Poll Shows Bosseau With Lead

CNS Candidate Holds Slight Edge In NWP Governor's Race, Poll Says

DAYLE-LOCKE, NWP--Conservative gubernatorial candidate Jacqueline Bosseau has taken the lead in a poll for the first time since she began a re-match with incumbent governor Dale Rochey (NAT). The two faced each other last December in what was the state's closest election in history. When Rochey won 50.98% to Bosseau's 49.02%, the conservative activist and gun-rights enthusiast immediately announced she would continue her campaign and have a re-match with Rochey this November.

And the race this time around is just as close. Polls over the last few months have shown Rochey with an insignificant one or two point lead. However, a new poll released today by the Grantham Institute, a non-partisan organization that studies New Portsmouth politics, shows Bosseau leading Rochey 51.64% to 48.36%.

When all polls from the last four months are averaged, the two candidates are still tied at 47% each, with 6% undecided.

Still, the Bosseau campaign heralded the new poll numbers as proof Ms. Bosseau is making in-roads with the voters, particularly in areas where she struggled in the 2007 election.

"This poll shows that no only is Jacqueline's message of change resonating in strongly conservative places like Bridgeman County, it is also starting to win over people in areas that previously voted for Dale Rochey; places like Gadley County and Collier County," Brian Smith, a campaign spokesman told the Grantham Telegraph newspaper.

Rochey's campaign down-played the poll, pointing out the two candidates are still virtually tied when recent polls are averaged.

"I don't know why Jacqueline Bosseau's campaign is celebrating one silly little poll," campaign spokeswoman Brandy Sherksman told WDYL-TV. "Governor Rochey has been leading in the polls for months now, and an occasional bump in the polls is no cause for a pat-on-the-back by the Bosseau campaign."

Whatever one concludes from the poll numbers, it's clear Governor Dale Rochey and Lt. Governor Jane Hanman face a tough challenge for re-election from Bosseau and her running mate Evan Kershing.

Like the December 2007 election, the race seems to be centering on issues such as gun-rights, taxes, transportation, education funding, and the environment. Bosseau and Kershing support gun-rights and lower taxes while Rochey and Hanman oppose gun-ownership and want to rescind tax-cuts for the wealthy.

On transportation, the candidates' positions are less clear. Bosseau has attacked Rochey for his inaction on the matter, particularly the NR-1 corridor that runs north and south through the state's heavily-populated east side. Rochey and the NAT-controlled legislature approved $15.8 million in consultants and studies for the corridor, and the governor says a compromise with the legislature must be reached before any plan can be executed.

Education is also taking center stage in the race. Since taking office in January 2008, Rochey signed into law $16 million in additional education spending. Most of the funding comes from property and estate taxes, although a sizeable portion also comes from state lottery revenue. Bosseau has criticized Rochey for increasing taxes, saying New Portsmouth families "can't afford Dale Rochey's budget." Rochey counters Bosseau would cut education spending in the interest of lower taxes, and is unfairly abandoning New Portsmouth's children.

"It's a sad day when hunting on Mt. Sabacca is more important to you than the education of New Portsmouth's future generations," Rochey told an audience in Collier, referring to Bosseau's proposal to allow conditional hunting on the west side of Mt. Sabacca National Park.

Environmental issues have played a less-prominent role in the campaign. However, the issue drew more attention last week when Rochey said he would allocate $70 million dollars for green technology over the next seven years. Bosseau supports additional funding for environmental projects, but says a $70 million price tag is too much. She also says there are more pressing needs, such as brown-field clean-ups in the north eastern part of the state, and a habitat revitalization project in Collier County.

As the final weeks of the campaign near, the race is attracting big money from both parties. Rochey has raised $8.1 million while Bosseau has raised $7.4 million. The Conservative Governor's Association (CGA) is promising an additional $1.4 million for Bosseau's campaign before the December 4th election. The Nationalist Governor's Association (NGA) is also pledging more donations for Rochey, but has not said exactly how much they will give.