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July 24, 2005

New Mason-Dixon poll has good news for Tim Kaine!

We knew it, right? Across this state, those of us who have been working for Tim Kaine, showing up at public events with signs and stickers, lobbying our friends and families, could feel a solid level of support for his campaign. The new Mason-Dixon poll that hit all the papers July 24 proved it. Tim Kaine is very much in this race. Even though it's a statistical tie, the Kilgore people have got to be worried. (By Rick Howell).

In case you didn't see the numbers, it shows Kaine with 38 percent to 37 for Kilgore. Russ Potts - who must be giving Kilgore nightmares - is at 9 percent. Sixteen percent are said to be undecided. That's a lot, but it's decreased from the 25 percent the same poll found undecided last September.

In a state thought to be as red as Virginia, any guy with the "R" beside his name ought to be doing better at this stage than Kilgore is doing. And you can bet they're worried about it. For our guy Tim Kaine, it's proof that his message of fiscal responsibility, fully funding education and transportation, and keeping Virginia on the forward march as Mark Warner has done, is catching on.

Yes, people are starting to notice that Tim Kaine simply looks and sounds the part of governor better than Kilgore. You may consider this the gubernatorial version of "looking presidential." Some of this may be attributed to the awful performance that Kilgore mustered in the first debate. But it's something that can't be faked. Tim Kaine has good, sound ideas for the future of our Commonwealth. People seem confused about Jerry Kilgore.

The poll also looks very favorable for Kaine on the issues. A full 56 percent of people said they thought the governor's tax reform package was the right thing to do. Kilgore has tried to make great hay out of opposing that bill. In doing so, it appears he's out of step with the voters in this state.

For all of us out here on the stump for Kaine, we can certainly enjoy this poll, but only for a minute. There's much work to do. Summer is passing, and after Labor Day our window of time until the voters speak will ever decrease. Let's take heart, but let's get going. Go to www.Kaine2005.org if you don't know where the Kaine campaign is in your area. Get connected and help us put this talented Virginian in the statehouse. We've got the better candidate, and people besides ourselves are starting to figure it out.

(Rick Howell is chairman of the Amherst County Democratic Committee. He can be reached at NewCenHowell@aol.com)

Posted by rickhowell at July 24, 2005 01:08 PM

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