Rasmussen Poll: Isakson: 51% Thurmond 35%

A early poll taken by Rasmussen after the anouncement of Michael Thurmond into the U.S. Senate race shows Isakson with 51% to Thurmond 35%.

Here's what Rasmussen says:



Election 2010: Georgia Senate
Georgia Senate: Isakson 51%, Thurmond 35%
Friday, April 23, 2010 Email to a Friend ShareThisAdvertisement
Georgia Republican Johnny Isakson finally has a major Democratic opponent in his bid for reelection to the U.S. Senate, but the first Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of the race finds the incumbent holding on to more than 50% support.

Isakson posted a 52% to 31% lead over an unnamed generic Democratic candidate. Thurmond just entered the race on Wednesday.

Opposition to the recently-enacted national health care plan runs slightly higher in the state than it is nationally, which plays to Isakson's advantage, and Georgia has just joined a number of other states who are suing the federal government to stop enactment of the plan. Sixty percent (60%) of Georgia voters favor repeal of the plan, while 35% are opposed. This includes 55% who strongly favor repeal versus 28% who strongly oppose it.


Isakson gets 83% of the votes of those who strongly favor repeal, while Thurmond earns 82% support from the smaller group that opposes repeal.

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Male voters in the Peach Tree State favor Isakson by a 62% to 24% margin. Female voters break even between the two candidates.

Voters not affiliated with either major party favor the Republican nearly three-to-one

Thurmond, who is African-American, attracts 81% of the black vote, while Isakson draws 69% of whites.
Fourteen percent (14%) of all Georgia voters have a very favorable opinion of Thurmond, while another 14%view him very unfavorably. Twenty-three percent (23%) don’t know enough about him to venture any kind of opinion.

Isakson is viewed very favorably by 19% and very unfavorably by 10%. Thirteen percent (13%) have no opinion of the first-term senator.

At this point in a campaign, Rasmussen Reports considers the number of people with a strong opinion more significant than the total favorable/unfavorable numbers.

Now Rasmussen has taken heat from some on the left as a republican leaning poll & only polls voters in republican leaning areas, so I don't know, but Isakson, who alot of folks say is very popular in the state only polling at 51% is surprising to me. My guess was 55-60%. Thurmond getting 35% at this early stage is not bad, I guess. Back in 2008, a weak candidate, Jim Martin was much lower that that when he entered the race against Saxby Chambliss in 2008 around the upper 20-low 30% range.

I expect those numbers for Thurmond to go up once he starts campaigning. Curious to see how does RJ Hadley fare against Isakson?

Although healthcare will be a key issue for the GOP, the economy, the deficit, debt, jobs, foreign & national security will all be on the table in this fall elections. If the economy improves between now & November, it will help democrats, if not then it'll be a tough row to hoe for the Donkeys.