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cheekyTopic: Lib Loser Stories
The 2006 mid-term could be the one that sees Robert Byrd, the former KKK leader who is the only person to use the 'n-word' on the floor of the Senate, lose his seat after nearly 50 years in office. Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican representative who has not even declared her candidacy is essentially tied with the West Virginia lawmaker, according to a new poll. Illinois freshman Senator Barack Obama has recently helped Byrd raise money and Dems are expected to strongly contest the race. Byrd, Capito race too close to call By Therese Smith Cox A new poll shows Sen. Robert Byrd and Rep. Shelley Moore Capito would run neck and neck in a possible campaign for the Senate seat now held by Byrd. An RMS Strategies Poll released today reports that 46 percent of 401 registered voters in West Virginia would vote for Byrd if the election were held now. A total of 43 percent picked Capito, R-W.Va., though she has not announced her intention to run. And 11 percent said they were undecided -- a percentage that could sway the vote either way. Byrd, a powerful Democrat in his seventh term, dismissed the telephone poll conducted between May 11 and 18 as one of many attempts to predict the outcome of a race a full year and a half in the future. "They'll all be different," Byrd said. "But no poll can change my job of fighting for West Virginians. People have more important things to worry about right now than that election -- Social Security and health care and taking care of their children. "My job is to use my experience, seniority and know-how to fight for the people of West Virginia each and every day." Byrd has not formally announced he will seek an eighth term, but his campaign has been aggressively raising money. In the first three months of this year, freshman Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., helped Byrd raise $1.16 million. The possible race will be closely monitored as a Capito win could affect the Senate's current political balance of 55 Republicans, 44 Democrats and one Independent. Capito also said she is focused on her current job in the House of Representatives and her effort to pass an energy bill, create jobs and provide affordable health care. Still, she said she was flattered that many West Virginians have encouraged her to run for the Senate. "I intend to keep my options open for 2006 and make a decision in the coming months," Capito said. Political analyst Robert Rupp of West Virginia Wesleyan College said the poll could indicate such a race would be very tight. "It is basically a tie," Rupp said. "This shows it's surprisingly close. This means by just putting her name out, she has done very well with this snapshot." Because Byrd has never been strongly challenged during his nearly half-century in office, the potential campaign would cover "all new territory for West Virginia," Rupp said. "This poll shows it might be a harder race than what some proponents suggest," he said. RMS Strategies interviewers used random-digit dialing generated by computer to select respondents, who represented all 55 counties. Those interviewed included a representative portion of registered voters based on age, gender, race, family income and political party affiliation. Both listed and unlisted telephone households had equal chances of being selected. Researchers are 95 percent certain that results won't be more than plus or minus 4.9 percent off the actual mark. In the poll, Byrd received a 62 percent very favorable or somewhat favorable opinion from voters in the state, compared to 33 percent who gave him an unfavorable rating. Fifty-seven percent of respondents said they hold a very or somewhat favorable opinion of Capito while 19 percent gave her an unfavorable rating. Charleston Daily Mail ~ Therese Smith Cox ** Byrd, Capito race too close to call
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