Lee Newspapers is out with some polls yesterday and today. Yesterday it was a state legislative poll (yawn).

Today it is elected officials and presidential candidates. Let’s take a look at what they found:

The job approval ratings:
Baucus 67% approve
Schweitzer 64% approve
Rehberg 61% approve
Tester 46% approve

Should we re-elect them?
Rehberg: 62% yes, 30% no.
Baucus: 60% yes, 31% no
Schweitzer: 57% yes, 32% no

The second part was the presidential race.
Would you consider voting for…
McCain: 62%
Giuliani: 59%
Thompson: 57%
Obama: 55%
Richardson: 55%
Hillary Clinton came in last with 39%

COMMENTARY

We’re still 16 months out from the election of 2008. A lot can happen between now and then, so if I was advising the incumbents, I would not let them get too cocky, just yet.

Issues that may come up include: Their health, ethical issues, ties to lobbyists, misspeaking, hiring someone for your campaign with a checkered past, poor economy, the war, immigration stance, high gas prices, etc. These are just a few of the dangerous things that can happen in the next 16 months. Plus, you’ll have the YouTube issue and they may catch you picking your nose. Someone should get their digital video camera out and start rolling.

In regards to Jon Tester’s poor ratings this was, to say the least, interesting. Here we have a guy that’s 9 months past his historic election where his name and views were pasted all over the TV, newspapers, mailers, and so far there’s still a love affair from the Montana media with him and he’s only sitting at 46%. He received 49% of the vote in 2006.

Besides Rehberg, Tester has been “advertising” most recently and you’d expect his rating to be higher. But, since he’s not up again until 2012, he has time to bring up his poll numbers. If in 2009 his polling shows he’s still in the 40% area, there will be a bunch of Republicans salivating over an opportunity to take him on because he would be termed as vulnerable.

The Presidential polls for Montana were interesting. I don’t think McCain will make it. I was surprised about Hillary and hoped to see her higher in these polls. Maybe Montanans are not ready to accept a woman as President?

In the grand scheme of things, Montana is not a big player in the Presidential election, except if it’s close…