Culver 46, Nussle 39

The latest Des Moines Register “Iowa Poll” on the gubernatorial race came out this morning (read the details here). The Nussle campaign issued the following response at about 9:30 Sunday morning:

DES MOINES, IA – Iowans for Nussle Campaign Manager Nick Ryan issued the following statement today regarding The Des Moines Register survey:

“As we’ve been saying from the beginning, the race for Governor is going to continue to be tight from now until Election Day.  Every recent poll from Rasmussen to The Wall Street Journal/John Zogby is showing Jim Nussle and Chet Culver in a dead heat.  It is important to keep in mind The Des Moines Register poll is only a snapshot in a close race for Governor and not a reliable snapshot at that. This is the same Iowa Poll that showed Jim Ross Lightfoot as Governor of Iowa, Howard Dean as the 2004 Democratic Presidential nominee and John Kerry as the next President of the United States. What’s more interesting is that the current Democrat Governor had knowledge of these questionable numbers to announce before partisans at a Democrat fundraiser before they were made available to the public in print or online. 

“While polls will go up and down, Iowans will see the clear choice for Governor in the experienced, principled leadership of Jim Nussle to Energize Iowa’s Future.  As Iowans witnessed this past week at candidate forums and debates, Jim Nussle’s command of the issues, innovative ideas and positive vision stands out in contrast to Chet Culver’s liberal, out-of-touch values, inexperience and negative attacks.  We urge Iowans to see this clear choice in the last live primetime debate on Monday.”   

The Culver campaign issued this response at about three o’clock Sunday afternoon:

(Des Moines) Today’s Des Moines Register reported that its new Iowa Poll shows Secretary of State Chet Culver has opened up a 7-point lead over Congressman Jim Nussle.  The poll also showed that Culver’s support is “more solid than Nussle’s” and that “independents now prefer Culver over Nussle, 43 percent to 33 percent.”  [Des Moines Register, 10/15/06]

Faced with evidence that their overwhelmingly negative attack campaign against Culver is failing, the Nussle campaign turned to its last resort – more attacks, this time against the Des Moines Register:

“It is important to keep in mind The Des Moines Register poll is only a snapshot in a close race for Governor and not a reliable snapshot at that…What’s more interesting is that the current Democrat Governor had knowledge of these questionable numbers to announce before partisans at a Democrat fundraiser before they were made available to the public in print or online.”
– Nussle campaign manager Nick Ryan
Campaign release, 10/15/06

“Voters in Iowa know that Chet Culver shares their priorities, their values, and their desire for commonsense solutions,” said Culver spokeswoman Taylor West.  “Like Chet Culver and Patty Judge, Iowans from all sides of the political spectrum want to continue Iowa’s progress and move the state forward – not turn it over to Washington-style mismanagement and partisanship. 

“It says a lot about the flailing Nussle campaign that, after losing ground by attacking Chet Culver with misleading smears, they lash out at the next target they can find – the Des Moines Register.

“The Culver campaign will continue working tirelessly to reach out and inspire voters, including people like the volunteer who waited at the Des Moines Register print shop last night to get the first copy of Sunday’s paper off the press and report the poll numbers back to a fired-up Jefferson-Jackson Dinner crowd.

“We are proud of the momentum and enthusiasm Chet Culver’s positive vision for Iowa is creating across this state, and we will keep working hard to earn every vote.”