Scott McInnis said last week that “voters don’t really care” about the plagiarism allegations that are rocking his campaign. At least one poll suggests otherwise.
Last week, the Denver Post caught McInnis apparently copying a state Supreme Court Judge’s work for essays on water policy that he was paid $300,000 for after retiring from Congress. Twenty percent of Colorado Republican voters who supported McInnis before that revelation now say they’ll back another candidate, according to a SurveryUSA poll commissioned by The Denver Post.
When given a list of other potential candidates, 64 percent of GOP voters picked another candidate. When asked who they thought would make the “strongest Republican gubernatorial candidate,” McInnis came in second with 19%. The top vote getter: ex-Rep. Tom Tancredo, with 29%.
Of the 1,181 registered voters contacted last Thursday, 73% had heard about the plagiarism story. Thirty-seven percent of GOP voters think McInnis should drop out.
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Eric Lach
Eric Lach is a reporter for TPM. From 2010 to 2011, he was a news writer in charge of the website’s front page. He has previously written for The Daily, NewYorker.com, GlobalPost and other publications. He can be reached at ericl(at)talkingpoitnsmemo.com
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