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January 4, 2007 – Pollster
Paul Harstad and Harstad Strategic
Research are proud and gratified that Claire McCaskill was just sworn-in
as The firm credits the
impressive dedication and effort of Claire McCaskill, her campaign team, the
DSCC and allies in bringing about this victory – which arguably was the
Democrats’ toughest successful Senate race in 2006.
The Talent campaign was not hindered by scandals or controversies, and
the Republican Party made Talent one of their top priorities.
We celebrate all
of the new Democratic senators sworn in today and congratulate everyone who
played a part in the 2006 Democratic successes at all levels. 2006 was far better than
2004, when Harstad polled for the only two new Democratic Senators – Barack
Obama and Ken Salazar. They,
together with Tom Harkin and Jack Reed and Claire McCaskill round out our roster
of five Democratic Senate clients. Four
of our five Senate Democratic clients were pick-ups from Republicans, three of
the five are from “Red” states, and two defeated incumbents. This is the second time
that Harstad Research has played a
pivotal role in restoring 51-49 Democratic control of the U.S. Senate – the
first being in 2000-2001. And this
is the first time in six years that Missouri Democrats have won in close races
for senator, governor or president. Democratic control of the
U.S. Senate – made possible by the wins of McCaskill and the other pick-ups
– has profound implications in terms of forcing Bush to sign or veto laws he
dislikes, conducting long overdue investigations of Bush Administration
mismanagement, curtailing ideological appointments to the Supreme and federal
courts, highlighting the Democratic agenda for the people, and generating some
international goodwill and hope for America. Our firm turned down half a
dozen races for senator and governor and all congressional campaigns in 2006 so
that we could devote our energy and talent to two of the most difficult U.S.
Senate races – and to providing extensive polling and strategy to the DSCC and
NEA among others. We conducted
surveys in five states for the DSCC and in seven states for NEA. Harstad
Research also polled independently and
extensively for John Tester’s close win over Senator Conrad Burns in The firm also extended its
winning record in ballot measures to 27 of our last 29 initiatives.
This included defeating a TABOR initiative in These and more projects
were supervised by the firm’s vice presidents Mike Kulisheck, PhD of Ft.
Collins, Colorado, Andrew Maxfield,
PhD of Washington, D.C., and Chris Keating PhD of Telluride, Colorado. |