Thompson Counters With Own Poll in Louisiana

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• By Nathan L. Gonzales
• Roll Call Contributing Writer
• Aug. 18, 2008, 5:03 p.m.

The polling soap opera continues in Louisiana's 4th district.

With critics fervently seeking to discredit John Fleming's poll in the Republican primary, one of his opponents finally released numbers of his own on Monday.

An Aug. 10-11 OnMessage Inc. survey for former Bossier Chamber of Commerce President Jeff Thompson showed Fleming leading the GOP primary with 27 percent. Thompson was second with 23 percent and trucking executive Chris Gorman was third with 17 percent.

All of the candidates were well-liked among likely Republican primary voters. According to the survey, Fleming had a 50 percent favorable/10 percent unfavorable rating, while Thompson was at 43 percent favorable/4 percent unfavorable. Gorman was 44 percent favorable to 7 percent unfavorable.

Fleming's poll, taken at the end of July, had him ahead with 43 percent to Gorman's 17 percent and Thompson's 15 percent. No "push questions" were asked prior to the ballot, but biographical information was given that could have distorted the results. A Democratic poll in mid-July also showed Fleming ahead.

All of the candidates are advertising, which could account for some of the movement in the numbers since Fleming's survey. But amid all the bickering, there is a clear trend - Fleming is leading the primary race.

And it appears that his critics should spend less time worrying about Fleming's poll and more time on winning a race that's just three weeks away.

The primary winner will face Caddo Parish District Attorney Paul Carmouche (D) in the fall battle to replace retiring Rep. Jim McCrery (R-La.).

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