Only one quarter of Florida voters voting "for" Kerry

A Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll conducted Oct. 30-31 revealed that a remarkable number of people, including Kerry supporters, are not all that impressed with Kerry.

I focused on the poll's Florida results, which incidentally showed Kerry leading by five points. (Some other polls show Florida leaning toward Bush.) But of particular interest to me was the reply to question 5B, asked only of Kerry supporters:

Would you say that your vote is better described as a vote for John Kerry or a vote against George W. Bush?

The results in Florida? Only 46% of Kerry supporters said their vote was better described as pro-Kerry while 45% said it better described as anti-Bush. Let me repeat that: Fewer than half of Kerry voters say they would describe their vote primarily as a vote for Kerry.

(The same question among Bush supporters showed that an overwhelming majority would describe their vote as pro-Bush.)

Now I have no idea who will win Florida. But I do think that the Democrats have failed to present a candidate who has captured the public's imagination. And I think that this is part of the reason Bush will win re-election.

Next primary, perhaps the Democrats will nominate the strongest candidate rather than the one they perceive as most electable.