Conflicts In Opinion: Coattail or No Coattail

This various commenters in the press on the SRI poll released yesterday. 

Siena's Steve Greenburg essentially points out there is little to no coattail effect. 

While the numbers are just a snapshot of one point in time in what's been a volatile election year, one conclusion can be drawn. Voters pick their state representatives on the perceived merits of the individual, not on their party affiliation.

"Voters are sophisticated enough in New York, and they've shown it over the years, that they will vote for one candidate on Row A and another candidate on Row B."

In Rochester, in a district that heavily favors Barack Obama for President, more voters said they wanted Democrats to gain control of the Senate, yet they favored Republican incumbent Senator Robach.

And then, yes a coattail effect.

 One observer speculates that the presidential race may be having a trickle-down effect on state races.

"There seems to be kind of an Obama coattail effect here," said Grant Reeher, professor of political science at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.

But then again, no coattail effect.

Mr. McGuire said because "most people vote locally," a McCain-Palin ticket campaigning on reforming Washington may not have much impact in local races.