Daily Kos Poll Finds Rice Unlikely To Win

Democrat Senator Andrew Rice’s viability against incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe is already being called into question by even the most loyal of his supporters.

Markos Moulitsas Zúniga, founder of the leading liberal blog Daily Kos, commissioned a poll of Oklahoma likely voters June 9-11 and published the results today.

The poll tested opinions surrounding the U.S. Senate race, asking if voters would vote for Jim Inhofe or Andrew Rice if the election were today.

Unfortunately for Rice, even Zúniga had trouble finding a silver lining in the results, concluding: “Tough? Obviously. Likely? Nope.” He adds that it is possible, however, for Rice to win.

The poll results show Inhofe in a commanding lead with 53 percent and Rice with 31 percent.

Nonetheless, the poll analysis claims it shows Inhofe is vulnerable provided Barack Obama runs well in Oklahoma and claims as well that the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has pledged to send up to 10 field representatives into the state for the Rice campaign. That alone should raise half a million or so for Inhofe.

But DSCC Chairman Chuck Schumer didn’t even include Oklahoma in the “long shots” category in a recent interview with DC publication Roll Call (“Schumer Sees Big Nov. Gains,” Erin Billings, 6/12/2008). Just months ago, Schumer was calling Rice a candidate who would “surprise people.”

“Whether it’s fighting for lower prices at the pump, supporting our men and women in uniform, or representing our shared Oklahoma values, Senator Inhofe is someone who we can be proud of in the U.S. Senate. I believe that as the campaign continues, he will earn even more support as Oklahomans hear his positive message and vision for the future of our state,” said Matt Pinnell, Oklahoma Victory 2008 Director.

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