Wednesday, July 26, 2006
George W. Bush: Political Poison
George W. Bush has become political poison for his fellow Republicans. Here in Illinois, we have a scandal-plagued Democratic governor, Rod Blagojevich (see here and here), who succeeded a convicted, scandal-plagued Republican governor, George Ryan. One would think that we as Illinoisans would be tired of it and throw the bum out. But you'd be wrong. According to the latest polls from SurveyUSA and Rasmussen, Blago leads his Republican challenger, Judy Baar Topinka, by a margin of 45% to 34%.
From Rasmussen:
And how has Blago put her on the defensive? By linking her to George W. Bush and the Bush administration's policies. With television ads (like this one) asking "What's she thinking," the Blogojevich campaign has made this election more about the Republican party's platform than about Topinka herself. And guess what folks, Illinois is not impressed.
Now of course, this is a blue state that Kerry won by eleven points in 2004. However, if you check out the county-by-county electoral map, you'll see that Bush took the majority of the state, including almost all of down-state Illinois. But according to SurveyUSA, Topinka only leads by a scant 4 points in that same downstate region.
As I've said many times before, Bush is an albatross and we must hang him around the neck of every Republican currently running for office. If corrupt Blago can do it, so can every other Democrat in the country.
From Rasmussen:
After trailing earlier in the campaign season, Illinois Governor Rod
Blagojevich (D) now leads Republican State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka by 11-points in his bid for re-election. The latest Rasmussen Reports poll shows Blagojevich with 45% of the vote to 34% for Topinka.
The Blagojevich campaign has run an advertising campaign raising the question "What is She Thinking?" about Topinka and touching on issues ranging from the state budget to Iraq. The Blagojevich campaign has also raised complaints about lease payments by Topinka to a developer who is also a contributor. A better job performance in the state may also have something to do with the turnabout.
The governor, too, has had to contend with charges of impropriety, but that's old news and he has more money to spend on campaign ads. Many Republicans in the state concede that he has managed to put Topinka on the defensive lately.
And how has Blago put her on the defensive? By linking her to George W. Bush and the Bush administration's policies. With television ads (like this one) asking "What's she thinking," the Blogojevich campaign has made this election more about the Republican party's platform than about Topinka herself. And guess what folks, Illinois is not impressed.
Now of course, this is a blue state that Kerry won by eleven points in 2004. However, if you check out the county-by-county electoral map, you'll see that Bush took the majority of the state, including almost all of down-state Illinois. But according to SurveyUSA, Topinka only leads by a scant 4 points in that same downstate region.
As I've said many times before, Bush is an albatross and we must hang him around the neck of every Republican currently running for office. If corrupt Blago can do it, so can every other Democrat in the country.
