New poll shows support slips for Bachmann

By PAT DOYLE, Star Tribune

Last update: October 24, 2008 - 11:32 AM

Print this story

More from U.S. House

Nearly four of 10 likely voters in the Sixth Congressional District say they are less likely to support Rep. Michele Bachmann because of her comments about Barack Obama and Congress.

That was a finding from a Minnesota Public Radio poll that showed the race between Bachmann, a Republican, and Democratic challenger Elwyn Tinklenberg to be a virtual dead heat.

In the new MPR poll, only 8 percent of voters said they were more likely to support Bachmann as a result of her remark that Obama "may have anti-American views" and her call for the news media to investigate the views of members of Congress.

Overall, the poll found that voters favored Tinklenberg over Bachmann 45 percent to 43 percent, with 5 percent supporting Independence Party candidate Bob Anderson. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.7 percentage points.

The results of the MPR survey are similar to those from a poll conducted by SurveyUSA, which also showed Tinklenberg leading within the margin of error.

Recent U.S. House stories

On second day of hearings on global warming bill, Obama administration could take heat - October 24, 2008

On second day of hearings on global warming bill, Obama administration could take heat - Top members of President Barack Obama's energy and environmental team are weighing in on a bill that would curb the emissions blamed for global warming and transform how the nation produces and uses energy. More