Rasmussen has released a new poll showing that Democrat and former Mayor Bill White trails all of his likely Republican opponents in the November general election.
I’m not qualified to read the polling data and question the results, but I’m not sure this is really bad news for White and his supporters.
Remember that White just launched his first statewide TV ad this week,so some voters and television viewers are getting their first look at his campaign. (His campaign also reminded me that White has also never run statewide, and according to last reporting period, White outraised Governor Rick Perry and has spent less money.)
Second, White and Houston hair care executive Farouk Shami will debate for the first time on Monday. That gives the former Houston Mayor the opportunity to introduce himself to a wider audience and discuss his proposed policies.
Lastly, the numbers are likely going to change once the GOP picks a primary winner and voters can compare White head to head with either Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Governor Rick Perry or Debra Medina.
Mary Benton Media 
Mary,
I see this as a good thing for Dems in the short run simply because White has just now begun to run ads statewide and judging by the polling dates that does not include his latest ad on the airways.
For an incumbent to be below 50% this far out and the democratic challenger less than 10 points behind is encouraging news for this observer.
With the impending republican runoff on the governors side we can expect both campaigns to sling more mud than the mud wrestlers at the renaissance festival, bringing down both candidates negatives and giving White a longer opportunity to define either winning republican contender.
One of the downsides that I can see from a prolonged primary fight on the republican side is that it gives them a better opportunity to build up the county parties grassroots structure on the ground but that is another story for another day.
All in all I see this as a net positive for the Mayors upcoming strategy and a good starting point to start laying down the foundations for the November election.
errr..
“bringing down both candidates negatives”
Should read “bring both candidates negatives up”
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