Monday October 11, 2010
Underdog GOP Pro-Lifer Dino Rossi now Polling Ahead in Washington Senate Race
By Peter J. Smith
OLYMPIA, Washington, October 11, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Pro-life GOP candidate Dino Rossi is starting to take a lead in the polls over four-term incumbent and pro-abortion U.S. Senator Patty Murray, placing Rossi in a good position to make history as Washington State’s first elected pro-life U.S. Senator.
Rasmussen Reports show that Rossi has edged ahead of Murray in the U.S. Senate race, and now leads 49 percent to 46 percent among 750 likely voters. The race is still considered a toss-up, as the numbers fall within the +/- 4 percent margin of error.
The poll shows momentum is starting to trend in Rossi’s direction, and Murray’s support is starting to fall off from her September high of 51 percent. Last week, Murray and Rossi were almost evenly matched, 47 percent to 48 percent.
According to The American Spectator, a Rossi win would mean the first time that Washington State has ever elected a pro-life candidate to represent the state in the U.S. Senate.
A Republican-commissioned poll of 500 likely voters from two weeks ago showed Rossi leading Murray by a wider margin, six percentage points, or 48 percent to 42 percent.
Real Clear Politics shows Murray has only a +0.5 percent lead over Rossi after averaging polls taken over the past month. But that slight edge for Murray is buoyed up by a CNN/Time poll taken in early September that showed Murray with a nine-point lead. RCP also rates Washington a “toss-up.”
Murray has sat in the U.S. Senate since her election in 1992, but is now suffering from a popular backlash in the electorate against this incumbent Congress and President Barack Obama’s policies.
For Republicans, Rossi’s candidacy may end up as their 51st Senate seat: their ticket to taking control of the U.S. Senate away from the Democrats and their pro-abortion leadership. With the exception of Washington and California, the GOP leads in the six toss-up Senate races rated by RCP and needs to pick up five of them in order to secure a ruling majority.
Rossi is a pro-life Catholic and father of four, with two narrowly lost gubernatorial bids in 2004 and 2008.
He beat out Sarah Palin-endorsed and former pro-football player Clint Didier in the state’s open primary with 33 percent of the vote. TAS reports that Didier is withholding his endorsement from Rossi until he agrees to sponsor the Sanctity of Life Act.
The legislation is an act of Congress sponsored by U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Tex.), which would remove abortion cases from the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, invoking Article III, sec. 2 of the US Constitution, and place the debate over abortion back with the states.
The legislation would nullify the effects of Roe v. Wade by not allowing federal courts to hear legal challenges to state’s abortion laws.
See related coverage:
Real Clear Politics Average – Battle for the Senate https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2010/senate/2010_elections_senate_map.html
The American Spectator – Can Dino Do It?
https://spectator.org/archives/2010/10/08/can-dino-do-it/
See related coverage by LifeSiteNews.com:
Nevada: GOP’s Pro-Life Angle Builds Lead, while Harry Reid Crumbles in Polls
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/oct/10100705.html
Pro-Abortion Obama Sinks to New Low in Public Opinion Survey
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/oct/10100502.html
AUL Action “Life Counts Campaign” Targets ObamaCare’s Pro-Life Dems
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/oct/10100507.html
Democrats Hope Pro-Life Candidate Will be GOP Spoiler in Illinois Pro-Abort Senate Battle
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/oct/10100703.html