A poll conducted on behalf of Congressman Bill Shuster’s campaign is showing the incumbent ahead of his Republican challenger Michael DelGrosso by a margin of 30 percent.
The polling data indicated 62 percent of “likely” Republican voters in the Ninth Congressional District would vote for Shuster in a trail ballot while 32 percent would vote for DelGrosso.
The two men are squaring off in the primary election next month and the new poll shows a stark difference in the mood of the electorate when compared to a poll released by Michael DelGrosso’s campaign in February. In that poll, the data indicated a near dead-heat between the two candidates.
In an interview with The Daily Herald, Shuster’s campaign operative Ray Zaborney said the campaign does not release polling numbers but instead a recent memo it had received from a Virginia-based firm had found its way onto a web site (www.politicspa.com) after the Shuster campaign released the information to some campaign supporters.
“What you have on the survey is a race which really isn’t much of a race,” said Zaborney. “For all the rhetoric you hear out of the DelGrosso campaign, there’s not much of a race here. We have a 30 point lead on the ballot district wide. It’s 62 to 32 and there’s very little undecided.”
Zaborney also spoke about some campaign issues when asked about definite plans for an upcoming debate or debates with DelGrosso.
“His (DelGrosso’s) debate proposal is ridiculous,” said Zaborney. “To think there would be 15 debates when the United States Senate candidates will only debate once and there are plans for the candidates for president will only debate four times at the most.
“As far as an individual debate we are still working with some of the sponsors,” said Zaborney. “I think Congressman Shuster is very excited to debate Michael DelGrosso. I know (DelGrosso) walking around saying how bad he wants to debate Bill Shuster. Well, Michael DelGrosso better be careful what he wishes for.”
Zaborney indicated while no such debate has been finalized it would most likely occur in Blair County and one of the likely sponsors would be the Blair County Chamber of Commerce.
The Shuster campaign was also asked about campaign financing including how much money had been raised to date and the type of budget it was setting aside for advertising.
Zaborney wouldn’t get into exact numbers but did offer some insight into which direction the campaign was headed regarding getting its message out to the voters.
“I think what you’ll see is a significant commitment of resources of this campaign to get its message out to the voters of the Ninth District,” said Zaborney.
“We’ll be communicating what he’s done in Washington,” said Zaborney. “(The real results) of what he’s been able to accomplish.
“Unlike myself where this is a full time job, not everybody knows the record and why we are going to communicate it in various means.
“I think what is important about this polling memo is before really spending any significant resources we have a 30 percent lead,” said Zaborney.
One other poll highlight according to Zaborney is the finding more 70 percent of Republicans in the district believe that Congressman Shuster is doing a good job, i.e. an approval rating of 72 percent with only 16 percent showing disapproval.
The poll was conducted Feb. 29-March 1, 2004 by The Tarrance Group of Alexandria Virginia. The poll had a +/- 4.8 margin of error.
