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New poll shows Donnelly, Pence with big leads

 IBJ Staff and Associated Press
November 2, 2012
Keywords
Elections, Federal Government, Government, Government & Economic Development, Politics, U.S. Senate
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An Indiana race that could help decide control of the U.S. Senate appears to be shifting in favor of the Democrat after the tea party-backed candidate made a poorly received statement about rape and abortion.

The Howey/DePauw University Battleground poll released Friday shows Republican Richard Mourdock trailing Democrat Joe Donnelly by 11 points. The two were neck and neck in the polls until Mourdock's comments on abortion in a televised Oct. 23 debate.

The two had been running even until Mourdock's remarks. Mourdock's campaign and national Republicans have tried to move past the comments, but Democrats have spent heavily in Indiana to replay sound bites of them for voters even though Donnelly has previously voted for the same position held by Mourdock.

The poll of 800 likely voters was conducted by Republican pollster Christine Matthews and Democratic pollster Fred Yang between Oct. 28 and Oct. 30. It carries a 3.5 percent margin of error.

In the governor's race, the poll shows Republican Mike Pence leading Democrat John Gregg 47 percent to 40 percent, with Libertarian Rupert Boneham getting 5 percent.

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  • Wrong way
    BENovember 3, 2012 9:14 AM
    Mourdaock is going about his campaign at this late date in the WRONG WAY. What needs to be said is this: Yes I mispoke. Yes I am pro-life. Yes I am a faithful Christian: and Yes we need to gain seats in the Democratically controlled Senate to avoid the pitfalls of what has gone on over the past 4 years wiht the Obama/Pelosi Agendas and we need to repeal the OBamaCare Act. I can help do that not JOe Donnelly
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  • Don't Blame Me, I Voted for Lugar
    GOP Precinct CommitteemanNovember 3, 2012 7:25 AM
    [Mourdock's] embrace of an unrelenting partisan mindset is irreconcilable with my philosophy of governance and my experience of what brings results for Hoosiers in the Senate...This is not conducive to problem solving and governance. Dick Lugar 5/8/12
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  • Republican Values.
    mopNovember 3, 2012 2:34 AM
    They have none, Phil Hinkle will be waiting at the JW Marrriot wearing just a towel and smile if Mourdick wins, whats more disturbing he'll still be drawing a paycheck from the taxpayers. Whats worse is the CIB has a room for Herb Simon and the Jacuzzi is filled 100 dollar bills, also I can't forget Mayor Lard Oh he's on vacation again where? Papua New Guinea sounds expensive.
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  • You are so right!
    AnnaNovember 2, 2012 6:42 PM
    This mess was made by Bush. And, we all should have known that it'd take 4-5 years to start turning things around. President Obama even said this at the beginning of his term. And, Mourdock? I am surprised he is not even farther behind in popularity. Thank goodness he put his foot in his mouth so many times. He is scary with his beliefs.
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  • lol:)))))
    JoePNovember 2, 2012 3:34 PM
    Tea party hobbits made this possible. Democrats should send them a thank you card. Well, we all should, because nobody deserves Mourdock.
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  • sad,sad, sad
    SadNovember 2, 2012 2:36 PM
    The Democratic senate created the budgets that ruined our country. This happened during the Bush years but was started during the Clinton years. Keep in mind the senate creates the budget! So now if you are going to defend Obama with that same statement, you have to keep in mind that non-budgetary policies that he has implemented has burdened our economy and created major debt! We are not lost as a country. We all obviously care enough to discuss the issues here and, hopefully, vote. We may all disagree about the best way to fix our problems but I have no doubt that this country will figure it out. I'm not ashamed or embarrased to say, This IS the greatest country in the WORLD!
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  • Elections coming down to this are a very sad State of the Union
    ElaineNovember 2, 2012 2:06 PM
    I don't want a democratic senator tipping the scales to the left. On the other hand, Mourdock (unintentionally) put his foot in his mouth and a good representative of the state, especially in a publicized statement should be able to carefully choose his words and remember that everyone is watching, listening and drooling for a chance to use it to grind them into the ground. No matter who wins, we're getting pretty lost as a country.
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  • Sad
    UPSETNovember 2, 2012 2:06 PM
    How can you say it is a Democrat ravaged country when the republicans messed it up for 8 years before. The democrats inherited the republicans mess. If you listen to the ads Mike Pence even voted like Mourdock on abortion issues. Bring back the Democrats
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
    • Vote against REID
      Vote MourdockNovember 2, 2012 1:55 PM
      I don't think we can survive more Harry Reid. Vote Mourdock and take the lesser of two evils! Reid is definitely not in line with what Hoosiers want. Republicans need to take the senate to remove Harry Reid from the majority leader position. This state's senate race is VERY important for getting that done. We must remove Reid. Heck, I could stomach 4 more years of Obama if we didn't have a Democratic majority in the senate. Then only bi-partisan bills would get passed. Of course Obama likes to go around the legislative branch to "inflict his will on the people"!
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    • Hoosiers for Donnelly
      btbNovember 2, 2012 1:47 PM
      I'm so glad Indiana's common sense Hoosiers are not allowing the tens of millions of dollars in outside Super PAC funds to convince them that supporting tea party zealot Richard Mourdock is the thing to do. Hoosiers are middle of the road - and don't generally like folks that are too far to the right or too far to the left. We liked Lugar - and Donnelly will be good at filling his shoes - which hopefully will happen in a few days. Mourdock is way too far outside the norm and is a scary person as well - trying to force his "out of the mainstream" views on everybody in this state. Can't wait til he is gone from our TVs every night - and hopefully out of Indiana politics for a long time as well. It'll hopefully teach the Republicans (tea partiers in particular) their lesson for voting Mourdock in during the primaries instead of Lugar.
      Reply to CommentFlag Comment
    • NoOne to Blame but Himself
      CKNovember 2, 2012 1:44 PM
      Mourdock has no one to blame but himself. You can blame the media but all sides take everything out of context. And let's face it, even some Republicans distanced themselves from him. He found the enemy and he was in the mirror.
      Reply to CommentFlag Comment
    • This isn't rocket science
      PaulNovember 2, 2012 1:42 PM
      Riddle me this, intelligent ones... He said "God intended it to happen", according to him meaning that God intended for that life to be created. If the only way for that life to be created - that SPECIFIC life, between those two people, at that time - was for the woman to be raped and become pregnant as a result, then how do you say that God doesn't condone rape or at the very least allow it to happen? Abortion isn't even a topic the government should be debating, it's used by both sides as a hot-button issue to strike emotions and rally troops to one side vs. the other. By making this topic - or religion at all - the main point of contention in the way you vote, you're perpetuating it. Try being more intelligent than that.
      Reply to CommentFlag Comment
    • Travisty
      SadNovember 2, 2012 1:31 PM
      I think it is very sad that this campaign has come down to Mourdock having to defend God's position on rape. The ads that are running are a travisty created by super pacs. It is basically a lie. Mourdock never said God supports rape. (Although if you believe in an omnipotent God then he definitely does allow it, for whatever reasons which are beyond our comprehension.) The real issue is we will be putting Harry Reid in as the majority leader again and that, in my opinion, is the WORST thing voters could do right now. Please go vote Mourdock and let's try to save what's left of this Democrat ravaged country!
      Reply to CommentFlag Comment
      • re: John Sorg
        Marc IndyNovember 2, 2012 1:13 PM
        John I'm happy that Indiana will get the senator we deserve because no one deserves Mourdock. I would believe this was a vast conspiracy if Mourdock time and again hadn't made similar remarks. Mourdock is a tea party extremist and is just showing his true colors. In fact he won't retract his remmarks just say they were taken out of context.
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      • New Poll
        JOHN SORGNovember 2, 2012 10:44 AM
        This poll reflects the lie that Mourdock believes "God intends rape". Donnelly is a man of low character and the press, including the IBJ, still are upset that Lugar was defeated and they will not tell the truth behind the Donnelly lie. Indiana, you will get the Senator you deserve
        Reply to CommentFlag Comment

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        1. liek the rest of America

        2. These quaint,obsessed musings by the stalkers are certainly entertaining, but I'm trying to figure out what, if anything, all the yelping below has to do with Zak Brown.

        3. It's evident that Moffett was pushing the right buttons and corporate America is now trying to squash him. He just wanted to withdraw the free pilot services provided to the company by the pilots to try and put some pressure on a company that has not been interested in negotiating a contract in over 5 years. The company does not provide a contract because not having one has saved them a bundle of money. Shame on any Republic pilots not standing behind their union leader just because things are getting tough, can you not see such strategic moves by the company as putting the last union president in a corporate position and into THEIR pocket. Do you really believe the last union president is so appalled at the attempts by Moffett, do you not remember his oppositions to the company? We stood behind him. It has been proven over and over again for thousands of years without fail, a man cannot serve two masters. Anyone that believes people vote contrary to their paycheck and livelihood deserve to be taken advantage of, the recent statements by the former union president are laughable as he denounces the current union president from his new corporate position. Have you ever seen a drafted sports player score points for his previous team, it cannot be done, he is not on the pilots side anymore, he gets his money a different way now than you and I do, and he should not be allowed to remain on the seniority list. A drafted player brings strength, credibility, tactical knowledge, and a strategic advantage to his NEW team, he would not be drafted or paid were it otherwise. We are all forced to choose only one side to play for and support, not doing so has many references in life such as insider trading and shaving points, all illegal for good reason. This basic fact is why corporate moguls, scientist, and engineers all sign non-discloser agreements and non-compete clauses, as protection in case they are lured into switching sides as our former union president has done. No NFL coach ever drafted a player so that both teams could benefit and better understand each other, they are recruited to win the game against that former team, period. Likewise the company does not recruit the former union president by accident or mutual understanding, its strategy. Don't confuse playing the game with good sportsman-like conduct in support of common business and prosperity goals, with the requirement to only play for one side. Good men we all love and favor fall subject to this manipulation, often without their knowledge, and it is not a betrayal of their friendship to oppose them when they switch sides. If we did not love and trust them, they would not have been chosen and lured to the other side in the first place. The deception by the drafted player is not made at a conscious level, it's just human nature and it's all about money and power which corrupts our ability to be objective and loyal to two masters. This is why our court system created the defense attorney, and why our military created counter intelligence. Its strategy and its propaganda, and it works, and that's why the "powers to be" manipulate the chess pieces by sometimes changing their colors. Some players know they are being manipulated when their color is changed, but it brings them more money and power so they do not care. The rest have good intentions but do not even realize they are being manipulated. This tactic is also known by another name, Divide and Conquer. In battle sending an imperfect message with an imperfect team is obviously not ideal, but it's still being sent by YOUR team, your union leader, a leader that has common goals and common rewards with you, they are the best, because we have elected them to do a job for us. If you are not backing Moffett but believing the spin by those that have recently switched sides, you are taking food out of your own mouth. Showing unity and backing an imperfect situation still results in taking just as much ground, it's about unity and bargaining power. It's not necessary to wait around for that perfect attack because it will never come, the company will spin and attempt to destroy anyone that gets in their way. Ultimately it's not about any specific attack anyway, ASAP or whatever it makes no difference, it is and always has been only about power. If this company cared about safety it would not build pairings with 8 hour overnights, come on, are you that naive? Besides, do you really think Hoffa cares, no, he got a call from corporate America and was squeezed into denouncing Moffett. If he didn't they would spin the safety card against him and the Teamsters National with implication for truckers, future contracts, insurance rates etc...saying something like the Teamsters use safety as a bargaining chip, blah blah blah... Do you really think any pilot is going to do something unsafe for the contract, absolutely not, the only ones threatening safety here is the company with reduced rest, fatigue, and poverty. Do you not find it odd that Hoffa and the Teamsters are opposing a Teamster president publicly? Would the Teamsters National not normally support and work with one of their own? Why did they not sit down and help him strategize, correct any mistakes, and charge ahead? Would the Teamsters National not normally support and leverage a contract for all those pilots that have been paying Teamster dues, isn't that why we have all been paying Teamster dues in the first place? I sure haven't been paying dues so that the Teamsters National could come along and write this kind of an article undercutting our union leader and our unity. Whose side is the Teamsters National really on, it's obviously not the Republic pilots side.

        4. No matter what Moffatt does the company is going to spin it like he is the terrorist and brainwash people like you into believing it, wake up, back your players that are trying to change things for you and your livelihood. Where has Hoffa been for the last 6 years, except collecting our dues. Seriously, do you really think an FO going for upgrade, signed off by a checkairman ready for the upgrade, who then fails, is not even capable of returning as a First Officer.

        5. whoa!

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