BAD NEWS FOR IDAHO'S DOWN-TICKET DEMOCRATS

Northwest politico Randy Stapilus commented on some recent polls conducted for the Daily Kos - a liberal Web site, but one that Stapilus says has "has been both most detailed and transparent":

"There's pretty consistent polling out now showing approval/disapproval numbers for Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin getting steadily worse by the day. ...

"Palin appears to remain strong, however, in some places - Alaska, for one ... and Idaho, where the John McCain lead over Barack Obama seems to remain at 62 percent-33 percent, much stronger ... than before Palin was added to the ticket. ...

"The Research 2000 polling for Kos also shows that, while some earlier results in the 1st Congressional District had put Democrat Walt Minnick within as few as five points of Republican Bill Sali, the more recent numbers show a broader spread - 46 percent to 35 percent. Kos suggests of Palin, 'After all, she's a virtual ideological twin for former (1st District) Rep. Helen Chenoweth and has the potential to reinvigorate Sali's lagging supporters.' There's even some physical resemblance (though their speaking styles were different, Chenoweth actually sounding a good deal more genteel). ...

"The numbers look much rougher for Democrat Larry LaRocco in the Senate race, since the polling puts Republican Jim Risch, the lieutenant governor, at 56 percent, LaRocco at 33 percent, and independent Rex Rammell at 3 percent (suggesting he's not much catching on - which would seem to be prerequisite to LaRocco's hopes). Kos again: 'LaRocco appears to have topped out his support, while the undecideds from the last poll have moved over en masse to the Republican Risch. ... Palin has definitely fired up the wingnut base in Idaho, to the detriment of down-ticket Democrats.'"

BUT WAIT ... THERE'S MORE

A blog by the Spokesman-Review's Betsy Russell highlighted just-released information from a poll Rammell commissioned in late August. The poll got different results after respondents were told about the candidates:

"Rammell's poll ... showed Risch with 39.5 percent, LaRocco with 33 percent, Rammell with 4.2 percent, and 23.3 percent undecided.

"The poll then followed up with a question supplying name, age and occupation for each of the three candidates. 'LaRocco was identified as a 62-year-old former banker and former congressman, Jim Risch as a 65-year-old trial lawyer and current lieutenant governor, and Rammell as a 47-year-old veterinarian and former elk rancher,' according to the Rammell campaign. 'The following numbers were reported: Risch 40 percent, LaRocco 30.8 percent, Rammell 10.4 percent, with 18.8 percent undecided.'"