Poll-Proof

Jim Geraghty writes in NRO about how the blue Tsunami might in fact be a leaky diaper.

The whole piece is worth a read – but this bit in particular caught my attention, vis-a-vis polling and dire-sounding media coverage:

Folks on the right get used to hearing that they’re going to lose, how the Democrats have all the advantages, and they develop the ability to just keep plugging away in a tough environment. GOP grassroots activists are used to bad news, critical coverage, and ominous poll results. They’ve seen their candidates give amazing debate performances and then watch the coverage declare the Democrat the big winner. They’re used to having their attack ads denounced as vicious and unfair while the Democratic candidate’s ads are merely “hard-hitting” or “tough.” They’re used to seeing unflattering photos of candidates on the front page, comments taken out of context, fact-checkers that get the facts wrong, headlines that leave the wrong impression, and glowing editorial-page endorsements of the opposition. They’re used to having their yard signs stolen.

And they get up every morning and knock on doors and make the calls and participate in get-out-the-vote efforts anyway.

Of course, this rings true for Minnesota Republicans; if you didn’t get used to ignoring Dave Schultz and mocking the Minnesota Poll, you’d never get out of bed…

3 thoughts on “Poll-Proof

  1. My only problem with articles like this (and I appreciate and respect Geraghty in contrast to most of his other NR colleagues), is that it doesn’t take into consideration just how brazenly the left cheats. Illegal(ly registered) voters, “found” boxes of votes, non-functioning machines… the true believers of the left will employ all of these to get their way. They too just keep plugging away.

  2. Its why I view 538 as garbage now. He cant help it though, its not Silvers fault the pollsters havent adjusted their models. I believe he gave Hillary a 75-80% chance to win going into election night, while lower than some (Huffpo had it close to 90% I believe) still way off. If I had to bet right now Id say that the House ends up damn near split with either party with a +/-5 seat lead.

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