Democrat Surges in Poll Ahead of N.Y. Special Election

[CatWoman]

AMHERST, N.Y. — A congressional race that may test voter support for a controversial Republican plan to overhaul Medicare remains tight before Tuesday’s special election, with a new poll suggesting that the Democrat now has a slight edge.

New York’s 26th district stretches from the suburbs of Buffalo to the suburbs of Rochester. The House seat became vacant after former congressman Chris Lee, who is married, resigned following revelations that he had sent a shirtless picture of himself to a woman he was trying to meet online.

The May 24 election is being watched for clues to voter reaction to Congress since Republicans gained new power in the 2010 mid-term elections. The Republican-controlled House, supported by the fiscally conservative tea party, has insisted on reducing federal spending.

As part of that effort, House Republicans approved a plan to end Medicare’s traditional role as a fee-for-service program, turning it instead into a system of subsidized, private health insurance plans. The change would not affect people who are now age 55 or older.

In the Siena survey, about equal numbers of voters said that Medicare, jobs and the federal budget deficit were the issues most important to them.

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2011/05/21/democrat-surges-in-poll-ahead-of-n-y-special-election/

[DCBob]

1. The beginning of the pendulum swinging back..

This is very good news indeed.

[CatWoman]

2. bottom line

don't fuck with grandma!! :)

[rfranklin]

4. Actually they aren't fucking with grandma but with her kids...

and grandkids.

[JTFrog]

3. K&R!

[socialist_n_TN]

5. Polls are nice, but it's WAY too close...........

Unless Dems have a 5%+ lead in the polls, the Republicans win the election.

[DCBob]

6. I think you miss the point.. this is a Republican district..

It should have been a cakewalk for the GOP candidate. Win or lose by a narrow margin.. this signifies a major change in voter mood which portends good things for Nov 2012.

[OHdem10]

7. They just do not get it. Repeating it does not affect those 55 or

over is little consolation. Most people believe that
it they are so ruthless in trying to get to privatization
they cannot be trusted. None of the GOP ran on privatizing
Medicare--in fact they did not campaign on Medicare. To
suddenly bring such an abrupt change ruins the trust factor.
People believe that just as soon as they get privatization
in place, they will come back and start cutting the remaining
program until there is nothing left.