Mulvaney closing on Spratt in New Poll

Republicans are closer than ever to unseating entrenched 27-year Congressman John Spratt, according to a new poll from Public Policy Polling.

The survey of 600 fifth Congressional district voters found Spratt, who until now has been considered an untouchable Democrat, had only a seven point lead on State Sen. Mick Mulvaney.

“John Spratt is going to have to fight for reelection but he’s in better shape than a lot of southern Democrats in conservative districts,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “Most of his constituents still see him as a centrist, even as they see his Congressional Democratic brethren as too liberal.”

The poll also found that President Obama, Congressional Democrats, and the Democratic health care reform bill are all unpopular in the district, with nearly or more than half of voters disapproving of each.

The results will certainly add to the National Republican Congressional Committee’s interest in the race and their desire to oust the powerful House budget committee chairman.

The NRCC has already put Mulvaney “on the radar” and has begun pumping money into the district in the form of an ad attacking Spratt for creating “the most fiscally irresponsible budget in the history of the federal government.”

“After 28 years in Washington, John Spratt has lost touch with the folks he represents – and it shows,” said Andy Seré, spokesman for the NRCC. “Nancy Pelosi’s Budget Chairman has a choice: he can continue to defend the bailouts, the deficits, the taxes and the takeovers knowing now that his constituents are fed up with it all; or he can change course, apologize for the harm he’s done the economy and hope struggling South Carolinians are kind enough to forgive him.”

Spratt also held a nine point lead over another Republican, Albert Spencer, showing that much of the discontent is likely fueled by an anti-incumbency fervor in the district rather than a particular attraction to either candidate.
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