Weiland the Happy Warrior Celebrates Stunning Online Poll Triumph

Rick Weiland ordered a recount and produced the most clever fundraising e-mail I've read this season.

Friday I reported that Democrat Weiland tied his main U.S. Senate opponent, Republican Marion Michael Rounds, in an informal online poll in the Yankton Press and Dakotan. Weiland checked either a moment before or a moment after I did: when he glanced at the online bar chart, Weiland saw himself 0.9% ahead of Rounds.

Whatever the margin, Weiland has some fun declaring victory:

It's all over but the shouting. A new Yankton Press & Dakotan Poll says we have it in the bag.

Weiland 35.1% - Rounds 34.2%

So now that it is in the bag, you don't need to contribute anymore.

Unless, of course, you think Mike Rounds' 9 million dollars might enable him to close the yawning 0.9% lead we have opened up on him. Or you think there is any chance this poll of the Dakotan's online readers is not perfectly representative of all of the voters in South Dakota.

It's up to you. If you think we've got this election pretty much wrapped up, then don't click here to send me $9 or whatever you can spare.

But if you think Governor Mike and his millions still have a chance to buy South Dakota's Senate seat, and add it to the trophy bag of the out of state millionaires who are paying for most of his campaign, then please, unlimber your finger, click here, and send us some ammunition to keep him from catching up.

Your help now will be greatly appreciated, and will help keep us from getting complacent in the afterglow of this huge victory in the P&D poll [Rick Weilan, campaign fundraising e-mail, 2014.02.17].

Now that's the sound of a happy warrior who knows the true value of online polls. Carry on, Rick!