# "FL, VA, and NC are Romney for sure. We are no longer polling there." **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 10, 2012, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fl-va-and-nc-are-romney-for-sure-we-are-no-longer-polling-there/637321 "2012-10-10T16:16:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fl-va-and-nc-are-romney-for-sure-we-are-no-longer-polling-there/637321/1 "2012-10-10T16:16:12Z")
That, apparently, is what [the Suffolk University Political Research Center](http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=eNTUkZpk3kc) thinks. That’s a pretty confident assessment to make. Is this borne out by any other polls in those states? ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fl-va-and-nc-are-romney-for-sure-we-are-no-longer-polling-there/637321/2 "2012-10-10T16:19:47Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > That, apparently, is what [the Suffolk University Political Research Center](http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=eNTUkZpk3kc) thinks. > > That’s a pretty confident assessment to make. Is this borne out by any other polls in those states? No, that is pretty weird. Their own polls don’t even show that. Something smells fishy. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fl-va-and-nc-are-romney-for-sure-we-are-no-longer-polling-there/637321/3 "2012-10-10T16:26:38Z")
Seems odd to me. Real Clear Politics reports that [Virginia is basically tied,](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/va/virginia_romney_vs_obama-1774.html) and Suffolk’s last poll there (from almost three weeks ago) had Obama up by 2. Romney [seems](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/nc/north_carolina_romney_vs_obama-1784.html) in control in North Carolina, but I’m not sure I’d call it over. Florida is [tied](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/fl/florida_romney_vs_obama-1883.html) with Suffolk’s last poll from ten days ago showing Obama leading by 3. So, I’m puzzled. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fl-va-and-nc-are-romney-for-sure-we-are-no-longer-polling-there/637321/4 "2012-10-10T16:27:47Z")
I don’t even see a Suffolk poll for North Carolina this year. ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fl-va-and-nc-are-romney-for-sure-we-are-no-longer-polling-there/637321/5 "2012-10-10T16:35:25Z")
I’m personally convinced that they are now polling only those people who are either too poor or too old to have caller ID or who are so desperately lonely that they’ll pick up the phone no matter who is calling. So, maybe they’ve stopped polling because no one is answering their phones any more. Too bad they can’t do a poll about who is actually still answering their phone these days. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fl-va-and-nc-are-romney-for-sure-we-are-no-longer-polling-there/637321/6 "2012-10-10T16:36:44Z")
That Suffolk statement seemed bizarre to me as well. The latest two polls from VA are R+1 from Rasmussen on the 4th and O+3 from Public Policy Polling on the 7th. Whatever you might think about either of those firms, I can’t believe you’d get “Total blow-out not worth discussing” out of it. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fl-va-and-nc-are-romney-for-sure-we-are-no-longer-polling-there/637321/7 "2012-10-10T16:44:55Z")
I’d suggest to Republican voters in those states that it’s all over, and Romney is absolutely sure to win. Really, you don’t even need to go and vote, it is a foregone conclusion. Just stay home, watch the TV and get ready to celebrate! ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fl-va-and-nc-are-romney-for-sure-we-are-no-longer-polling-there/637321/8 "2012-10-10T16:46:24Z")
While their original statement doesn’t make a lot of sense, in a broader sense polling those three state is somewhat unproductive. Because if Romney doesn’t win all three he’s well and truly fucked (although I guess there are some worlds in which he loses VA but still wins). So why not poll the states that are likely to matter - OH, NV, NH, IA, maybe WI. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fl-va-and-nc-are-romney-for-sure-we-are-no-longer-polling-there/637321/9 "2012-10-10T16:48:09Z")
I was called for a Suffolk poll Sunday. How can they still be polling in NY (which, let’s face it, is a done deal) and not be polling in Florida, Virginia, and North Carolina? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fl-va-and-nc-are-romney-for-sure-we-are-no-longer-polling-there/637321/10 "2012-10-10T16:49:10Z")
> [@Enkel](#): > > I’m personally convinced that they are now polling only those people who are either too poor or too old to have caller ID or who are so desperately lonely that they’ll pick up the phone no matter who is calling. So, maybe they’ve stopped polling because no one is answering their phones any more. Too bad they can’t do a poll about who is actually still answering their phone these days. Sure they can, but it would have to be a door-to-door poll – more expensive to conduct. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fl-va-and-nc-are-romney-for-sure-we-are-no-longer-polling-there/637321/11 "2012-10-10T16:51:08Z")
It could be based on bad data or this could be cover for trimming some expenses, but it’s confusing regardless. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fl-va-and-nc-are-romney-for-sure-we-are-no-longer-polling-there/637321/12 "2012-10-10T16:57:40Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > It could be based on bad data or this could be cover for trimming some expenses, but it’s confusing regardless. But why not release the data. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fl-va-and-nc-are-romney-for-sure-we-are-no-longer-polling-there/637321/13 "2012-10-10T17:14:07Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > I don’t even see a Suffolk poll for North Carolina this year. [There hasn’t been one.](http://www.businessinsider.com/suffolk-poll-romney-obama-virginia-florida-nc-election-2012-10) [QUOTE=Jas09] While their original statement doesn’t make a lot of sense, in a broader sense polling those three state is somewhat unproductive. Because if Romney doesn’t win all three he’s well and truly fucked (although I guess there are some worlds in which he loses VA but still wins). So why not poll the states that are likely to matter - OH, NV, NH, IA, maybe WI. [/QUOTE] Ohio is in that bucket too. Anyway, even assuming that’s what they are doing, why would an academic pollster “call it” when their own data points in the other direction? Even if their polling had had Romney up by 3 (rather than Obama) in Florida, it would still be within the margin of error and thus too close to call. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fl-va-and-nc-are-romney-for-sure-we-are-no-longer-polling-there/637321/14 "2012-10-10T17:43:31Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Ohio is in that bucket too. Yes, that’s why he listed it first. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fl-va-and-nc-are-romney-for-sure-we-are-no-longer-polling-there/637321/15 "2012-10-10T17:55:29Z")
Geez, it appears they hardly do any state-wide polling. [http://www.suffolk.edu/research/49299.html](http://www.suffolk.edu/research/49299.html) ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fl-va-and-nc-are-romney-for-sure-we-are-no-longer-polling-there/637321/16 "2012-10-10T19:15:26Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Sure they can, but it would have to be a door-to-door poll – more expensive to conduct. That would be a seriously hazardous job in a swing state. I would LOVE to have a pollster show up at my gate… so much pent up frustration that I could finally ‘release’. I think the first thing I’d do is tie them up with my telephone right next to their ear and force them to answer every single time the phone rings and to answer all those stupid push polls. Then at night, I’d scoot them into the living room and make them watch the local programming that is now about 50% political ads, followed by another full day of 8am to 10pm (yup, 10pm) of more phone calls. I’d keep it up until the cops came and hauled me away because if I get a jury of my peers… they will all be jealous that I managed to get back at one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fl-va-and-nc-are-romney-for-sure-we-are-no-longer-polling-there/637321/17 "2012-10-10T19:20:50Z")
Is it an attempt at creating news, possibly? Get the buzz out there that one polling site is just straight-up calling it for Romney and thereby swing voters’ minds that way? I’d imagine doing so would basically ruin their reputation as a polling site, but it might work for partisan gain. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fl-va-and-nc-are-romney-for-sure-we-are-no-longer-polling-there/637321/18 "2012-10-10T19:30:29Z")
Sounds like they are cutting their polling budget and seeing if they can get publicity for it without saying that’s what they are doing. I read somewhere that we have about half the polling this year we had in 2008 due to nearly everyone cutting back on polling budgets. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fl-va-and-nc-are-romney-for-sure-we-are-no-longer-polling-there/637321/19 "2012-10-11T01:10:40Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Sounds like they are cutting their polling budget and seeing if they can get publicity for it without saying that’s what they are doing. > > I read somewhere that we have about half the polling this year we had in 2008 due to nearly everyone cutting back on polling budgets. Nope, nope, it means a Romney landslide win. Just sit back and enjoy. No need to line up and waste valuable time at the polls. ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fl-va-and-nc-are-romney-for-sure-we-are-no-longer-polling-there/637321/20 "2012-10-11T01:17:30Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Nope, nope, it means a Romney landslide win. Just sit back and enjoy. No need to line up and waste valuable time at the polls. Or cluttering up the SDMB constantly shilling in every election thread. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fl-va-and-nc-are-romney-for-sure-we-are-no-longer-polling-there/637321.md?page=2)