"Poll suggests contest is a dead heat, with few left undecided" by Alan Wirzbicki, Globe Staff | October 18, 2010
The race in the closely watched Massachusetts 10th Congressional District is a virtual dead heat, according to a new poll that gives a slight advantage to the Democrat, Norfolk District Attorney William R. Keating, as the candidates head into the final two weeks of campaigning.
Keating garnered 46 percent in the poll compared with 43 percent for Republican Jeffrey D. Perry, a state representative from Sandwich, according to the survey by WGBH. But the poll also contains some warning signs for the Democrat: For example, if respondents who are only leaning to a candidate are left out, Perry has a slight lead, 41 percent to 40 percent....
Though Keating leads overall, he is narrowly trailing among unenrolled voters, and his supporters are somewhat less committed to vote for him than Perry’s are to support the Republican....
You know, the ONES WHO DECIDE ELECTIONS 'round here!
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"Democrats hold edge in two key House contests; But lead slim in 10th; GOP finds new vigor" by Alan Wirzbicki, Globe Staff | October 25, 2010
In the race for the open seat in the neighboring 10th District, Norfolk District Attorney William R. Keating leads state Representative Jeffrey D. Perry by 4 percentage points, within that survey’s margin of error....
Supporters of the Republican nominee say they are more excited about the election, which often correlates to higher turnout on Election Day, said Andrew E. Smith, the director of the University of New Hampshire Survey Center. The center conducted the poll for the Globe.
Among those who say they are excited about Nov. 2, Perry has a double-digit lead, the polls indicate.
“There’s more enthusiasm on the part of all Republican voters,’’ Smith said. A Globe poll on the gubernatorial race released yesterday found a similar enthusiasm gap between Republicans and Democrats.
Among likely voters in the district, Keating leads Perry, 37 percent to 33 percent, the polls found....
The 10th District, which includes Cape Cod and the South Shore, gave Scott Brown’s surprise victory his greatest margin of victory in the state, and has been considered the best opportunity for a Republican pickup, especially after seven-term incumbent William D. Delahunt announced he would retire.
According to the Globe’s poll in the 10th, an unusually large number of voters remain undecided, with 23 percent indicating no preference. (Two independent candidates in the race together won the support of 5 percent of respondents.)
The UNENROLLED that USUALLY DECIDE ELECTIONS!
Independents, typically the bloc of voters that decides Massachusetts elections, are roughly split between Keating and Perry, the poll shows.
In follow-up interviews, several poll respondents said they were voting for Perry out of frustration with the Obama administration....
Patricia Hess of Brewster, an adjunct professor at UMass Dartmouth, said she was opposed to both Perry and his policies.
“I don’t like the history he’s had with being present when a strip search was being conducted, I don’t like the attitude of ‘just say no’ and obstructionist politics, and I guess I basically don’t like his belief that, lower the taxes and everything will be just fine,’’ she said, adding that she would vote for Keating despite disagreeing with his support for Cape Wind.
But you will vote YES on ONE, right?
Globe is being obstructionist!
Related: Perry Puts on the Red Light
Also see: Strip-search victim criticizes Perry
Smear 'em with whatever you can, Globe.
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"Keating and Perry turn up the heat; Locked in tight race, candidates reach out to undecided voters" by Alan Wirzbicki and Travis Andersen, Globe Staff | October 31, 2010
QUINCY — “The reports of the death of the Democratic Party are premature,’’ Vice President Joe Biden said in a half-hour speech in Quincy. “We are going to maintain the Senate, we are going to have a majority in the House, and Bill Keating is going to be part of that majority.’’
So the elections have been rigged, 'eh?
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Not every speaker seemed to share Biden’s upbeat predictions for Tuesday....
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Any THIRD PARTY available?
"Diehards ignore 10th District polls; Backers of long shots see hope in undecided voters" by David Filipov, Globe Staff | November 1, 2010
BARNSTABLE — They are the diehards....
So close to Election Day and so far behind in the polls, they are sticking it out, handing out fliers, shaking hands, and waving at endless passersby. They are steadfast in their belief that democracy makes any outcome possible, especially in Massachusetts, where the same Globe poll that showed their candidates behind....
Some of independent Joe van Nes's ideas might seem exotic to many Americans — he wants to legalize industrial hemp, put surgeon general’s warnings on the doors of fast food restaurants, and provide tax rebates for energy conservation that increase as one’s energy use decreases. But he says the words next to his name on the ballot — he is listed as the “Bring Home Troops’’ candidate — will attract voters....
It would me!
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Related: Globe Finally Discovers Voter Discontent
Globe on the campaign trail: Extremes make 10th District a daunting race
Keating running on long career in public office
Perry’s path to politics was long, winding
Former boss now backs Perry
Keating contradicts previous stimulus support
