Politics
Nancy Pelosi or Sarah Palin? Choose Your Poison -- Poll
Their hyper-partisanship turns off independents, energizes opposition
Around the State
Sarah Palin and Speaker of the House, Nancy PelosiA new Sunshine State News Poll finds that both Palin and Pelosi are much beloved by Florida Republicans and Democrats, respectively. Palin has a 73/19 favorable/unfavorable rating among likely GOP voters. Pelosi is popular with Democrats, albeit less so at 57/28.
But both women are equally reviled by the opposite side, and neither is particularly attractive to independent voters.
Palin has a 38/47 favorable/unfavorable rating among independents while Pelosi is mired at 31/52.
Overall, Palin has a 43/49 favorable/unfavorable score with Florida voters while Pelosi notches an anemic 31/59 rating.
"Palin appears to shore up the (GOP) base," said Jim Lee, president of Voter Survey Service, which conducted the poll commissioned by Sunshine State News.
"Pelosi could be a liability for some Democrats," he observed, noting the speaker's high negatives and her relatively high 28 percent unfavorable rating among members of her own party.
University of Florida political science professor Daniel Smith, agrees, saying most Florida Democrats "want to keep their distance from Pelosi."
Both women's weakness among independents would appear to marginalize their endorsements and weaken their clout in a general election campaign.
Palin's support in the Republican primary was seen as a net benefit. Her last-minute endorsement of Pam Bondi helped the former Hillsborough County prosecutor separate herself in a tight three-way race that had a high number of undecideds.
But the vote-getting power of Palin and Pelosi diminishes sharply when independent voters are thrown into the mix.
"There's a detriment to embracing either one of them because their negatives are so high," Smith said.
Though Palin's help has not been solicited by Republican Senate candidate Marco Rubio or GOP gubernatorial nominee Rick Scott, GOP hopefuls make hay by invoking Pelosi's name.
"If you're seen as a rubber-stamp for Pelosi, that will dampen support among independents. It becomes a wedge issue," Lee said.
Taking that cue, Republican congressional candidate Sandy Adams launched a website -- kosmasforpelosi.com -- that links her opponent, U.S. Rep. Suzanne Kosmas, with Pelosi.
Adams has also publicized the fact that Pelosi held a fund-raiser for Kosmas, a first-term Democratic representative from Florida's 24th Congressional District. The event was conducted in Washington, D.C., and Kosmas has expressed no interest in bringing the speaker to campaign here.
Sensing the limits of her appeal, Pelosi, a San Franciscan, has largely confined her Florida trips to Democratic strongholds in the southeast part of the state.
She recently headlined a campaign brunch in Miami for Joe Garcia, who is running for an open seat in CD 25.
Palin, meantime, canceled a planned campaign event in Miami this month, citing scheduling conflicts. In more friendly territory, Palin endorsed Daniel Webster in Central Florida's 8th Congressional District, where the former Republican state senator is trying to unseat freshman Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Orlando.
Palin Tweeted her support for Webster after Grayson aired his infamous "Taliban Dan" ad, accusing Webster of being a religious extremist on women's issues.
In one of the few head-to-head contests involving the two women, Pelosi is scheduled to attend an Oct. 11 fund-raiser for Rep. Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton. Klein's challenger in CD 22, Allen West, has been endorsed by Palin.
Comments (7)
Palin brings the issues to bear and she has more excutive experiace that Barry in the first place. She has the ability cut to the chase and lays out in plain everyday speak the common goals of the Conservatives and the Tea Party.
Polosi, Boxer and other women representives change thier mind almost on a hour by hour basis depending which way the wind blows or how strong the martinini is.
Those who opose Ms. Palin are afraid of what she brings to the table, as far of supporting other Conservative candidates around the country.
Verses Polosi who is preceived as talking down to voters. In her district she is losing ground very quickly and more and more not even refecting the voters she represents. She even has her Liberal base upset!
Palin may not see the title President, but she has brought many important issue front and center. Voters are looking for distint change followed up with a action plan to excute. We are all tired of "draining the swamp, and the culture od curroption, in which Democrates have far exceede Rebublicans. (this cycle)
Good time Charlie Rangle, Ms. Waters Dobbs , Cold cash Jefferson ect.
But there never seems to be a shortage of currption for any party long term.
Palin message is foccus, like her of not. The Speaker of the House changes her mind as it suites Ms. Polosi. That is the differace!
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/39546086/ns/today-entertainment/