WOW! New Poll Shows Womack and Maddox Headed For Run Off in 3rd!

********Maddox********************Womack*********
Many of you know that for the last few days I have been trying to tease some poll results for the 3rd District GOP Congressional race. I theorized that the lack of news meant unflattering results for the perceived favorites in the race. Finally, tonight (and if they really wanted this out badly, they probably would have had a proper press release instead of leaking it to a blogger on Friday evening) I was leaked something that has as its biggest shocker something that is multi-source verified....

Steve Womack 21%
Kurt Maddox 15%
Cecile Bledsoe 12%
Bernie Skoch 7%
Gunner DeLay 7%
Mike Moore 5%
Doug Matayo 3%
Steve Lowery 3%

Kurt Madddox has emerged as the clear conservative frontrunner in the race for Arkansas' 3rd Congressional District.

In what could be the political upset of the decade in western Arkansas, the self-described "outsider" Maddox has gained sustained momentum for the past two weeks and could be difficult to stop. It would shock the establishment. Kurt Maddox does not have their permission to win this race!

The 2nd place mantle had previously gone to State Sen. Cecille Bledsoe but she shares much of the same Rogers base with Mayor Steve Womack. The insider polling indicates Womack has solidified a strong base in the largest Benton County city -- which left a clear opening for a solid conservative to move into second place.

Conservative activists had worried that many of the "true-believing conservatives" would divide the base and allow two moderate Republicans to appear in the runoff. Maddox's unexpectedly strong grassroots campaign put those concerns to rest.

In recent weeks, the eight different campaigns went remarkably quiet, making it obvious that shifts were underway. The perceived frontrunners are obviously unhappy with the trends.

Arkansas Watch, however, has sources from two different campaigns verifying that the runoff will likely be between Womack and Maddox. Womack operatives are reportedly telling it to insiders as well.

The Maddox campaign has been somewhat unconventional. He has refused to accept special interests dollars, and asked his opponents to join him in what he called "the Razorback Pledge." Along with refusing special interest dollars, the "Razorback Pledge" also includes a self-imposed term-limit pledge and a pledge to give half his congressional pay to charities in the 3rd district.

In the interests of full disclosure, I did a limited amount of consulting work for the Maddox campaign early in the race. Nothing recently.