Research 2000 for Daily Kos (9/30-10/1, likely voters):
Harry Teague (D): 47
Ed Tinsley (R): 43
(MoE: ±5%)
In the wake of the recently-released (though slightly stale) Dem internal from New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District that gave Harry Teague a five-point lead, here's a new poll from R2K that almost matches that.
The poll gives McCain a 49-42 edge over Obama, but this is by far New Mexico's most Republican-leaning district (at R+5.7), one where Kerry lost 58-42. Teague (an oilman and a County Commissioner in dark-red Lea County in New Mexico's oil patch) maintains a conservative profile, which seems apt for this district, as seen by how far he's beating the district's lean.
Swing State Project upgraded this race to Tossup yesterday.
Update (James): Also of note is Teague is just plain better liked than Tinsley: his favorables are at 46-33, a much better spread than Tinsley has (40-37).
Get a load of this. At an Association of Commerce and Industry candidate forum for the open seat race in New Mexico's 2nd CD, Sante Fe Republican Ed Tinsley decided to let loose his inner Limbaugh when criticizing Democrat Harry Teague's support of withdrawal from Iraq:
"How can I call my two nephews over there right now ... and tell them I'm running against a guy that will cut your throat -- that will cut the bottom out of your funding," Tinsley said.
Wow, talk about getting ugly. The crowd, of course, drowned out Tinsley with a rousing chorus of boos.
LP asks: "Did we find Ed Tinsley's macaca moment?" Maybe so. Check out NM FBIHOP for the video.
The announcements for people running for New Mexico's Second Congressional District open seat are starting to come in at a fast and furious pace. The current Representative, Steve Pearce (R), is leaving the seat to take a crack at the now-open Senate seat.
Today, State Rep. Jose Campos and restaurant chain owner Ed Tinsley announced their intentions to run. Jose Campos has political experience as a State Rep for four years and mayor of Santa Rosa for nearly a decade. Tinsley's political experience comes in the form of running against Pearce in 2002, when he lost to Pearce while running for the open seat.
