THE USUAL P2008 STUFF (AND THREE NEW POLLS); SEN STEVENS, REP YOUNG TRAIL DEMS IN ALASKA.

Hey, let's be candid: this is the really slow season of the election cycle. Yeah, stuff is happening, but so far not much of this current day-to-day will make any big difference come November. Let's see ... Obama is off on his Afghanistan-Iraq-Israel-Europe trip. Phil Gramm resigned as national co-chair of the McCain campaign, presumably to further minimize damage from his "nation of whiners" comment last week. Also, Secretary of State Condi Rice said this to CNN about Obama's candidacy: "I think it's great, and I think it's great for our country" -- but Rice said she is not yet ready to announce which candidate she will be supporting for President (presumably McCain). Thus, let's just get to the new polls ...

P2008 - DAILY POLLING UPDATE. Here is our daily update of the latest independent polls from swing states (and states that appear to be evolving into swing states):
ALASKA (Research 2000): McCain - 51%, Obama - 41%.
MAINE (Rasmussen): Obama - 46%, McCain - 36%.
VIRGINIA (Rasmussen): McCain - 44%, Obama - 44%.

US SENATE. The latest independent polls for US Senate races.
ALASKA (Research 2000): Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich (D) - 47%, US Senator Ted Stevens (R) - 45%.
MAINE (Rasmussen): US Senator Mary Collins (R) - 49%, Congressman Tom Allen (D) - 42%.
NEW JERSEY (Strategic Vision-R): US Senator Frank Lautenberg (D) - 48%, former Congressman Dick Zimmer (R) - 32%.
VIRGINIA (Rasmussen): Former Governor Mark Warner (D) - 59%, former Governor Jim Gilmore (R) - 36%.

CONGRESS. The new independent polls for the US House contests.
ALASKA CD-1 (Research 2000): Former State House Minority Leader Ethan Berkowitz (D) - 51%, Congressman Don Young (R) - 40%.

Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 07.21.08