Is U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., in trouble?
Recent polls suggest Dole, the incumbent senator and Salisbury native, is in for the political fight of her life as she seeks re-election this year.
Real Clear Politics averaged results of all polls for September and found Dole’s Democratic opponent, State Sen. Kay Hagan, of Greensboro, leading slightly ó 44.3 percent to 43.5 percent. In statistical terms, that’s dead even.
Poll results weren’t given for Libertarian Christopher Cole.
Rasmussen Reports, an independent pollster which has followed the U.S. Senate race in North Carolina, put Hagan three points ahead of Dole ó 48 percent to 45 percent ó in its Sept. 23 survey of 500 voters.
Most political analysts have moved the U.S. Senate race in North Carolina from a state leaning toward the Republican Dole to a toss-up.
Previous Rasmussen polls through the year had shown Dole with comfortable leads over Hagan. On June 10, for example, Dole led 53 to 39 percent; on July 15, 54 to 43 percent.
But Hagan had overtaken Dole by 51 to 46 percent Sept. 18, and Hagan still held an advantage in last week’s Rasmussen poll.
“… It’s never comfortable for an incumbent to be trailing this late in the campaign season,” Rasmussen Reports said on its Web site.
“Adding to Dole’s problems is the fact that John McCain finds himself in a very tight race with Barack Obama for North Carolina’s electoral college votes. That means Dole can’t count on the lift from the top of the ticket usually enjoyed by the state’s GOP candidates.”
For the second straight week in the presidential election, Obama leads McCain in a telephone survey of N.C. voters, 50 to 47 percent, Rasmussen Reports said Thursday.
Keadle in Iredell
Salisbury dentist Scott Keadle is using the tagline “It’s Your Money” in his run for the Iredell County Board of Commissioners.
He is one of six people running for three seats in the Nov. 4 election.
In 1998, Keadle challenged U.S. Rep. Mel Watt for the 12th Congressional District but lost.
In 2000, he ran against Sen. Cal Cunningham, D-Lexington, and lost.
Keadle’s Web site, www.keadle.com, lists among his credentials time as vice chairman and finance chairman of the Rowan County Republican Party and service as a member of the Rowan County Board of Health.
His dental office is at 480 Jake Alexander Blvd.
Incumbent Republicans Ken Robertson and Godfrey Williams are seeking re-election. Sara Haire Tice isn’t running again. Democrats running are Barbara Orr, Mark R. Vanek and Chuck Gallyon.