Daily Kos Elections Morning Digest: West Virginia Democrats continue to romp in latest polling
• WV-Sen, WV-Gov: We've finally gotten some new numbers in the downballot races in West Virginia, races which on paper seem competitive given the state's distinctly red hue at the presidential level. If the numbers from local pollster R.L. Repass (on behalf of the Daily Mail) are to be believed, though, the local version of the Democratic Party is still very healthy. Repass has Sen. Joe Manchin punishing John Raese 66-27, and Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin manhandling Bill Maloney 56-35. If you think those numbers seem inflated, those are actually down sharply from Repass's May numbers, the last time anybody has polled these races (when they had the Senate race at 74-22 and the gubernatorial contest at 60-32). Also supporting the idea that it's not too Dem-friendly a sample: Mitt Romney unsurprisingly leads Barack Obama 52-38.
Repass also has incumbent Dems up in two races further downballot—Darrell McGraw leads Patrick Morrisey 57-33 in the AG contest, and John Perdue leads Mike Hall 53-34 for Treasurer—but there is one spot of bad news on the distant horizon. Jay Rockefeller, who's more liberal than the average West Virginia Dem and isn't as obsequious to King Coal, trails Republican Rep. Shelley Moore Capito 48-44 in a hypothetical 2014 matchup. (This may not come to pass anyway, as the septuagenarian Rockefeller is a could very well retire.) (David Jarman)
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/09/04/1127461/-Daily-Kos-Elections-Morning-Digest-West-Virginia-Democrats-continue-to-romp-in-latest-polling
