Uh Oh

The latest poll of NM voters shows a decided uptick for Bush. I don't know if it's a fluke or if Cheney's loyalty oath appearance revved up a bunch of those strangely undecided "swing voters," whoever they are. Or if those sleazy and dishonest swift boat "truth" ads are making a dent in Kerry's support here.

Rasmussen Reports describes the results of their latest polling: NM: Survey of 500 Likely Voters, August 15, 2004:

Bush 46%
Kerry 46%
Badnarik 4%
Not Sure 3%

In New Mexico, the race for the White House is just as close today as it was four years ago. In Election 2000, Gore won the state by less than 400 votes . . . This result moves New Mexico to the "Toss-Up" column for our Electoral College projection. Our previous survey in New Mexico showed Kerry with a 7-point lead. At that point, we placed the state's Electoral Votes in the "Leans Kerry" category.

Sixty-one percent (61%) of New Mexico voters believe John Kerry wants to decrease the number of troops in Iraq. Nineteen percent (19%) believe the Democrat wants to increase our troops strength in that country. In New Mexico, 49% of all voters approve of the way President Bush is performing his job. That's up a point from our last survey and slightly below his national Job Approval rating. Data for New Mexico will be updated again early next month: Rasmussen Reports

As Jim Hightower and Fred Harris emphasized last night at the Richard Romero rally at El Rey, we have our work cut out for us between now and November 2nd to de-elect Bush and increase Democratic Congressional seats. Only in this way can we build a genuine aggressive progressive agenda.

Hightower reminded everyone that just voting or wearing a button aren't enough. If we're going to create a large, grassroots coalition of like-minded activists and candidates, we need to network, volunteer, communicate, work together and never say uncle. He stressed we must be in it for the long term and willing to keep up the pressure for as long as it takes. If we don't, the strong and vital middle class that has shown America in her best light will continue to go the way of the horse-drawn cart. The hard-won rights our ancestors secured for ordinary people will be dismantled, plank by plank. We'll be left asking the question Hightower saw on a bumpersticker on a battered pickup truck in Austin:

Where Are We Going and What Am I Doing In This Handbasket?