Power

New Poll Suggests Bachmann May Be In Tight Race

Could the lightning rod Minnesota conservative really be in danger of losing her seat?

Photo: MentorMob.

Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann spent a lot of time at media events discussing how she was truly an Iowan at heart during her short-lived 2012 presidential run. Now, some of that hometown charm may be coming back to haunt her, as a new poll suggests she may be struggling in her own Minnesota district.

Via Salon:

Overall, the poll shows Bachmann leading Graves 48-46 percent, within the margin of error. The race has moved significantly among independents, with a 20-point net shift toward [Democrat Jim] Graves, from a 41-45 percent disadvantage in June to a 52-37 percent lead now. Among independents, Bachmann’s favorability rating has slipped 4 points while her unfavorability rating has jumped 7 points. Overall, she’s viewed mostly negatively. Among all voters, 40 percent give her a positive job rating, while a sizable 57 percent give her a negative one, with a plurality of 35 percent giving the most negative answer possible — “poor.”

Bachmann was officially moved out of her district when Stillwater, Minnesota was redistricted. However, Bachmann chose to continue to campaign for her seat in the newly reconfigured 6th rather than run against incumbent Democratic Congresswoman Betty McCollum.

When asked if she worried her presidential campaign could have some effect on her re-election shortly after the new districts were announced, Bachmann seemed unconcerned

“No, not at all,” she replied, “In seeking national office, I was a clear common-sense voice of our congressional district and, I feel, made a significant contribution to the national debate: I called for full-scale repeal of ObamaCare—you can’t issue waivers or executive order away something that is one-sixth of the economy—and for full-scale repeal of Dodd-Frank, and I am the chief sponsor of repeal legislation.”  Bachmann also said that in spite of falling short in the race, she was proud of her campaign and pointed out that she was the first woman to seek the Republican nomination for the  presidency who won the ‘straw vote’ in Ames, Iowa.

Jim Graves, a hotel industry executive, was running five points behind the Congresswoman in a June poll conducted by the same firm.