PPP: Maine Governor's race looks bad--Dem running third!

[book_worm]

In a sign of the extent to which the GOP is winning everywhere this year, Republican Paul LePage is primed to be the first candidate from his party elected Governor of Maine since 1990. LePage leads with 40% to 28% for independent Eliot Cutler and 24% for Democrat Libby Mitchell.

What's most remarkable about LePage's likely victory is that it comes despite the fact that a majority of Maine voters don't like him. 51% of them have an unfavorable opinion of him to only 42% who see him in a positive light. But because he has a relatively unified conservative base while Democratic leaning voters are splitting almost evenly between Mitchell and Cutler he's in a position to win without coming anywhere close to 50% of the vote.

LePage is winning Republicans, who because of the enthusiasm gap are actually the largest group of voters in Maine this year, by a 71-18 margin. Mitchell is pretty much out of contention at this point because she is barely taking even a majority of Democratic voters, holding a 51-30 advantage over Cutler. Cutler meanwhile has the advantage with independents at 40% to 31% for LePage and with Mitchell registering at only 17%.

Cutler is easily the most popular candidate in the race, with 46% of voters seeing him positively to only 33% with an unfavorable opinion. His problem is that a lot of people who like him aren't planning to vote for him. Among voters with a favorable opinion of Cutler only 56% actually plan to vote for him while 21% are going for LePage and 18% plan to support Mitchell. To put it in comparison 87% of voters who like LePage are also planning to cast their ballots for him, which is why he's beating Cutler by such a wide margin despite being less popular than him.

http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/

[Selatius]

1. This is exactly why something like Instant Run-off Voting would really help this republic.

This kind of stupidity would end if IRV were in place.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Or Approval or Condorcet voting were used. This race is driving me nuts. I flip daily

from Cutler to Mitchell and back again. I'm voting against LePage and not for the candidate of my choice, which is very frustrating.

[high density]

3. LePage is going to be our own Bush

I can only hope the legislature can prevent him from screwing up too much stuff.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

4. Looks like we'll never get rid of Sarah Palin. She's going to be crowned the Queen on Tuedsay,

no matter what happens. :(

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. Yep, the Legislature is going to be key to holding him in check.