Longshot U.S. Senate candidate Chuck Purgason said he's encouraged by a new Public Policy Polling survey that shows his support in double-digits and noted that Congressman Roy Blunt's high unfavorable numbers in the Ozarks exemplify the problems of the Republican Party's frontrunner.The poll, conducted between November 13 and 15th, shows Purgason trailing Blunt, 53% to 16%in a primary match-up. But in a potential general election match-up, as a candidate that 75 percent of the state doesn't know, Purgason only loses to Democrat Robin Carnahan by seven points.
Purgason pointed to Blunt's 38% favorable rating in the 417-Ozarks area code. 'Those aren't very good numbers. We haven't even seen the negative attacks on Congressman Blunt yet. The bridge to nowhere, the TARP bailouts, the cash for clunkers. We're going to get into a fight that we don't have to have. We're going to be on defense,' he said.
In the Ozarks, voters are divided over Blunt's favorability, 38%-38%. Carnahan's favorability in 417-land is 26%. Purgason's is only 10 percent.
But in all of the crosstabs of the data, Purgason's biggest obstacle is name identification. Three-quarters of the state's potential voters don't seem to have enough information to render an opinion on him.
Purgason acknowledges that fundraising has been a challenge. At the end of the September, Purgason reported raising only around $11,000, with just $1,067 on hand to spend. He reported a total of about 20 contributors.
(Via KY3 Political Notebook.)
Comments