PPP: Missouri's DEM Governor is WAY ahead. Does this bode well for Obama and McCaskill?

[DonRedwood]

-PPP's newest poll of the race for Governor in Missouri finds Democratic incumbent Jay Nixon cruising to reelection. He leads by 19 points with 54% to 35% for Republican challenger Dave Spence. This is the biggest lead PPP has found for Nixon since January.

Nixon continues to be one of the more popular Governors in the country.

http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2012/10/nixon-cruising-to-reelection.html

In this election coattails are pretty important, especially if we are going to keep the Senate. Missouri has gone from red to pink on many election maps and now McCaskill has been pulling ahead as well.

If the Dem governor and the Dem Senator are ahead, I personally think it will be nearly impossible for Obama to not win Missouri.

It might not be showing up on the polls but I think Missouri is much more likely a toss-up state and when you figure in the minority voters (who don't often get polled as "likely voters&quot , I think it might be a pale pale pale blue. I think Missouri is going to go for Obama.

In this case the coattails might be from Governor Nixon, or McCaskill (or from a dislike of Akin) but I think Obama will pick up a lot of those Nixon and McCaskill voters.

[hrmjustin]

1. MO has a history of ticket-splitting so maybe not.

[DonRedwood]

2. He only lost the state by, what, 2600 votes last time?

That's not much ground to make up :0)

[hrmjustin]

3. I think he may have lost some ground in the state, but not as much as the polls say.

[MadHound]

4. Actually, the driving force helping Obama in this state is McCaskill's campaign,

Nixon was always a shoo-in for reelection. He's a blue dog, ineffective Democratic governor at best, bending over backwards to please even the most rabid right wing yahoos of the state.

The campaign that has done the most to make Obama a viable candidate in this state is McCaskill's campaign. It has energized Democrats and liberals in this state, and has insured a high turnout for them. Since the Akin debacle, and the rise of McCaskill, Obama has gone up slowly but steadily. From being ten points back, he has now gone to three points back. Obama could even win this state, but the national party needs to drop a couple of million into this state for that to happen, something which I doubt they're going to do.

[DonRedwood]

5. How are McCaskill's coattails? It is a close race and that brings out the base

But I'm thinking those independents who don't like Akin will be more inclined to vote this time around too.

[bluestate10]

8. Hound. McCaskill is a blue-dog also.

Does supporting her mean that we have finally pulled you over to the darkside? Kidding aside, your tone is just right on this, I would rather take a bowling ball up side the head than see Akin get elected. If McCaskill can help Obama take the Show Me state, more power to her. BTW, you my call me a blue-dog, but I am really a moderate-progressive, I just like Drones. My social views and behavior are decidedly progressive.

[DonRedwood]

9. I'm OK with blue dogs... city dogs and country dogs don't always have the same issues

but, like you, I am very progressive socially.

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. And Nixon's republican opponent is not running much of a campaign

I've seen a few ads here in KC but zero yard signs. He doesn't appear to be working too hard to win the election.

[DonRedwood]

11. Dem Gov, Dem Sen and Obama lost by 2600 votes...why is that state considered so red?

I've never understood why a state that is really a tossup always is considered red.

[pstokely]

14. It's not solid Red, it splits the ticket at the statewide level, but its solid Red outside KC andSTL

nt

[pstokely]

13. Akin is doing more to fire up the left in MO than McCaskill

nt

[oswaldactedalone]

6. Eyes on the prize boys and girls!

Focus on Ohio, Florida, and Virginia. Win those and it's over.

[DonRedwood]

7. The Prize is 60 in the Senate, one in the White House... at least here in the optimist club :0)

Oh, and did I mention Bachmann, West, Walsh, King, Cantor and a few more "safe" seats are looking mightly toss-uppy these days. We have a good chance of taking the house.

[pstokely]

12. Nixon hasn't been seen with either

and Missouri doesn't have enough electoral votes to decide the election