The Minnesota governor’s race is a dead heat again as the latest poll finds pro-life Republican Tom Emmer almost tying pro-abortion DFL candidate Mark Dayton.
According to SurveyUSA’s final pre-election tracking poll for KSTP-TV in Minneapolis Dayton has 39 percent of the vote to 38 percent for Emmer and Independence Party candidate Tom Horner grabs 13 percent.“Horner complicates any analysis of the race,” the firm says. “The one point difference between Dayton and Emmer reported here does not have statistical significance. The contest should be reported as even. Each of the two leading candidates has a chance to win.”
Independent voters split 37% for Dayton, 37% for Emmer, and 17 % for Horner. Emmer has a slight advantage among men and Dayton has a slight advantage among women. Emmer does better with younger voters, winning the 18-34 and 35-49 demographics, while Dayton wins the 50-up categories.
Minnesota-based conservative analyst Ed Morrissey of Hot Air says, “There is one demographic that should give Emmer a ray of hope in the last few days.”
“He trails Dayton in the Twin Cities, where Democratic power resides — but only by five points, 37/42,” Morrissey notes. “He also trails in the heavily union Northeast, 35/45, again closer than one would imagine for a Republican nominee. If Chip Cravaack can manage a big turnout in MN-08, that edge in the Northeast may disappear and carry Emmer to victory on Tuesday night.”
‘Emmer edges Dayton among those who “always” vote in midterm elections, 40/38, and in this cycle it seems as though that would be an advantage, since Republicans and independents are more likely to turn out this year,” he concludes.
For Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, executive director Scott Fischbach says only Emmer is pro-life and he urges pro-life voters to get to the polls to support him.
“This race is crystal clear — only Tom Emmer supports life and it is more important than ever to re-double our efforts to get Tom Emmer elected,” he told LifeNews.com. [related]
“The number of abortions have dropped 14% while Governor Pawlenty has been in office and with Tom Emmer as Governor that trend can continue,” Fischbach explained. “Both Mark Dayton and Tom Horner are radical supporters of abortion on demand — we have to wore tirelessly to make sure that the babies and the moms are protected by election Tom Emmer as Governor.”
Planned Parenthood has endorsed Dayton while MCCL is behind Emmer.
Current pro-life Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty is not seeking re-election and the poll finds his approval rating a 49-49 percent among Minnesota voters.
