Republicans in West Virginia’s 3rd District were beaming on Friday as two polls showed Republican Carol Miller pulling ahead of Democrat Richard Ojeda for the U.S. House seat vacated by Republican Rep. Evan Jenkins.
A New York Times/Siena College poll showed Miller leading Ojeda 46 to 41 percent, with the margin of error of 4.9 percent.
This poll came on the heels of a survey conducted by Monmouth University, which showed Miller up 48 to 45 percent, with the margin of error 5.2 percent.
The latest figures represent a dramatic change from Sept. 13, just as the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court was becoming combative. At that time, an Emerson College poll showed Ojeda, a decorated U.S. Army veteran and Bernie Sanders supporter leading fellow State Delegate Miller, a farmer and daughter of the late Rep. Sam Devine, R.-Ohio, by 36 to 31 percent districtwide.
Lynn Staton, treasurer of the West Virginia Federation of Republican Women, then predicted to Newsmax that the next poll on Ojeda and Miller “is sure to be much tighter” because the Kavanaugh battle “has created enthusiasm among Republicans that will help Carol.”
Staton was apparently right. She added that the recent appointment to the state Supreme Court of outgoing Rep. Jenkins “was also going to boost Republican chances in the 3rd."
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.