Displaying items by tag: Bernie Pinsonat

A year and a half ago, according to a Bernie Pinsonat--Southern Media Opinion Research poll, John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, polled at a whopping 65 percent. Today, Pinsonat believes Edwards polls in the low 50’s.

Edwards is up for re-election against major candidates such as Congressman Ralph Abraham and multi-millionaire Eddie Rispone.

So, what gives? The Louisiana budget crises, for now, is a thing of the past. The last legislative session this spring was boring, meaning, it was successful. A storm just slammed Louisiana which emergencies normally help a governor show leadership during a crises. So, why would there be a drop of perhaps fifteen percent since last year?

And, they're off!!

Well, not actually. If you've been laboring over Louisiana favorite sport lately, the once-every-four-years gubernatorialcampaign, you can rest a spell.  The ponies really haven't even goten up to the starting gate. Not yet.  And that won't take place, according to Louisiana pollster Bernie Pinsonat, until after Labor Day. And when it does arrive and we all collectively wake up and smell the prospects of a real horse race, all bets could be off as to the outcome.

Well, kinda.

Should US Senator John Kennedy on Monday decide to run for Louisiana governor, he has the wind blowing behind his back, at least, so it seems, based upon a just-released poll by Bernie Pinsonat.

Pinsonat has just released his annual winter poll and from all indications, he has ahead of John Bel Edwards, 49-45 percent. The elections take place next fall.

For those recovering from Turkey stuffed with family invasions, Black Friday’s, Cyber Monday’s and who looking for some sanity, albeit brief until Christmas and Hanukkah start spreading good cheer and gifts, you’re in luck.

There is always time to get “Punched”

There is widespread, bipartisan support for action in addressing Louisiana's coastal land loss crisis, according to a new poll released today by BDPC, LLC + Pinsonat and Restore the Mississippi River Delta. Of note, 79 percent of coastal voters said they support sediment diversions, large-scale engineering projects that would be strategically operated to direct sediment and fresh water from the Mississippi River into nearby wetlands, building and maintaining thousands of acres of land over time. Only 5 percent of those voters oppose. Additionally, an overwhelming 97 percent of Louisiana coastal voters say that the state should still work to maintain as much coastal land as possible even if the coast cannot be restored to its previous footprint.

What must a candidate running for public office do to get noticed? Does it make a difference whether the candidate is new to the political scene versus someone who has tire marks of experience?  Has the Internet changed this process and if so, how? What role does polling have for those who are new to the campaign trail, compared to someone who has a track history of electioneering? Are polls necessary in all races?

Has technology replaced the need for shaking hands, kissing babies, making country fairs, often described as "retail politics"?  How should campaign officials and candidates optimize the “retail politics” experiences?  What are some of the issues all politicians should consider when considering whether to employ a pollster and when determining whom to hire? What is the political climate--has it changed over the past year and if so, what should candidates with upcoming races do to position themselves in their next election run?

Governor John Bel Edwards and his administration claims that the state needs to raise the sales tax to 4.5 cents this legislative session beginning Monday. If the legislature, particularly the House do not produce enough votes to hit that supermajority needed to raise taxes, Edwards and others are claiming that fiscal hell will break loose. They claim that University kids and parents will have to fork over 30 percent of the TOPS scholarship plus the colleges would be in the hole close to over 100 million dollars. They claim that homes for the aged will close, food stamps disappear, 10,000 non-violent criminals will hit the streets.

As we know, Louisiana is, has been, and probably will be in a fiscal mess, year after year, until and unless we identify and then fix the problem. 

For the past ten years, and at times prior to the start of the Bobby Jindal administraton, the budget has been unbalanced until the magic, smoke and mirrors took over to create a false balanced budget, financed often with one-time money.

 We have teachers leaving their classes, protesting low pay and inadequate financial support for schools; Kids are taking off from class in droves, making sure their once muted voices are being heard on matters such as gun-control and weapons in schools. Once again, the state budget is a total mess and the voters are up in arms.