Jan Brewer verbally stumbled, went silent and mangled her grammar during last week's televised debate.
But a new statewide survey done Tuesday shows that apparently none of that matters.
Pollster Scott Rasmussen found that 60 percent of the 500 likely Arizona voters questioned in the automated telephone survey said they intend to vote for the incumbent. That's up three points from a survey taken a week before the debate, though well within the 4.5 percent margin of error in the survey.
Democrat Terry Goddard remains stuck at 38 percent.
And just 1 percent of those questioned said they had not yet made up their minds.
Goddard said he doesn't believe the survey.
"This is a Rasmussen poll that asks us to believe something that is almost impossible to believe, and that is she picked up support after her horrifyingly bad performance," he said. "I can't understand it. The poll itself has to be flawed."
But Jim Haynes, president of the Arizona-based Behavior Research Center, said that's not necessarily the case.
His company uses a more traditional method of polling, with live questioners instead of seeking touch tone responses to automated questions. And Haynes said he's not vouching for what Rasmussen's numbers found.
But he said Goddard is mistaken if he thinks Brewer's gaffes will help him win the election.
"There's a serious question whether debates change anybody's mind," he said. "They give rallying points to people that have already made up their minds."
Haynes also said a candidate tripping up in a debate is only half of what it takes to convince voters to rethink their support. He said they also need a reason to back the other contender.
"A stumble on the part of one candidate, in and of itself, doesn't necessarily mean there's going to be a movement," Haynes said.
That is reflected in other elements in the survey.
Rasmussen found that only 9 percent of Brewer supporters said her debate performance was important to them in making a decision. By comparison, how Brewer came across was listed as important by 43 percent of people who said they already intended to vote for the Democrat.
Goddard said he's not planning to do anything different in the wake of either the latest poll or prior surveys showing Brewer with a lead in the 20-point range. He said his focus will remain on the economy, "how we're being hurt and how she is precipitating that harm."
"I'm angry and I hope that anger reflects throughout the state because we have so many things to be angry about," Goddard said.
Rasmussen, however, said he's not sure that will work - at least not this year.
"You have the immigration law, you have the health care law, you have the fact that people are really angry at the federal government these days," he said.
Rasmussen said 95 percent of Brewer supporters disagree with the policies in Washington. And 90 percent of those who back her disapprove of the way Barack Obama is doing his job.
Goddard acknowledged Brewer got a boost for signing the state's new immigration law and defending the statute against legal attack by the Obama administration. But he is counting on immigration not remaining foremost in the minds of voters.
"It's a very volatile situation," he said of the race, saying there will be "twists and turns" in the weeks ahead.
But Goddard could be running out of time to change the discussion.
Early voting begins Oct. 7. And if last month's primary is a barometer, two-thirds of the ballots cast will have been filled out before people go to the polls on Nov. 2.
Rasmussen said, though, Goddard may still be unable to take the lead even if he is successful in reshaping the debate. The issue is deeper than that.
More than half told Rasmussen they have an unfavorable impression of Goddard, who has been state attorney general for the last eight years, with more than half of those saying they see him in a very unfavorable light.
Brewer, by contrast, has total negatives in the 37 percent range.
Rasmussen uses an unusual method of polling: Computers dial numbers and ask those who pick up to answer with touch-tone responses to questions about their registration status, party affiliation and specific issues. That enables him to do many different polls in a short period.
While the methodology is different than using live questioners, his Arizona surveys, including on the governor's race, have shown a certain consistency: Goddard's ratings have shrunk somewhat since March while Brewer's have skyrocketed after her decision to sign SB 1070.
And that gap Rasmussen has recorded between the two contenders has tracked closely with prior surveys done by Behavior Research Center.
Tortillas posted at 4:44 pm on Tue, Sep 28, 2010.
That's more evidence of how an idiot's brain work. No matter how much truth they have in front of them, they won't change their mind. AZ is infested by them and Brewer is their perfect representative. We must fight ignorance! Vote for Goddard!
Slabside posted at 3:44 pm on Thu, Sep 9, 2010.
This just twists the tails of all of you Brewer bashers out there doesn't it? BWA HA HA HA[beam]
wonderweenie posted at 1:47 pm on Thu, Sep 9, 2010.
hag looks good doesn't she? Too bad she's got nothing upstairs to lead us into the future.
n2mark posted at 9:20 am on Thu, Sep 9, 2010.
Stupid is as stupid does - that are the voters in this state. That says it all. Stupid votes for liars, stupid votes for corruption and stupid votes for puppets. That is why Az is known as the mental ward of the US
coyote posted at 7:30 am on Thu, Sep 9, 2010.
Rasmussen Reports are known to be slanted towards the right.
Ration Al posted at 9:39 pm on Wed, Sep 8, 2010.
It is not too late to find the change we urgently need. Our President needs more democrats in the house and senate. We do not have to settle for puppets of private corporations. We do not want to live in a 3rd world country with unpaved roads, no police response when our home has been robbed, no fire department, no street lights, no public transportation, no food and water safety, no regulation on corporate greed, and no education, our retirement given to wall street, and our elderly living in poverty. It is ESSENTIAL that we get out the vote in November or we can blame no one but ourselves!
Carolyn posted at 6:38 pm on Wed, Sep 8, 2010.
Yarbles, you are SO right. And anyone who would vote for either Brewer or Pearce are aiding and abetting those two idiots is an idiot. Obviously, the "right wing" never reads anything - or if they do, they never look for "facts" but only for right-wing opinions, most of which are based on lies. Pearce is an arrogant piece of cr_p, and Brewer - well, she's just a silly, nasty liar.
Rich posted at 6:09 pm on Wed, Sep 8, 2010.
If eer proof was needed that we are 50th out 50 in education, it's here.
Yarbles posted at 5:23 pm on Wed, Sep 8, 2010.
Brittanicus,
An error is when one makes a mistake. What Jan Brewer did is lie. If you truly are against illegal immigration, then Goddard is the most logical choice. He alone has gone after the real criminals in this whole immigration debacle. All Pearce and Brewer have done is manage to blow the whole situation out of proportion. Don't take my word for it though. Instead check out this article I read from NPR.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129707693
Immigration is at a historic low. The number of illegal immigrants has decreased significantly over the past five years. These are the facts. Brewer and Pearce have done nothing but lie. Goddard on the other hand has targeted real criminals such as human smugglers.
Brittanicus posted at 4:31 pm on Wed, Sep 8, 2010.
Most of the current US government along with Liberal progressives are one of the same. Looking for any excuse to demonize the Governor Brewer and Senator Pierce in Arizona. She made an error about beheadings in the desert, but its been cruel sport by the so-called progressives, to use this against her. Even so not only are the people of the Grand Canyon state standing with her, but so is millions of prudent Americans. But it's not working out as planned, because state Attorney General Terry Goddard, a Democrat is a pro-path to citizenship or a full amnesty for all the illegal aliens squatting here and wants the lady governors job. What I mean by squatting they are only here temporary. They broke our laws, stealing into a America and taking poor Americans jobs, but also white collar positions and lowering wages nationwide. ICE director John Morton, Czar of the Obama administration have already been directed by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, to release illegal aliens back to the streets if they have not been convicted of a crime. THIS IS A TRAVESTY OF OUR IMMIGRATION LAWS, and it doesn't sit well with the American people.
There no doubt in my mind that our government, has been infected by hard core Liberals, whose philosophy is to tell the people what they want to hear. We were lied to about the extent of funding to the 2006 Secure Fence bill, as it was sabotaged by Sen. Kay Baily Hutchinson. Now we have a single strand fence, instead of two as designed by Rep. Duncan Hunter that is not complete in many locations--with hordes of drug dealers still passing through along with illegal aliens in ever increasing large numbers across open areas of water like falcon lake in Zapata Co, Texas. Open bridge walks still exist and even in Colorado, vehicles full of illegal aliens carrying drugs are slipping across the Colorado River on makeshift causeways. We spend more cash in foreign countries, to defend their people than any of our governments have allocated in defense of our nation. California--a refuge state for illegal aliens, in just Los Angeles county paid out $52 million in just July alone, for the instant citizenship children. THAT'S JUST ONE COUNTY? How much for this insidious payout. WHAT ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO, DENVER, CHICAGO OR NEW YORK? Another $60 billion sent out the country for remittances, by illegal workers and another survey by (FAIR) $113 Billion in other allowences and payments to households. THEN THEY WANT TO ALLOW THE MEXICAN PEOPLE ACCESS TO OUR SOCIAL SECURITY?
The saddened side of it is, we pay for it all. We--the taxpayers are taken for a ride, by being taxed for supporting the welfare for illegal aliens households. We educate their children, we pay for their health care treatments and not the employers who illegally hire them. We even pay for the instant citizenship of babies, intentionally birthed in America so the Mother can collect all the entitlements that should be going to our children, our old folks, single Mothers, veterans and the homeless. If our government didn't accommodate illegal aliens, like Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), and a very long list of politicians, their would be enough public housing for all our own homeless.
These Liberals, Democrats and a handful of Republicans are under the delusion that this situation is to continue. Every pro-amnesty incumbent, every open border politician will be dragged from their comfortable offices and stand in the unemployment line. Look at--ALL--pro-illegal alien lawmakers to view their records by Googling--NUMBERSUSA and ON THE ISSUES websites. The Tea party movement, Independents are starting the landslide of removing incumbents. Look at each of your own policy makers and check their stand. Remember 15 million Americans are out of work, with an estimated 8.5 million illegal aliens taken jobs.