
Public Policy Polling released another automated survey of Missourians in which Sarah Steelman favored to win the Republican nomination against Todd Akin, Ed Martin and Ann Wagner (all of whom, it must be noted, have contributed to The Missouri Record). The PPP memo begins,
Sarah Steelman has a decent but not insurmountable early lead in the Republican primary for the right to face Claire McCaskill, whom PPP showed as very vulnerable in a release last week.
The word "vulnerable" never appeared in the memo to which they refer. In fact, the PPP memo uses terms such as "small leads" and "small advantage" to describe McCaskill's numbers. FiredUpMissouri dutifully titled their piece, McCaskill Leading Akin, Steelman, Martin and Wagner in Head-to-Head Polling. The Source, on the other hand, correctly pointed out that the numbers spell trouble for McCaskill. The PPP author agrees--a week later.
Unfortunately, the PPP crosstabs do not break the numbers down by region. It is likely that Steelman performs much better in SW Missouri, from where much of the Republican primary vote will come. But the survey data does provide a breakdown by ideology.

Steelman's best numbers are from self-described "very conservative" survey respondents. It seems good news for Steelman to be ahead among the very conservative--and those probably most likely to vote--in a Republican primary.
3/16/2011 6:13:03 PM
Answering individual aggression with government aggression will not lead us to the society we desire.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is wrong when it says that Kansas is going to fall of a fiscal cliff with its pro-growth tax reforms, and that Missouri will do the same if it follows the same path.
Randy Georges Sr. moved to the U.S. to obtain a good education; now, he may have to move across town so his kids can have the same opportunity. This is a sad state, especially when alternatives, such as giving families private school options, exist.
Missouri has at least two chances to win the Border War.
The state’s foundation formula for K-12 education is currently underfunded. Some are calling for more spending, but freedom, not money, is the answer to our problem.
Should Missouri and other states accept an offer of “free money” from Uncle Sam to expand the Medicaid program in their states? Instead of acting as enablers of fiscal profligacy, Missouri and other states should say “no.”
Conservatives ought to consider these items before ceding state power to the federal government.
Proposition B might have brought some much-needed funding for education, but voters turned down the measure. The “no” vote may actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise if legislators act on the need to address school funding issues.
Letters regarding Jacob Turk's race for Congress.
Missouri and Kansas have maintained a steady rivalry for decades, but Kansas' latest tax reforms have changed the competitive landscape between the two states — decidedly in Kansas' favor.
The state board of education voted to grant provisional accreditation to the Saint Louis Public School District, which is the correct decision, but this distinction will mean very little to schools or students.
Subsidies to Ballpark Village and other big-city sports complexes are a gift to some of our wealthiest citizens — sports team owners — that provide little or no broader economic benefit.
Strong teachers’ unions in large public school districts with multiple failing schools will do everything possible to maintain their jobs and benefits. If it is to happen, major reform must come from outside the existing system — through increased competition and choice.
Taxpayer-funded lobbying for local government entities likely will not be banned so it is time to create transparency so citizens can see how their money is being spent.
Despite a final judgment in the school transfer case, the issue remains unresolved and neither taxpayers nor students will benefit.