When Public Policy Polling released its “Polling Miscellany” odds and ends post, Colorado media was a-blaze with news that Republicans are leading in the Colorado statewide generic legislative ballot 47-42. Especially noteworthy was Republicans’ nine-point advantage with independents. But, don’t worry, PPP, a liberal polling outfit, found a way to spin the numbers by saying that Democrats would be in trouble, except that Republicans’ top of the ticket isn’t as strong as that of Democrats:
“Those numbers are perhaps also indicative of how much trouble Democrats would be in at the top of the ticket next year if the GOP candidate fields were a little bit stronger.”
There’s just one problem with PPP’s assertion – the Dems’ top of the ticket isn’t looking particularly strong in 2014. Hick is in trouble according to last month’s Quinnipiac poll:
“Since June, Hick’s ‘deserves to be re-elected’ has dropped 3% and ‘doesn’t deserve’ is up 5%. Further, polling is about trend lines. Undecided movement on Hick’s approval has gone towards disapproval since the June poll.”
Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Udall is in even worse shape. The Q-Pac poll showed that Udall’s “deserves re-election” number has plummeted 14 points since August.
Not sure we’d rely on that “dynamic duo” to drag Democratic state legislative candidates across the finish line in 2014. Is that the best spin you got, PPP?
It does make you wonder, though, whether any other names will arise for either race. Both Hick and Udall are looking awfully vulnerable, and if John Suthers and others wanted to stay in politics, well, this is the opportunity they may have been looking for.