A poll commissioned by Credo, the cell phone company whose Super PAC is spending millions of dollars to defeat Rep. Joe Walsh and nine other Tea Party congressman, shows Tammy Duckworth with what appears to be an insuperable lead over the loudmouthed incumbent.
According to the survey, conducted by North Carolina-based Public Policy Polling, 54 percent of 8th District voters favor Duckworth, while only 40 percent will vote for Walsh.
Even though the district was drawn specifically to elect Duckworth, Walsh would have had difficult beating any Democrat there. Only 36 percent of respondents have a favorable impression of him, and only 41 percent want to see him re-elected, while 52 want a new representative.
Two questions on issues indicate how out of step Walsh is with his new district. The first was “If your member of Congress opposed a woman’s right to choose, even in cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is in danger, would that make you more likely or less likely to vote for them, or would it make no difference?” Only 18 percent said it would make them more likely, while 53 percent said less. 29 percent said it would make no difference.
The second question was “If your member of Congress voted for Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget that would make cuts to Medicare benefits, would that make you more likely or less likely to vote for them, or would it make no difference?” Only 23 percent said more likely, while 57 percent said less likely, and 19 percent said it would make no difference.
But don’t cry for Joe Walsh. He got lucky in 2010, riding a Republican wave past an opponent who didn’t take him seriously enough. Even if he’d run against Melissa Bean in the same district they contested two years ago, he would have lost, with Barack Obama atop the ballot, and his record of ludicrous remarks about Muslims, military veterans, and women in danger of dying in childbirth.
But Walsh has made the most of his two years in Congress. When he loses, the Tea Party will revere him as a martyr to liberalism, leading to nationwide speaking invitations, and offers of his own radio show, which will probably be entertaining. Can you quote anything Randy Hultgren has said since he was elected to Congress two years ago? Can you quote anything Don Manzullo has said? He was elected in 1992. He’ll have to look for work as a lobbyist, because he’s too boring to remain in the public eye.
Joe Walsh won’t become a lobbyist. He’s proven he can’t work with members of Congress.
