Capitol View: October 30, 2010 Archive

KSTP-TV/Survey USA poll shows close contest in MN-8

Posted at 11:19 AM on October 30, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: U.S. MN CD8

A KSTP-TV/Survey USA poll shows a close contest between DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar and Republcan Chip Cravaack. The poll shows Oberstar with a one percentage point lead over Cravaack.

Minnesota's 8th District, which includes Duluth, the Iron Range and exurbs like North Branch and Cambridge, has been a solid DFL District in past years. But that could change this year. You can take a look at my story on the race here.

Dayton hits GOTV events

Posted at 11:49 AM on October 30, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Democrat Mark Dayton is hitting a few DFL Get Out the Vote rallies with the hopes of motivating supporters to put in a little extra effort before Election Day. Roughly fifty people attended an event at DFL Rep. Alice Hausman's home in St. Paul earlier this morning. Dayton told supporters that they should expect the race to be close.

"Your work on our behalf will make all of the difference. You hold this election in your hands with your work on our behalf today. I always assumed it would be a close election. I always assumed that and it all comes down to who votes next Tuesday."

You can listen to Dayton's speech to DFL activists here: Listen

Horner on the stump

Posted at 2:38 PM on October 30, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

IP candidate Tom Horner is campaigning throughout the Twin Cities metro area today with the hopes of picking up steam as Election Day gets closer. Horner took part in a Rally to Restore Sanity at the State Capitol today. Horner told an audience of about 100 people that he's the candidate who will be a moderate voice in the governor's office.

"First of all I would ask you, as the sign says up there says, 'stop being afraid.' Vote for the person you think is going to be the best governor. Vote for the person you believe is going to take Minnesota into a better future. Vote for the person who's going to be open to the new ideas, to new ways of thinking of things. I hope you think that's me, but I really hope you turn out and vote on Tuesday."

Here's Horner's speech: Listen

Emmer and other Republicans rally the GOP faithful

Posted at 6:03 PM on October 30, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

About 2,000 people attended a Get Out the Vote Rally in Blaine this afternoon for Republican Tom Emmer's campaign for governor. Governor Pawlenty and the Republican governors of New Jersey and Mississippi joined Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann at the event.

Christie, hailed in conservative circles for his fiscal record in New Jersey, told the audience that they need to work hard on Get Out the Vote Efforts.

"You do not let me down" Christie said. "Because I'm telling you that if you people let me down I'm going to go Jersey on you."

Emmer told the audience not to believe the polls that say Democrat Mark Dayton is winning. He told the audience that their work over the next few days could determine whether he's governor.

"It is time over the next two days to grab a hold of that rope and to make sure that we leave nothing to chance," Emmer said. "Let's make those last phone calls. Let's knock on those last doors. Let's put up those signs that we still might have in the office or the garage."

Here's Emmer's speech: Listen

Here's Christie's speech: Listen

Emmer, Democrat Mark Dayton and the Independence Party's Tom Horner will participate in the final debate of the 2010 election. MPR News will air the live debate on Sunday afternoon at 4 o'clock.

Public Policy Polling: Dayton up three points

Posted at 7:16 PM on October 30, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Public Policy Polling released a poll tonight that showed Democrat Mark Dayton with a lead of just three percentage points heading into Election Day. The poll found Dayton had support of 43 percent of those polled. 40 percent of those polled are supporting Republican Tom Emmer. 15 percent of those polled are supporting the Independence Party's Tom Horner.

Pollster Tom Jensen wrote on his blog that Minnesota's contest is turning into a base election where turnout for the two political parties will make the difference:

Neither Dayton nor Emmer really has any crossover appeal. Only 6% of Democrats are planning to vote for Emmer and just 5% of Republicans are for Dayton. That makes the state of this race pretty easy to spell out. Minnesota's a Democratic state so if the Democratic candidate wins all the Democrats and the Republican candidate wins all the Republicans and the independents split pretty evenly the Democratic candidate's going to win. That's where the contest stands right now so Emmer will have to make up some ground in the final days if he's going to pull this one out.

One other interesting tidbit is that Gov. Pawlenty may be a drag on Emmer. Pawlenty's approval rating in the poll is 43 percent. Fifty percent of those polled disapprove of the job he's doing. Just 23 percent of those polled are supportive of the idea of Pawlenty making a run for the White House in 2012.

The polling firm surveyed 2,058 likely Minnesota voters between October 27th and October 29th. The Margin of error is +/-2.2 percent.

You can read the full poll here.