Recent polls show Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., is riding a wave of
support as he heads into the Wisconsin primary, according to the
latest poll taken by Market Shares Corp. for the Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel and WTMJ-TV.
Forty-five percent of likely voters in the Wisconsin Democratic
primary say they back Kerry, more than all the supporters for the
other three major candidates combined.
Although Gen. Wesley Clark pulled out of the presidential race
at press time, he received 13 percent of statewide support in the
poll. He was followed by former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean with 12
percent and Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., with 9 percent. Seventeen
percent of voters said they were still currently undecided.
One in three Wisconsin voters polled said they would not like to
see Dean win the nomination. One in six voters said the same thing
of Clark.
The results reveal the large role electability is playing in
this year’s primary run. Sixty-seven percent of likely voters said
Kerry’s chances of defeating Bush this fall were good or excellent.
While the majority of Kerry supporters cited the ability to beat
Bush as most important, the majority of supporters in the other
three camps pointed instead to a candidate’s stance on the
issues.
“We have the strongest candidate that is the best challenge to
George Bush,” Don Eggert, co-chair of Students for Kerry, said.
“Electability, I think, is justifiably an important issue.”
Eggert said because a significant faction of Americans want Bush
out of office, electability has become a bigger and more legitimate
issue than in other years.
“People realize the advantage the Republicans have because they
have an incumbent and an incredible amount of money. People just
understand that four more years under George Bush means we are
going to a scary place,” Eggert said.
Wisconsin lawmakers U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., and U.S. Reps.
David Obey, D-Wausau, and Ron Kind, D-La Crosse, formally endorsed
Kerry Tuesday.
“I am honored to receive the support of such respected Wisconsin
leaders in my candidacy for president. As Democrats we are unified
in the fight to beat George Bush and are working together to build
a safer, stronger and more secure America,” Kerry said in a press
statement.
Although Kerry is yet to campaign here, all of the other major
candidates have visited Wisconsin over the weekend to win voters.
The polls indicate that Kerry’s competition have an uphill battle
in Wisconsin a week before the state’s primary Feb. 17.
Adam Diederich, co-chair of Students for Clark, feels that
despite his withdrawal, Clark was an important player in the
Democratic race and added to the overall caliber of the
contenders.
Because he entered the race later than other candidates,
Diederich thinks Clark did not have sufficient campaign
organization, which ultimately hurt him in the end.
“Above all, it shows he got into the race too late. I definitely
still think he was the best candidate,” Diederich said, adding he
believes Clark is a “serious contender” for the vice president
bid.
Because of their similar demographics, Diederich thinks many of
Clark’s supporters will now opt to back Edwards.
