Ed Morrissey reports that a new internal poll for Republican congressional candidate Chip Cravaack shows Democratic incumbent Jim Oberstar leading Cravaack 45% to 42%. The race for Minnesota’s 8th district is currently rated solid Democratic by the Cook Political Report, and Oberstar has won reelection with 64% or more of the vote in every election from 1994 until now. But there’s reason to believe this poll might be somewhere close to reality.
Though it’s an internal poll, it was conducted by a reputable firm, Public Opinion Strategies. Obama and Kerry each won the district with just 53 percent of the vote in their respective presidential races. Though the district is heavily unionized, it’s a mining district that encompasses the “Iron Range,” where his vote for cap-and-trade can’t be playing well.
