Polling Early and Often

Adam Nagourney of the NY Times writes about “Polling Early and Often” in the presidential race. Campaigns, media organizations and others are all doing their own polls. It seems that there is a new poll every day. Today’s poll comes from Gallup.

This is unprecedented, especially so far out from Primary or Election Day. The phenomenon is affecting the campaigns. How should a campaign handle the curse or blessing of instant judgment of daily polls? A drop or rise from one day to the next can make a campaign look like its faltering or surging. The polls also provide lots of free research.

I wonder how the increase in polling is affecting races in North Carolina. Between PPP and Civitas there are two new polls on the gubernatorial primary races each month—13 months before Primary Day. We are certainly providing a service to the public and interested parties by keeping tabs on how things are going. But are the campaigns worried by the latest upcoming polls? Do they have to strategize how to deal with the outcomes? Or do they appreciate the extra and free research?