State Democrats favor Dean (Michigan)

[JNelson6563]

Former Vt. governor leads closest rival, Gephardt, 2-1

Detroit News Lansing Bureau

LANSING — With the Michigan Democratic presidential caucus less than three weeks away, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean has a 2-to-1 lead on his closest competitor here, Missouri Rep. Dick Gephardt, a Detroit News poll shows.

None of the other six Democratic candidates broke into double digits.

Dean, the national front-runner, leads in Michigan with 32 percent of likely caucus voters to 16 percent for Gephardt, who has strong union backing and is the only candidate to date to run TV ads in the state.

<snip>


Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry — whose campaign in Michigan is co-chaired by former Gov. James Blanchard and Daniel Mulhern, husband of Gov. Jennifer Granholm — is running third at 7 percent.

Rounding out the field are: Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman at 6 percent, civil rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton and retired Gen. Wesley Clark at 5 percent. Others in the race are North Carolina Sen. John Edwards and Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich.

That's how things are shaping up in Michigan so far. Our caucus is February 7th.

Julie

[Freddie Stubbs]

1. People in Michigan are already voting

by mail and over the Internet.

[5thGenDemocrat]

7. Yup. Polly and I cast our votes Saturday night (online, of course)

We may still go to the caucus (seven blocks from here) just to watch the spectacle.
John
It is my understanding that the online voting hasn't gotten that much use. Considering the weather here lately, however, it sure beats going out in the cold and the wind.

[stickdog]

15. Online voting is easily rigged and fraud is almost impossible to prove.

[tokenlib]

16. Good going John!

Like you we cast our votes on the internet(I have to work caucus day). I've had some luck sharing the applytovote.com link with those who would never go to the caucus--but would like to help General Clark.
I think Michigan will be a bit surprising. A lot of the uninterested masses up here in the rural areas buy the "spin" about Dean being a NE liberal and write him off. They are very open to Clark however.

Yeah, I won't forget FUNDAY!!

[Lobo_13]

2. Looks like that 50 state strategy

is paying off.

The others are unlikely to make up the ground.

[Bread and Circus]

5. Iowa and New Hampshire have proved otherwise...

Either Clark or Kerry can easily capture Michigan.

All the others (save 1 or 2) will be out of the way by then.

[Lobo_13]

12. Just remember how much they've had to spend

in IA and NH

Clark will probably spend 7 mil by the Primary. Kerry will probably come out of IA with 2 mil.

The question is will they be able to keep their fund raising at the same pace they keep their spending.

Kerry and Clark are ahead in the polls because they spent heavily in the later stages.

[cthrumatrix]

3. Excellent....thanks --- it's a 50 state race team for delegates.

this shows the message and the machine being received well....

[Sly Kal]

4. It is too early to tell

None of the candidates have campaigned there very much have they?

[5thGenDemocrat]

8. The only campaign ads I've seen are from Gephardt

And I've seen a BUNCH of them.
John
It's a bit more than two weeks until the caucus. I expect to see a lot more of them soon.

[JNelson6563]

11. I don't think they've been here much

but I know the Dean campaign has had organizational efforts going on for a long time. I went to some campaign/grassroots training down in Lansing several months ago, think it was October. There were a lot of people there, mostly from the very heavily populated counties. It was really remakable to see that kind of organization and dedication so early on. This has been a long term effort by many throughout the state. And Michigan is a big state.

Julie

[cthrumatrix]

18. but a good start...

[Walt Starr]

6. Yep, with fifty states to cover

I'd say Dean has the distinct advantage on organization.

[cthrumatrix]

10. right...you can't do 6 states at a time...Iowa..everyone can focus and

overload ...and that's fine...but it's the broad support. A good showing and on to NH and then the other states.

Nothing is won tonight...except bragging rights for a week.

[Freddie Stubbs]

19. If this thing lasts past February 3

He will be at an advantage over other campaigns because he has organizations in every state.

[UrbScotty]

9. Great to hear!

Go Howard!

[jmaier]

13. It was a pretty good move

by the Dean campaign to go early into contesting every state. It gives him some momentum in places that other candidates won't have much time to win over with late campaigns. On the other hand, many of these states aren't going to see much of any of the candidates face to face so good buzz from earlier primaries and smart advertising aren't to be entirely discounted.

[cthrumatrix]

14. add 10 more months to these teams and you have something

that can compete financially and with troops in the field.

[Nazgul35]

17. I Guess walking around in the snow storm Saturday..

is paying off!!!

About 30 of us covered two precincts in Lansing and East Lansing Saturday in a snow storm!!! While we knocked on doors 4-6 inches fell on our heads....

We blitzed a neighborhood waving at the people driving by.....we found many people already committed to Dean, most were uncommitted, in my area, we only found one person committed to another candidate....

They seemed very impressed with us, out in the elements....and we gave out alot of literature....

remember Michiganders....the polling places may have changed, so be sure to let voters know that they have to find out where the new polling places are going to be.....

[Hep]

20. Therefore let the attacks continue.

n/t

[Frederic Bastiat]

21. Yup like they supposedly did in Iowa

:eyes: