1. Send Nate to Minnesota. We’ve got the usual issue here with debates setting “objective” criteria for candidates of either belonging to a major party, or polling higher than 5%. Unfortunately, there are no polls at all for some races that are having debates (Minnesota State Auditor), and even if there is one it is unlikely to include the minor party and independent candidates.

   Since the debate organization has set criteria that can be evaluated “objectively” they consider themselves off the hook for responsibility, laying it at the feet of the polling organizations that choose not to include all ballot-qualified candidates.

2. I’ve written to Silver about Rasmussen’s exclusion of Tom Clements from their SC Senate race polling. It’s nice to know that he’s at least aware of the problems with Rasmussen, though he did not respond to my concerns re Clements.

   Also I expect that Rasmussen’s poling for the SC race will continue to exclude Clements. If he doesn’t think Lazio should be included because it won’t alter Cuomo’s lead, then he’ll hardly care about who’s running second to DeMint.

3. Again, it’s too bad that the polling organizations have such power, and consciously choose to wield it like this. If a candidate only gets 5% in a poll, that alone may not affect the outcome of the election. But with debate inclusion criteria requiring that polling number, it’s vitally important to the smaller campaigns. It’s a clear chicken-and-egg problem… how can they rise in the polls if they’re not allowed to talk directly to the voters?

4. Rasmussen is obviously inconsistent. In today’s email they have an Alaska poll including Murkowski and she’s a write-in.

   Also the Rhode Island race breaks out like this:
   Rhode Island Governor: Chafee (I) 33%, Caprio (D) 30%, Robitaille (R) 23%, Block (M) 5%
   …which is interesting.

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