennjazz on October 24, 2008 at 12:33 AM
…what these folks need to understand that this area is loaded with what I call “congenital Democrats”. Daddy was a Dem, Granddaddy was a Dem, Great-Granddaddy was a Dem, etc., etc., etc.
My grandfather was Operation Chaos before the term was even though of. He was a steelworker who was a regis. Democrat.
He then voted Repub. in Gen. Elections. He wanted to vote for the weakest Dem. to ’screw up the works’ if you will.
pennjazz on October 24, 2008 at 12:37 AM