Did You Hear the One about the Mason-Dixon Poll?

At 2000 hours today the latest Mason Dixon poll dropped with Allen at 47% and Webb at 43%.

I will tell you I don't know what to make of the results. I did not think there would be so many undecideds left at this point.

At the high view level, it is obviously better to be ahead than behind.

If you do a quick cycle around the blogosphere, you see a couple of things.

Allen supporters are saying this poll shows Webb is stuck, and that despite all the muck thrown at Allen there has been no great movement by Webb.

Webb backers are saying that if an incumbent has not cleared 50% this late in an election, then he is in deep kimche.

I am not persuaded either way, and I keep coming back to two things:

(A) The poll showed 2% going to independent candidate Gail Parker, which means that Webb only has 8% to play with from 4% down...that cannot be the preferred position to be in.

(B) There is a continual refrain going about that everyone knows that the undecided voters will break to the challenger at the end of an election. Generally, I would say that is true.

However, I can tell you one time it didn't happen. When? 1994 Where? Virginia. Ollie North led Chuck Robb going into the late days of that election, and the undecideds broke back toward Senator Robb.

So, don't say it cannot happen, because it can and has.

This is still a GOTV campaign. Gird your loins and unleash the hounds!