A new Feingold internal poll shows the race tied at 48-48, with their pollster saying it because of the campaign's focus on fair trade:
It is clear from several different data points that a major reason for this Feingold surge over the last week is the campaign’s emphasis on trade and the two candidates’ clear difference concerning various trade deals , including Johnson’s description of the resulting job loss as "creative destruction". For the first time since the summer, Johnson’s unfavorable rating has increased (by nearly 10 points over the past ten days) while at the same time his favorable rating has dropped-- to a level four points lower than Russ Feingold’s in this latest track.
A new Rasmussen also shows a similar momentum swing. You have to take any Rasmussen poll with a grain of a salt, but in their previous poll, published on Sept 29, they had Feingold down by 14 points, but in their poll released today, Feingold is only down by seven points.
This idea of Dems hitting on fair trade has also been adopted by Carville and Greenberg's firm, who say in recent memo:
The second, very strong message, centers on made in America, creating American jobs and opposing Republicans who support trade agreements and tax breaks for companies that export American jobs. This message is powerful with older women and seniors – and it is buttressed by attacks on Social Security and Medicare and on trade issues.
Trade is the game changer in this race. And Feingold's (limited) attacks on Johnson's free-trade comments are just the tip of the ice berg.
Johnson has also gone on and on extolling the virtues of China's business climate and his business had been directly and indirectly responsible for shipping numerous jobs to China.
In fact, just moments ago, I came accross this gem where Johnson says:
If we can benchmark the business climate-environment of America with the rest of the world, and, quite honestly, as a state issue, Wisconsin with the rest of the states throughout the U.S., we can do this. I really am very confident.
The fair question, then, is what would Johnson's "benchmarks" look like here in Wisconsin and the rest of America? Considering our largest jobs predator is China, that means "benchmarks" like getting paid a dollar a day and working in a sweat shop.
That sounds great, Ron. Thank God Wisconsin is starting to smell what the Crock is Cooking!