The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : Poll Shows Blanche Lincoln Senate Seat at Risk if She Votes for Health Care Bill

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The Spectacle Blog

Poll Shows Blanche Lincoln Senate Seat at Risk if She Votes for Health Care Bill

By Philip Klein on 11.20.09 @ 10:54AM

The White House has been trying to convince red state Democrats that it would be worse for their reelection chances if no health care bill passed and President Obama were seen as a failure, then if they could tout an acheivement. They note that Democrats killed health care legislation in 1994 and still lost Congress anyway.

But a new Zogby poll finds that Sen. Blanche Lincoln, one of a few Democrats who has not yet committed to voting to bring health care legislation to the Senate floor, would face a much tougher reelection fight in Arkansas in 2010 if she were to vote for the bill.

The poll finds that as it is, Lincoln holds a thin 41 percent to 39 percent lead over her potential Republican challenger, State Senator Gilbert Baker. But when pollsters followed up and asked how their support would change if Lincoln voted for the health care bill, suddenly it's Baker who enjoys a comfortable 49 percent to 37 percent lead. Overall, that's a 14-point swing against her just based on the health care vote.

Arkansans oppose the health care bill by an overwhelming 64 percent to 29 percent margin, and after pollsters explained what was in the legislation, that number grew to 68 percent to 26 percent.

A vote for the health care bill, in short, would be toxic for her reelection chances. It's certainly something she must be thinking about as the Senate prepares for a Saturday night procedural vote to move the bill to the floor, which Republicans are sure to use against her as a vote for the bill itself.

View all comments (9) | Leave a comment

pagar| 11.20.09 @ 12:31PM

This country will never get straighten around until every elected official knows that they will not be reelected if they vote for the current healthcare bill.
Send them all "pink Slips"!

"Guess how many pink slips you've sent Congress
News conference, media attention spurs total to 5.5 million sent"

"For just $29.95 you can send an individualized notice to every member of Congress in the form of a "pink slip."

Five million is no where near enough, let's send them fifty million.

LINK

Ken (Old Texican)| 11.20.09 @ 12:55PM

PAGAR
Thank you guys. Great effort.
TEAM AMERICA IS ON BOARD!
www.myteamusa.org

james wilson| 11.20.09 @ 1:37PM

There is simply no way any of the Dumb Dog democrats are going against the revolution. They don't have the balls. That's why they are democrats.

CB| 11.21.09 @ 6:53PM

I've e-mailed Senator Lincoln twice today. I don't normally invest money or time in campaigns, but I'll happily give money and time to Lincoln's opponent if she votes yes this evening. I will encourage my friends and family to do the same. She and Pryor are fooling themselves if they think they can get by on the "a vote for cloture is not a vote for the bill" routine.

jdude| 11.22.09 @ 10:31AM

Godd BLess you!

DBR| 11.22.09 @ 3:53AM

CB, are you an idiot? A vote for further discussion is not an endorsement of a bill; it's an attempt to further understanding. The genesis of our current political turmoil is people like you, who refuse to listen, to discuss, to collaborate.

jeremy| 11.22.09 @ 10:32AM

technically your are right, however, they have now backed themselves into a corner, and probably will take the payoff and run. Statistically, bills have a 97% of passing at this point!

RWN| 11.22.09 @ 7:52AM

DBR, wise up, CB is correct. When a proposed bill is so far offbase that almost 70% of the population is against it, there is nothing to discuss. Throw out the garbage and start over with a new bill and impose a 100 page limit. If a new law cannot be expressed in 100 pages, it's probably not good legislation, just P&P (pork and payoffs).

PG| 11.24.09 @ 12:30AM

CB & RWN nailed it. Once the libs hit the 60 votes to move the bill forward you can put a fork in it, it's done. I like CB will invest my money to get rid of anyone who voted for this bill. I love the way liberals like DBR call people names when you disagree with their liberal views,