Trust me, I didn’t think he had much of a chance, but polling has been showing otherwise;
The most recent survey by Nielson Brothers Polling (NBP) shows Public Utilities Commission (PUC) candidate Matt McGovern as the strongest statewide Democratic candidate. In the NBP survey of likely South Dakota voters, conducted from October 28 to October 31, McGovern leads Republican Kristie Fiegen by 6 percent (45 to 39 percent). Libertarian Russell Clarke receives 5 percent of support, with 11 percent “undecided.â€
Besides Neilson’s, sometimes skeptical polling, there has been internal polling by the Dems and Repugs.
McGovern is ahead.
I have learned from following politics not to hold my breath though – but – I will wish Matt luck.
Fiegen would wreak havoc on the PUC.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19ToC8pQrCY[/youtube]
(Guest Poster contributed to the following)
Think about this for a moment and we see Xcel the holes to the discussion. Why should we allow Xcel charge us for jet travel when a Cessna 182 or other prop plane will do the job with all the same arguments? Xcel is lying and they know it. Why should we care if they are a multi-billion dollar company so their CEO has to be paid like the others, leaving us to suffer under their excessive CEO salary structure? It is not our fault they decided to build their debt load to get richer. NSP used to be a well-run organization but we are now suffering under the Enron greed model. South Dakota rate payers should only “have†to pay for required trips to South Dakota and no more. These trips should be reimbursed at a standard PUC approved rate. So cost effective for who and how? The only way to question this activity is have someone on the board who has not had the pleasure of Leaving on a Jetplane.
Also noted here is Fiegen’s statement: “I live in real-ville, fighting for South Dakota families and their pocketbooks every day — not politics,†Fiegen said in an email. “And I will continue fighting for South Dakota families for the next six years.†Since when is the political Queen of South Dakota ALEC living in ‘real-ville’?
These planes are luxuries for the side benefit of the CEO and Boards only justified by occasional use by staffs. Private industry can have them because they have to justify them in their profit and loss statements. Regulated Public Utilities are not private corporations when it comes to the law. We may not own them directly but the state PUC has full rights to all transactions for the setting of rates to ram own our throats.  This is an expense frill for the “managers†of the business to make themselves more ‘important’.
Interesting how the poli ad running would have you believe that McGovern “changed” his name and makes you believe he is not a McGovern.
I know, they make it sound like I changed my name to McGovern. Republicans worry about stupid shit.
It would be great for the South Dakota Democratic Party if Matt McGovern wins on tuesday. He has ran a true Democratic race, talking about issues which Democrats and Independents can identify with and believe in. We need this in a Democratic candidate in South Dakota. Like his grandfather did some fifty-six years ago, Matt’s election can open the door to a renewal of the real Democratic Party which the people of South Dakota need and deserve.
For too long the South Dakota Democratic Party has allowed its self to evolve into a “kinder gentler” Republican Party. With McGovern, we can organize and run successful candidates in the future which allow South Dakotans to have a true choice and a honest debate.
The other Matt in this race, Matt Varilek, would equally make a great Democratic Representative from South Dakota for us in Washington, but if he loses on tuesday, I believe it will be because his campaign has not been running a campaign which Democrats and Independents
can emotionally identify with. The Varilek race has been too much about committee attendance and not enough about Medicare. This congressional race should have been about Noem and Ryan, and the Noem/Ryan Budget which would destroy Medicare as we know it. However, The inability of the Varilek camp to grasp this necessity speaks more to the evolution of the South Dakota Democratic Party away from its core philosophy then any strategic mis-step.
Although, I want this to be the year of the Matts and not the Kristi(e)s. If McGovern wins, but not Varilek, it will be a signal to the South Dakota Democratic Party that it is time to “Come home” as the late George McGovern told Democrats to do some forty years ago – a political platform which overtime has proven itself right.
In the past, this blog has claimed South Dakota Democrats to be Minnesota Republicans. With the election of Matt McGovern we can break from that image and begin to fight for the citizens and the consumers of South Dakota, rather than spending are time softening the blow of right wing Republican politics and leadership.
l3wis, when you have no workable plans or ideas, stupid shit is all ya got left. This state needs a major housecleaning…
Judging by the number of anti-McGovern ads on last night’s SNL, the GOP is worried about this race.
Scott, I think they are very worried about this race. Feigen’s very erratic and nervous closing statement in the Public Television PUC debate late last month spoke volumes of how nervous she and the SD GOP are about this race.
Feigen has four things working against her. Her candidacy lacks nostalgia, sympathy, an emotional ideological link with the voters, and a lack of state name ID. McGovern has all four going for him.
I also, believe if swing voters go into the voting booth thinking Obama has a good chance at re-election, then they will be more willing to split their ticket, in a neutral year like this, by voting for Matt McGovern for PUC and supporting a Republican for Congress.
But Fiegen is fighting against obama! That’s all the dullards in South Dakota care about.
Fiegen’s negative campaign is a little too late. This campaign cycle for Democrats in South Dakota should be about Xcel and Medicare, but instead its about Xcel and attendance.
If McGovern wins a squeaker like McGovern 46%- Fiegen 45%- Clark 7%
How close does Varilek get? 57-43? 55-45?
The lastest Nielsen Poll has McGovern and Fiegen in a dead heat with Matt leading and gaining.
16 and 14 look like they are going down also, and 15 has the tide turning with that one losing in polling also. Good.
Noem is going to win, obviously but let’s keep our fingers crossed that all the measures go down in a ball of flames.
McGovern 48, Fiegen 46, Clark 6
Noem 58, Varilek 42
I wouldn’t be too sure, Sen Geo couldn’t pull SD in 1972.
But he did two years later, McG 53, Thorsness 47