Todd Hunter touts poll by criminal pollster

[theredstate]

Crossposted on Texas Kaos and BOR(removed by BOR publisher)

In another desperate attempt to garner some sort of positive attention, Republican challenger Todd Hunter is now using a shady poll done by group that came from nowhere. Hunter sent a press release about this poll yesterday claiming incomprehensible numbers.

Recently created website (April 2008), TXPollWatch.com, has come out purporting to be the site to let you “know who is winning, who is losing, who is up, and who is down” in Texas Political races.

Many bloggers and politicos have received unsolicited emails from TXPollWatch.com urging them to plop down almost $500 a year to get their poll information.

The Problem: the guy running this outfit, Mark Littlefield, has just been charged for unlawful use of a criminal instrument for forging signatures in a referendum drive to get an Austin Community College campus built in San Marcos.

Link to snapshot of Hays County Case Summary


Back in 2006, Austin Community College (ACC) had a bond referendum to get an additional campus in Hays County. Hays County District Attorney and the Texas Attorney General’s Office both began investigations of the forging of signatures on the annexation petition. The forgery so polluted the process that ACC called off the referendum. Because of these actions, State Rep. Patrick Rose severed ties with his former campaign manager, Littlefield, and his wife resigned from Rose’s office.

That’s right, the person who claims to be giving you accurate polls has been accused by the Hays County District Attorney of defrauding an election process. These IVR polls by themselves are controversial. To have them run by someone one accused of forging signatures makes them utterly worthless.

This guy has “polled” a city council race, a state house race and claims through the Quorum Report that “ver the next several weeks, he plans to poll the Brimer-Davis Senate race as well as the Bolton-Keel House race. Also in the works is a Perry-Hutchison matchup.” Can't wait to see what numbers he comes up with....

There was a robust discussion about him and his connections back in 2006 through Democratic Underground which is renewed today in the Austin Politcial Report.

Quite honestly, I wouldn’t trust this guy as far as I could throw him. Then again, it makes him perfect for Todd Hunter.

[BenL]

1. shooting the weatherman because he says its raining...

Hi,
I am the co-owner of TX Poll Watch. Let me start by saying that we only report things as they are polled. Our data sample is valid, and provided by a reliable 3rd party statistician vendor. I don't "come up with" numbers, I report them. Just because the results are upsetting to some, doesn't invalidate them.

Also, do not assume that we take sides in these polls - they are what they are and we will be happy to refer you to our data vendor. It probably won't be long until the GOP starts hating on us as well - that is just the business we are in. While some of our democratic brothers and sisters paint bulls eyes on our backs, we will continue to provide our high-quality polls. Stay tuned as our data continues to prove accurate and unbiased.

I do thank you for allowing me to say my part and wish you all the best.

Sincerely,
Ben Littlefield

[theredstate]

2. Don't piss on me and tell me its raining.

A little hard to trust you people since Mark Littlefield (your brother?) just got charged in Hays County (San Marcos) for forging signatures in an election. Forgive me if I challenge the veracity of anything you and Mark have to peddle.

I find it a little convenient that these numbers come out on the eve on the reporting deadline for one of the hottest races in Texas.

[BenL]

3. I am not into golden showers, but thanks anyway!

TX Poll Watch is subscriber funded. How would we fair with our subscribers if our polls were biased and inaccurate? Not too well. Did you report on our City of Austin poll from last week, which was spot on? No, you did not.

I am proud of my brother and I respect him as a highly intelligent and brilliant political mind. Your personal attacks are your business, but they will not stop TX Poll Watch from reporting the real facts. I greatly enjoy what I am doing and what I am part of in providing real information, not personal attacks that are geared toward a biased agenda. Feel free to have the last word, this is becoming a childish game that I refuse to play and I am not apologizing for reporting on the facts.

Sincerely,
Ben Littlefield

[theredstate]

4. Just like it was imporatant to find out that Enron was cooking the books

it is important to know what kind of trouble Mark has gotten in. It's not like he got a speeding ticket. Exactly what kind of credibility do you expect when he has involved himself in cheating the system. You may call it personal attacks but it is relevant to know that he has tried to defraud an election.

In polling, honesty is the coin of the realm. How do you explain the charges against him?

[hobbit709]

5. popcorn time! nt

[sonias]

6. I'm going to trust Kuff and Eddie on this one

Kuff says the poll numbers are weird too

Kuff's BOR comment
Weird county numbers
Hunter's county-by-county lead ranges from nearly 13-points in both Nueces and San Patricio counties to 8-points in Aransas County. Garcia leads only in Calhoun County by 15-points.

Garcia won San Patricio County by a huge margin in 2006 (7142 to 5350, or 57.2% to 42.8%), so any poll that shows him trailing there by double digits is a little suspicious to begin with. San Patricio did go mostly R in 2006 overall, though Bill Moody won it with 52%, but the downballot statewide Rs didn't do so well, with Todd Staples and Elizabeth Ames Jones getting only a plurality. My guess is that this is a small subsample with a large MOE, and as such probably not very useful.

I agree that this poll does not seem very useful. The firm is new and already that's not a good sign.

Sonia

[sonias]

7. BOR backs off their post

Texas Poll Watch Numbers Wrong
Yesterday we wrote about a Texas Poll Watch poll, perhaps too soon. After a day of looking at numbers and talking to pollsters, we should not have printed the poll because none of the numbers seem correct.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled blog/thread reading.


Sonia