Serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis. © James Conner.
Updated. A Vox Populi poll (PDF) of 798 registered voters conducted 3–4 August, well after Sen. John Walsh was exposed as a plagiarist, reports Rep. Steve Daines now leads Walsh 47 to 34 percent with 18 percent undecided. That’s significant because prior to the plagiarism revelation, Walsh had closed the gap to the mid single digits. Now the gap is back to double digits, and Walsh’s support has fallen precipitously, although not as far as some might have expected. That’s because 34 percent is just about rock bottom for any Democrat in what’s essentially a two-man race (Libertarian Roger Roots skims off Republican votes). Walsh is down to the level of Yellow Dog Democrat support.
In the race for the U.S. House, Vox reports Republican Ryan Zinke is leading Democrat John Lewis 44–37 with 19 percent undecided. Libertarian Mike Fellows may be drawing as much as 3–6 percent, virtually all of that from Zinke, but his level of support is hidden in the undecideds. Lewis has begun to turn up the volume, so he should begin to close the gap.
