Dole vunerable on Iraq

Under the Dome reported yesterday on a poll conducted for the Americans Against Escalation in Iraq. The survey of 1000 people in seven states found that seven Republicans Senators up for reelection in 2008 would lose to a generic Democratic opponent.

Dole strategist Mark Stephens complained putting all those states together is misleading for a more conservative state like North Carolina. I agree that this particular poll doesn’t mean that Dole would lose to generic Democratic candidate.

However, the poll makes a good point and one that I don’t think has been made often enough. The War in Iraq is incredibly unpopular and that provides an opening for a Democratic Senate candidate. Elizabeth Dole has been one of President Bush’s most stubborn supporters of the war. The North Carolina media has yet to make that a big deal, but they could. There has not been a lot of press critical of Dole’s stance on the War, nor has she had to explain herself to critics—something that should come during a competitive Senate campaign. If a Democratic candidate can tie Dole to this unpopular war, her poll numbers should fall.