VA-2 was dead heat a week ago now Drake (R) up by 8

[underpants]

It's not mentioned in the short article but this could very well be the result of the Kerry coverage (yes the coverage)

October 27, 2006
http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=113349&ran=88569
Drake was favored by 46 percent of likely voters, while Kellam was favored by 44 percent. The difference is within the poll’s margin of error , which is plus or minus 5 percentage points. That means the contest is too close to call.

Drake-Kellam race almost even
October 27, 2006
http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/dp-63527sy0oct27,0,1247289.story?coll=dp-news-local-final
Same poll different newspaper link


New poll shows Drake ahead of Kellam in House race
November 1, 2006
http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=113644&ran=19422
.S. Rep. Thelma Drake has moved slightly ahead of her Democratic challenger, Phil Kellam, in a new Reuters/Zogby poll released Wednesday.

A poll by the same organizations in early October showed her trailing slightly.

The new poll shows Drake with 51 percent versus Kellam with 43 percent.

Pollsters questioned 500 likely voters in the 2nd District. The poll has a margin of error of 4.5 points.

[Mass]

1. Her opponent did not show up to the debates.

That could be a factor as well.

[underpants]

2. Kellam didn't ?

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaa???? :banghead:

[Mass]

4. No, Here is the article

http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=113141&ran=142995

Kellam pulls out of four debates with Drake

By JON FRANK, The Virginian-Pilot
© October 24, 2006

VIRGINIA BEACH — Congressional candidate Phil Kellam has pulled out of four scheduled debates with incumbent U.S. Rep. Thelma Drake.

His campaign blamed the decision on unspecified “backdoor shenanigans” by his opponent.

Kellam made the call Friday, the day before he was scheduled to appear at a debate in front of the Sandbridge Civic League.

The other canceled debates include one scheduled for tonight in Hampton, one scheduled for the Eastern Shore on Thursday and one scheduled for Virginia Beach on Friday.

That leaves only one remaining joint appearance for Drake, the Republican, and Kellam, the Democrat, before Election Day.

Both candidates are scheduled to appear on “On the Record with Joel Rubin” on WVEC-TV. The show will be taped Nov. 3 and air Nov. 5, the Sunday before the election.

On Monday, Kellam would not personally answer questions about why he withdrew from the debates.

In a written statement, his communications director, Drew Lankford, said the “shenanigans” included efforts by the Drake campaign to get debate sponsors to change rules and false statements by the Drake campaign to the press.

“The Drake campaign has even stooped to distorting Phil Kellam’s statements to use in false campaign commercials,” Lankford wrote.

Drake’s campaign denied any wrongdoing.

In a telephone interview Monday, Drake said she thinks Kellam is dodging debates and issues to satisfy a national strategy in which Democratic candidates avoid taking strong stands on key issues.

“How do people make choices,” Drake said, “if he won’t tell people how he stands on the issues?”

Drake and Kellam have debated three times during the 2006 campaign. All three meetings have been in Virginia Beach.

# Reach Jon Frank at [phone] or [e-mail].

[blm]

7. Now THAT is the dumbest thing any candidate can do.

.

[blm]

3. If that poll came out Nov 1 it would've been conducted BEFORE or day of

the Dropped-PronounGate.

[underpants]

5. Mmm the RW story came out on Halloween

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=2618593

[Mass]

6. The Zogby poll is from the 29 th The article is from the 1rst.

http://pollster.com/polls/?state=VA02&race=house_race

[underpants]

8. Okay

[DaveinMD]

9. he's run

a horrible campaign. Its been disintegrating for a while.