County Executive Race: If held today, “other” would win
From Channel 2, the first poll is little more than a beauty pageant:
What is you opinion of Chris Collins?
8% Favorable
9% Unfavorable
25% Neutral
58% Unfamiliar
Error + or - 4.7%
83% have no opinion of Chris Collins. He’s got a lot of money. He might want to start spending it.
What is you opinion of James Keane?
19% Favorable
21% Unfavorable
32% Neutral
29% Unfamiliar
Error + or - 4.7%
Keane’s numbers are pretty even across the board, which means it takes less effort for him to bump his positives.
What is your opinion of Paul Clark?
28% Favorable
15% Unfavorable
26% Neutral
32% Unfamiliar
Error + or - 4.7%
Clark is running lots of TV ads which are all positive, so naturally his positive numbers are up - not a moment too soon, considering the primary is about 6 weeks away.
What is you opinion of Jimmy Griffin?
35% Favorable
37% Unfavorable
19% Neutral
9% Unfamiliar
Error + or - 4.7%
Everyone knows Jimmy Griffin, and the like/dislike is in a statistical dead heat.
Do you feel you have a good choice between qualified candidates in the Erie County Executive election? Or not?
36% Have a Good Choice
46% Do Not
18% Not Sure
Error + or - 4.7%
46% wish someone else was in the race right know, and only 36% are happy with Collins/Keane/Clark/Griffin. Ugh.
hank kaczmarek Says:July 30th, 2007 at 5:58 am
None of these Candidates are a “magic Bullet”, though Griffin is a bullet to dodge. He’s a master of maintaing the status quo, and how much more of that can WNY gag down is highly questionable
Mr. Pink Says:July 30th, 2007 at 7:23 am
Some initial thoughts:
1) 447 is too small a sample for all of Erie County. Should have been at least 600.
2) Who cares what ALL voters think? This race is about the Dem Primary so if you want to provide real information, poll likely Dem voters…that would tell us something.
3) How do you not do a head to head question with Keane, Clark and Griffin? Even if it’s early, this question shows who has early strength and give everyone a benchmark for future polls as primary day gets close.
And last, who care if people don’t like the choices. This is the slate to choose from. This question does nothing more than make everyone feel bad about ourselves and the region.
The Channel 2 morons should stay out of the polling business if they’re not going to do it right. Bad information taints the process.
Ethan Says:July 30th, 2007 at 7:52 am
What pink said: sampling error that large means it’s time to poll some real numbers; if they don’t have the resources, they should hire someone who does.
I think it would also be interesting to compare all registered v. registered dems v. likely voters; get the breadth of support from casual voter to dedicated
However, NOTA should be explicitly in any H-T-H poll. It’s time we started telling slates that the whole slate sucks, absolutely. How else will it get better? Or should we just “feel bad about ourselves” in private, hold noses, and vote away? Fuck that.
NOTA + IRV + Public financing = election reform & more democracy
steve Says:July 30th, 2007 at 8:17 am
Or maybe Ch. 2 should just read more viewer e-mails in the web center while wearing read coats because the storm center might be predicting sun…or rain…or snow. That’s about as scientifically valid as their poll.
We may never know why Stefan left but, for his sake, it couldn’t have come a moment too soon.
BS Detector (aka Keyboard Warrior & Buffalo Hater) Says:July 30th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
None of these Candidates are a “magic Bullet”, though Griffin is a bullet to dodge. He’s a master of maintaing the status quo, and how much more of that can WNY gag down is highly questionable
Exceptional post.
When I was a kid, I loved “Jimmy” too. He certainly had the “cult-of-personality” thing going for him. Today, he’s got name recognition as well as what I like to call nostalgia popularity.
But as Hank eluded to, he represents the “old-school” which probably put WNY into the situation it is in today, and which is so firmly entrenched. This is what needs to be avoided today at all costs. If anything, those old ways need to be destroyed.
Nothing against Jimmy, but truth is truth, he was just one of many harbingers which led to today’s sorry state of WNY.
Adam K Says:July 31st, 2007 at 7:57 am
I could swear i heard shredd and ragan say Stefan left because he was chasing Mary Alice Demler and his bosses didn’t like it…
I like griffin Says:August 13th, 2007 at 1:45 pm
I disagree with Hank and B.S. Detector about Griffin. I think he’s lightened up in his later years, as seen while representing South Buffao in the Common Council; his willingness to work with fellow members of the Buffalo Common Council was a positive surprise. He’s the only CE candidate to say what’s on his mind and we might just have an upset. Go Jimmy!!