Larry Kissell

Poll: Most Voters Don't Know NC Dem Kissell Opposed Health Care Bill -- But No-Vote Helps Him Anyway

Eric Kleefeld | January 13, 2010, 3:03PM

Rep. Larry Kissell (D-NC)

New polling released yesterday and today by Public Policy Polling (D) provides some solid, empirical evidence that a vote against the health care bill may be the better bet for swing-seat Democrats. Or at least, that seems to be the message for freshman Rep. Larry Kissell (D-NC), who voted against the bill.

The new polls show that Kissell easily leads several potential Republican opponents, by margins of 14-18 points. He also leads a potential Democratic primary challenger, 2002 nominee Chris Kouri, by 49%-15%. But a close look at the polls shows just how people think he voted on the bill -- and how this could be affecting their decisions about him.

It turns out that a 44% plurality of the likely general election electorate falsely believe that Kissell voted for the bill, with only 29% giving the correct answer that he voted against it, and 28% are unsure. (This might come as a huge shock, but voters can often make their decisions based on false beliefs and information.) I asked PPP for some customized cross-tabs -- which reveal that among people who think he voted for it the race is very close, with a landslide lead among the folks who think he voted against it.

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