For those who were skeptical about the latest Zogby poll suggesting a MASSIVE erosion of support for Kay Bailey Rubber Stamp, I received an email from Barbara Ann Radnofsky's campaign defending Zogby's methodology.
If this is so, I think Republican trouble runs far deeper than any poll has even calculated, and if we turn out our votes, there will be a massive number of defeated Republicans on Nov. 7.
More below.
Here are the first four paragraphs of a press release that was sent by Barbara Ann Radnofsky's campaign:
"Houston, Texas. The latest Wall Street Journal/Zogby poll showing incumbent Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison plummeting to 45 percent has been the subject of Internet and media discussion, and was defended in a Sept. 21 investigative story by the Quorum Report, a Texas on-line political newsletter.
"The Zogby poll has safeguards, according to the Quorum Report article. To test the results, Zogby conducts monthly parallel phone polls in a sample state. For the past several months, the phone poll and the online poll have been within a single point of each other.
"The report continued, quoting University of Texas political science professor Bruce Buchanan, who said that he was reassured by Zogby's use of weighting and sampling.
"Buchanan said he admired the Zogby organization for trying to find ways to use the Internet to conduct better polls."
The press release continues:
"'This analysis bodes well for Barbara Ann,' said Seth Davidson, campaign manager for U.S. Senate Democratic nominee Barbara Ann Radnofsky. 'The Zogby poll and the Quorum Report's analysis, coupled with the latest New York Time/CBS News Poll, show that people are fed up with Congress and that they want new leaders.'
"Following the widespead reporting of the Zogby results by the Quorum Report and other Texas media, emphasizing the incumbent's all-time low of 45% in a three-way matchup against Radnofsky and Libertarian candidate Scott Jameson, the Hutchison camp peppered the blogosphere, complaining about the number of Radnofsky votes in the Zogby polls, according to Davidson. 'Hutchison's camp tried hard to get their supporters to sign up,' he explained. 'But they just don't seem to have many. And even when her supporters publish the signup info on pro-Hutchison blogs, they've failed to prevent her massive drop in numbers.'
"Davidson added, 'But we do appreciate the increased publicity their efforts create.'
"Davidson attributed the polling progress for Radnofsky to paid and earned media and the grass roots efforts of Radnofsky and her volunteer organization, three years campaigning and 515 trips, a website featuring cutting edge technology, an issues chart 'with more footnotes than a church organ,' and near-daily blogging, often in real time.
"'Responsible blogs have afforded Barbara Ann the chance for detailed interviews and online video, so voters see where she stands. The Dallas Blog, for example, conducted an in-depth video interview, which reached a huge audience. Hutchison just doesn't have much support from rank and file Texans.'
"Davidson continued: 'We've just returned from once solid Republican territory, where self-described Republicans are voting for Barbara Ann. It's happening all over the state. No wonder Hutchison's folks are worried.'
Is there any wonder why Kay Bailey Rubber Stamp is afraid to debate? Is she afraid that her sham form of "conservatism" and "Texas values" will be exposed in living color in any debate with Radnofsky? Is she afraid that her role as a Bush rubber stamp will be exposed as showing beyond doubt that she puts the interests of George W. Bush above the interests of ordinary Texans?
I hope this represents the beginning of the end for Bush rubber stamps like Kay Bailey Hutchison and Pete Sessions (TX CD-32), among others.