If you haven't noticed--and by the number of responses I've been getting, you haven't--we've been reporting here for some time now that the 9th District race in Michigan, where Red-to-Blue candidate Gary Peters is challenging GOP dinosaur Joe Knollenberg (R-GM) would be close and warrant national attention. We also reported where the national publications such as CQ, the Cook Political Report, and SwingState had moved the race from "Leans Republican" to "No Clear Favorite" or "Toss-up."
Now, we have another poll which confirms our excitement and optimism, but which also shows that this race is going to come down to grassroots and netroots support. We need your help, and hope that today's poling new will be enough to get you to rec this up and keep us in the hunt for flipping a long-held seat from them to us.
Here's the news:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 9, 2008
New Poll: 43-40%, Peters Maintains Lead Over Knollenberg
Second Consecutive Poll Shows Peters with Lead over 16-year Incumbent
Oakland County, MI - Congressional candidate Gary Peters maintains a steady lead of 43% - 40% over incumbent Republican Rep. Joe Knollenberg in a new poll of voters in Michigan's 9th District.
The survey, conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research on October 6th and 7th, 2008, is the second recently-released poll to show Peters with a solid lead over Knollenberg.
"This confirms what we have seen on the ground here in Oakland County for months, people want change and they are responding to Gary's plan to create jobs and get our economy moving again now," said Julie Petrick, Gary Peters' campaign manager. "Families in Oakland County know what hard work and commitment mean. Oakland County has lost over 74,000 jobs under Bush and Knollenberg, and the only thing worse than Congressman Knollenberg's job approval rating is his record of sending jobs overseas."
The poll of 412 likely voters in the 9th District also showed Knollenberg with a low job approval rating of only 34%, and with a net favorability rating of -6%.
Additionally, Knollenberg's name recognition does not help him. While Knollenberg is already identified by 80% of voters, Gary Peters still has significant room expand his lead as more voters become familiar with his record and his plans to cut taxes for the middle class and small businesses.
Gary Peters' television ads have been airing continuously on cable since August 25th and on broadcast television since September 29th. To date, Gary Peters and his supporters and volunteers have knocked on over 112,000 doors, and - as of last night - the campaign has reached out to its 205,071st voter in the 9th District.
On October 2nd, both Congressional Quarterly and the Cook Political Report upgraded their ratings of the race in the 9th District to "Tossup."
An earlier poll, conducted in August by Grove-Insight, showed Peters leading Knollenberg by 41%-37%.
So, we're asking you tonight to help us even up the score, and if you will help by sending in your contributions through the new contest being run by our good friends at People for the American Way's Voters Alliance program, we can pick up an addtional $3000 from PFAW! Right now we're running a strong second to Judy Feder, the Dem candidate for the VA-10 slot. We currently need a scant $2500-$3000 (depending upon when you tune in) to overtake her--in a friendly way, of course.
Can we get 200 kossacks to contribute $25.00? One hundred to throw in $50? A mere 50 of you to pony up $100 and push us out in front by a few thousand?
We have until October 15 to do this. If you will, please scroll down to Gary's bio and contribution button on the PFAW ActBlue page and lend us a hand.