Oxendine ‘commands’ early poll, boasts Oxendine

A scant 10 months out from next year’s GOP primary, state Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine is touting a new Rasmussen poll that shows him with a “commanding lead over all other Republican gubernatorial hopefuls.”

Here’s what Rasmussen says:

A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in Georgia shows Oxendine with 31% support among those likely to vote in the state’s open Republican Primary. That gives him a (sic) 18-point advantage over his closest competitors. Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel and Congressman Nathan Deal each attract 13% of the vote.

And here’s what the Ox’s team makes of it:

“John is humbled by these results and he will continue to work very hard to earn the trust and support of Georgia,” said (campaign manager Tim) Echols.

Hmm, perhaps they didn’t read the next paragraph, in which Rasmussen concludes:

However, it’s clearly a very open field. Thirty-one percent (31%) of potential voters are not sure which candidate they prefer.

Well, so much for the Ox’s “commanding lead.”