South Carolina Embarrassment of the Week: A Whites-Only Democratic Gubernatorial Primary Poll, Courtesy of the Jim Rex Campaign!

Secretary of Education and Gubernatorial front runner (according to his own polling) Jim Rex pounded out this press release touting the results of his brand new poll conducted by his Hot Shot Washington pollster, Hamilton Campaigns yesterday:

Rex holds substantial lead in race for Governor New poll shows Education Superintendent handily winning primary, runoff elections next June (COLUMBIA) The campaign of State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex today released poll results showing Rex with a double-digit lead over his closest Democratic primary competitor in the race for Governor. Subsequently, Rex holds a commanding lead in runoff scenarios that would take place two weeks later, provided no candidate exceeds fifty percent in the first round of voting in next June’s Democratic primary. “Jim Rex is clearly the frontrunner among the Democrats in the race for Governor. The other candidates will have to spend vast amounts of money just to get what we’ve already got,” said campaign director Zeke Stokes. The poll, conducted October 23-26, shows Rex beginning the campaign with a significant advantage over the rest of the field in statewide name identification and favorability rating. Rex’s name is recognized by over half of the Democratic Primary electorate – and the vast majority of those voters rate Rex favorably. In a Democratic Primary vote preference for Governor, Jim Rex begins with a significant lead over his closest competitor. Among Democratic Primary voters, Rex leads the other candidates by double-digit margins receiving 25 percent of the vote, to State Senator Vincent Sheheen’s 10 percent. Charleston trial attorney Mullins McLeod and Columbia special interest lobbyist Dwight Drake are in low single digits at 4 and 3 percent respectively. In runoff scenarios, Rex’s lead is even more commanding. In a runoff with Sheheen, Rex leads 50 percent to 14 percent. Against Drake, Rex leads 48 percent to 17 percent. “We are encouraged by these numbers,” said Stokes. “It’s clear that even though most of these candidates entered the race many months ago, their campaigns have not caught fire among Democratic Party primary voters. Voters have been waiting on a winner to enter this race, and Jim Rex will not disappoint them.”

Well What about my friend, Senator Robert Ford? Why isn't he listed in the poll results? Did he get 0%? 0.5%? Or was it less than half of one percent causing him to be rounded down to zero?  Come on! He had to get something. Are you saying that out of all the voters that Hamilton polled in a random sample of likely Democratic voters (at least 60% of which would have to be black) not even 2 or 3% preferred Senator Ford (the only African-American candidate) in this poll? I find that impossible to believe.

Or did Bill Hamilton and the Rex campaign gurus decide that Senator Ford, cash strapped as he is and operating a three person campaign with mostly volunteer staff was not a factor and therefore left him out of the poll altogether? That would be even more difficult to swallow. Come on Jim Rex; this demands an answer. WE DON'T RUN ALL-WHITE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES DOWN HERE ANY MORE-- NOT SINCE STROM WAS A DIXIECRAT. NO SIR. WE DON'T DO IT.

Oh and by the way, when you add all those figures up: Rex 25, Sheheen 10, McLeod 4, Drake 3, Undecided 43, that’s only 85 %. Where are the other 15%? Could it be polled but unannounced figures for a second place Robert Ford? Rex’ first place double digit lead wouldn’t look so great then, would it? Hmmmm.

Looks like somebody in the Rex campaign has some ‘splainin’ to do.

UPDATE: Here's the Poll:

A Hamilton Campaigns (D) poll; conducted 10/23-26 for Educ. Supt. Jim Rex (D); surveyed 400 Dem primary LVs; margin of error +/- 4.9% (release, 10/27). Tested: Rex, lobbyist/atty/ex-Gov. Riley staffer Dwight Drake (D), state Sen. Robert Ford (D), atty Mullins McLeod (D) and state Sen. Vincent Sheheen (D).   Primary Election Matchups J. Rex      25% R. Ford     15 V. Shaheen  10 M. McLeod    4 D. Drake     3 Undec       43 J. Rex      48% D. Drake    17 Undec       36 J. Rex      50% V. Shaheen  14 Undec       36   Fav/Unfav J. Rex      41%/14% R. Ford     32 /12 V. Shaheen  23 / 6 D. Drake    17 / 5 M. McLeod   16 / 6 Posted by Misty at 11:36 AM Labels: SC Governor, South Carolina

 Hmmmmmmmm.