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Lowe, Rhoden, Hubbel: Madville Times Readers Favor the Underdogs

Oh, you crazy readers! The latest Madville Times polls asked you to vote for your favorites in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, the Republican Senate primary, and the Republican gubernatorial primary. I asked the questions in that order, and I present the answers in that order... which I also believe reflects the ascending order of unlikelihood:

Democrats for Governor:

  1. Joe Lowe: 73% (165 votes)
  2. Susan Wismer: 27% (62)

Republicans for Senate:

  1. Larry Rhoden: 46% (179)
  2. Stace Nelson: 35% (135)
  3. Mike Rounds: 8% (30)
  4. Jason Ravnsborg: 7% (29)
  5. Annette Bosworth: 4% (14)

Republicans for Governor:

  1. Lora Hubbel: 63% (210)
  2. Dennis Daugaard: 37% (125)

Lowe, Rhoden, and Hubbel—we do love the underdogs here (which shows I'm reaching my intended audience). How do we explain these results (other than saying, "It's a blog! Har de har har!)?

Lowe is the least under of the dogs. Against Susan Wismer's inherent advantage as an experienced party establishment candidate, he has mounted a vigorous and credible statewide campaign with smart advisors and straight talk. He wins an advantage here perhaps in part because we haven't heard much in response from Wismer, who only started campaigning in earnest after tax season ended.

----------Update 08:50 MDT: Lowe's Black Hills neighbor John Tsitrian contends that Lowe should beat Wismer on specifity over reticence.--------------

Rhoden again showed he has a lot of followers online willing to turn out and click his name when offered the opportunity, even on a liberal website. Recall that in December, Rhoden finished second behind Nelson among readers here. Rhoden actually pulled the same number of votes this time, but fewer folks showed up to click for Nelson. Remember that Rhoden and this blog share connections to Madison, so that Madison audience could be turning out big for the West River rancher (watch for Lake County to be an island of western turquoise for Rhoden amidst a electoral checkerboard of Nelson red and Rounds blue on June 3).

Rounds is clueless about the Internet, so we wouldn't expect them to show up in representative numbers here. Rounds is still the favorite. Nelson has made the hardest pitch for the anti-Rounds vote, assembling what appears to be the largest grassroots campaign and the strongest visibility of anyone not named Mike. But South Dakotans have a timid streak, and Nelson makes enough people mad that, if they are looking for a Rounds alternative, they might default to the safe, clean, and manly Rhoden.

And then there's Lora Hubbel. Readers may have turned out strong for Hubbel in part because she has been willing to share her views on a variety of issues with this blog, despite the fact that I've swung the Tea-Party-crazy club at her. She's shown that even amidst our disagreement, we can find common ground on important issues... and I get the impression that's as important to you, dear readers, as it is to me.

I doubt, alas, that that goodwill has gotten out much beyond these pages and various Tea Party meetings. Hubbel doesn't have as large of a ground game as Dennis Daugaard. Hubbel will win a protest vote from Republicans who get a bad taste in their mouths from the Rounds-Daugaard administration's GOED/EB-5 errors. She'll get votes from two thirds of the folks who vote for Nelson. But a strong majority will still nominate Daugaard.

Thank you, dear readers, for casting your votes! As always, I invite your interpretation of the results. Now don't forget to vote in the real primary June 3!

26 Comments

  1. Lanny V Stricherz 2014.05.22

    Awe, come on Cory, when are you going to admit, that grudz and his Rhoden's Rangers found a way to spam the vote?

    I also don't think that your column alleging some sort of misconduct by Stace Nelson in his truck driver, NCIS laughing comment on 100 eyes without taking into consideration the whole of that segment of the conversation, right in the middle of the voting, may have prejudiced the vote. If you can do that, why can't Brendan Johnson release his information on the investigation into Rounds/Daugaard and EB-5 prior to the primary?

  2. John Tsitrian 2014.05.22

    Laughing at the thought of how this state would look if the Madville Mob's results held up in the general. SD would still be last in a lot of categories, but we'd be at the top of the heap when it comes to "most interesting state in the Union." :-) Nice effort Cory.

  3. Bree S. 2014.05.22

    Yup, trolls spammed the vote because they're afraid of Nelson. Rhoden has zero support, except maybe at the Watertown newspaper.

  4. Douglas Wiken 2014.05.22

    Online polls are amusing. Of course, if you want to see another view of amusing, take a look at Bill Srstka's Facebook page where he says he always responds to phone polls with the most outrages responses possible and then says his political affiliation is likely the Democratic Party even when certainly not.

  5. caheidelberger Post author | 2014.05.22

    John, a state run by people who read this blog is one of the 's charter goals (well, would be, if I had a charter).

    Bree, "zero support"? Organization, signage, and our passions may say so, but could there be a Rounds 2002 factor? As I suggest above, could Rhoden gain some safe-harbor votes from folks who don't like Rounds but get scared by shouting?

    Lanny, remember: "spamming" could be just another way of saying "effective get-out-the-vote organizing."

  6. Roger Cornelius 2014.05.22

    And then there are those Madville Democrats and Democrats across the state that have changed their voter registration to Republican and Independent for the primary in hopes of increasing or decreasing the vote to get a weak candidate on the general election ballot.

  7. Lanny V Stricherz 2014.05.22

    Won't do any good to switch from Dem to Inde for the primary. You could still only vote in the Dem primary. The Repubs won't allow anyone but registered Repubs.

  8. Lanny V Stricherz 2014.05.22

    Lanny, remember: "spamming" could be just another way of saying "effective get-out-the-vote organizing."

    So, you think that is okay, Cory? Sure glad I only voted in the primary for which I was registered. I would like to see another poll, which listed whether or not each person voted in only the poll of the primary for which they were registered.

  9. Wes 2014.05.22

    Come on, Bree. No one is afraid of Nelson...annoyed is more like it. And talk about spam, look at all the phony Nelson twitter accounts. I highly doubt that Rhoden's two supporters on this site are wasting their time with a liberal blog poll. Seems like this poll has you afraid of Rhoden.

  10. grudznick 2014.05.22

    Rhoden laughing.
    Rhoden laughing.

  11. Lanny V Stricherz 2014.05.22

    naw, grudz,

    grudz laughing
    grudz laughing

    grudz and his Rhoden Rangers (two) pull fast one on Cory H and the Madville poll.

    Rhoden got more votes on this poll than he will in the Republican primary.

  12. Lanny V Stricherz 2014.05.22

    Lanny wrong, grudz not laughing,

    grudz snickering
    grudz snickering.

  13. Douglas Wiken 2014.05.22

    "Grudz" is not a human. His stuff fails the Touring test.

  14. grudznick 2014.05.22

    Untrue, Mr. Wiken. I "Tour" with the best. I Tour well. I, sir, am the ultimate Tourist.

    You might check your meaning or your spelling sir. I fear your brain is damaged by my reality.

  15. grudznick 2014.05.22

    Mr. Wiken, it seems the right time to ask this, and I try to be precise in my spelling despite your failure as an adult in this area. So I ask this straight up.

    Are you a witch?

    Because if you're not, you are missing a really neato opportunity. Are you a witch, Mr. Wiken?

  16. Roger Cornelius 2014.05.22

    grudz,

    There are times that I really don't much care for you, this isn't one of them.

    Good question to Wiken.

  17. grudznick 2014.05.22

    You still hate me, Mr. C. And I appreciate it.

  18. Roger Cornelius 2014.05.22

    grudz,

    When did I say I hated you?

  19. Lanny V Stricherz 2014.05.23

    You didn't have to say it Roger. He feels it. He thinks everyone hates him.
    I heard him singing that little ditty that we learned when we were kids.

    Nobody loves me, everybody hates me,
    guess I'll go eat worms.
    Bite the heads off, suck the juice out,
    throw the skins away.
    Nobody loves me, everybody hates me,
    that's why I eat worms, three times a day.

  20. larry kurtz 2014.05.23

    If Madville polls are representative of South Dakota Democrats they show your power in the earth hater primaries: wield that power, people.

  21. larry kurtz 2014.05.23

    Help your Republican friends understand how South Dakota has become a failed state under single party rule: get them to vote for Lora Hubbel and Larry Rhoden or Stace.

  22. Roger Cornelius 2014.05.23

    Lanny,

    So grudz is the Charlie Brown of Madville?

  23. Deb Geelsdottir 2014.05.23

    Lanny, thanks for the lyric. I never could remember the whole thing.

    I like the image of Grudz as Charlie Brown. Is your head round Grudz?

  24. Lanny V Stricherz 2014.05.23

    Doggone it Deb, I missed a verse and thought about it later this morning.

    After "Guess I'll go eat worms." it should be
    Big fat juicy ones, little tiny scrawny ones,
    Look how that one squirms.

    And then "Bite the------

  25. Roger Cornelius 2014.05.23

    If grudz didn't hide behind an alias I would be able to tell whether I hate or not. You really can't hate myth can you?

  26. Deb Geelsdottir 2014.05.23

    Oh, thank god, I've got it right! I am forever in your debt.

    Next time I'm strolling in the sculpture garden, like I did today; or soaking up the sun on the coffee shop patio, like I also did today; I'm going to sing it softly, but with enough volume for people nearby to hear.

    Hahahaha! Lanny, you have just contributed to the entertainment of an untold number of Minnesotans. Thank you!

Comments are closed.