FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Kevin Hill
hill@dubymcdowell.com
860.869.7239

HIMES, DEBICELLA IN DEAD HEAT

Bridgeport voter turnout critical

HARTFORD, CT (October 7, 2010) - Democratic incumbent U.S. Representative Jim Himes is in a neck-and-neck race with Republican challenger
Dan DeBicella according to a poll released today on Connecticut’s 4th congressional district. Representative Himes has 49.4 percent to DeBicella’s
47.2 percent. Included in those surveyed are 3.4 percent still unsure of whom they will support in the race.
The poll, commissioned by ctcapitolreport.com and conducted by the Merriman River Group, surveyed 411 likely voters on October 3-5,
2010 with a margin of error of +/- 4.8 percentage points.
“With a month to go, the 4th district race between Democratic incumbent Jim Himes and Republican challenger Dan DeBicella is a statistical
dead heat, and the city of Bridgeport will likely decide it,” says the poll’s Executive Director, Matthew Fitch. “Himes holds a 2.2 percent lead, which
is less than half the margin of error. As in other districts, Himes' fortunes may be tied to President Obama's approval rating. Voters approving of the
President's job performance are supporting Himes by an 87.2-10.3 margin, while voters who have a negative view of Obama support Republican
DeBicella 88.7-9.8.”
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According to Fitch, “Voter turnout in Bridgeport may well hold the key to this race. In 2008 almost 40,000 voters turned out in Bridgeport,
and Himes' 23,000 vote margin in the city offset an 11,000 vote deficit in the rest of the district to give him a 12,000 vote plurality. In 2006, when
barely 20,000 voters turned out, Democrat Diane Farrell won Bridgeport by better than a 2-1 margin, but the lower turnout yielded her only a 7,000
vote margin and she was unable to overcome the 14,000 vote deficit in the rest of the district. The question is not whether Himes will do well in
Bridgeport, but rather will enough people vote to offset losses in the rest of the district?

A poll on Connecticut’s 2nd and 3rd congressional districts will be released tomorrow.

About CTCapitolReport.com
CT Capitol Report is published and edited by veteran political professional Tom Dudchik. Since its launch in 2009 its readership has grown
exponentially and it is widely considered the most comprehensive website for Connecticut political news.

About Merriman River Group

With offices in Hamden, CT and Los Angeles, CA, Merriman River Group is a full service consulting organization specializing in election
supervision and administration, public opinion research, and communication services. In 2010, Merriman River Group launched their NexGen IVR
polling system, which offers professional grade polling and analysis with reduced costs and faster completion time. NexGen IVR has been used in
public and private polling from New England to Hawaii this year, with accuracy far exceeding traditional polling methods. For more information on
Merriman River Group, please visit www.merrimanriver.com.

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CT 4th Congressional District
Margin of Error = 4.8%

Frequency Percent

Valid Congress:Debicella 194 47.2

Congress:Himes 203 49.4

Congress:Unsure 14 3.4

Total 411 100.0

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Congress * Gender Crosstabulation

Gender

Gender:Not
Gender:female Gender:male Reported Total

Congress Congress:Debicella Count 106 84 4 194

% within Gender 44.4% 52.8% 30.8% 47.2%

Congress:Himes Count 123 73 7 203

% within Gender 51.5% 45.9% 53.8% 49.4%

Congress:Unsure Count 10 2 2 14

% within Gender 4.2% 1.3% 15.4% 3.4%

Total Count 239 159 13 411

% within Gender 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

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Gender * Congress Crosstabulation

Congress

Congress:Debicella Congress:Himes Congress:Unsure Total

Gender Gender:female Count 106 123 10 239

% within Congress 54.6% 60.6% 71.4% 58.2%

Gender:male Count 84 73 2 159

% within Congress 43.3% 36.0% 14.3% 38.7%

Gender:Not Reported Count 4 7 2 13

% within Congress 2.1% 3.4% 14.3% 3.2%

Total Count 194 203 14 411

% within Congress 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

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Congress * Party Crosstabulation

Party

1. 2. 3. 99. Party:Not
Party:Democrat Party:Republican Party:Independent 9. Party:Unsure Reported Total

Congress Congress:Debicella Count 14 93 67 1 19 194

% within Party 10.6% 83.0% 54.5% 12.5% 52.8% 47.2%

Congress:Himes Count 115 17 54 5 12 203

% within Party 87.1% 15.2% 43.9% 62.5% 33.3% 49.4%

Congress:Unsure Count 3 2 2 2 5 14

% within Party 2.3% 1.8% 1.6% 25.0% 13.9% 3.4%

Total Count 132 112 123 8 36 411

% within Party 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

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Congress * Tea Party Crosstabulation

Tea Party

9. 99.TeaParty:Not
1. TeaParty:Yes 2. TeaParty:No TeaParty:Unsure Reported Total

Congress Congress:Debicella Count 49 108 21 16 194

% within Tea Party 90.7% 37.2% 61.8% 48.5% 47.2%

Congress:Himes Count 5 176 10 12 203

% within Tea Party 9.3% 60.7% 29.4% 36.4% 49.4%

Congress:Unsure Count 0 6 3 5 14

% within Tea Party .0% 2.1% 8.8% 15.2% 3.4%

Total Count 54 290 34 33 411

% within Tea Party 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

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Congress * Obama Crosstabulation

Obama

1. 2. 3. 4.
Obama:Approve Obama:Approve Obama:Disapprove Obama:Disapprove 9.
strongly somewhat somewhat strongly Obama:Unsure Total

Congress Congress:Debicella Count 9 10 26 146 3 194

% within Obama 6.8% 14.5% 57.8% 95.4% 25.0% 47.2%

Congress:Himes Count 121 56 16 5 5 203

% within Obama 91.7% 81.2% 35.6% 3.3% 41.7% 49.4%

Congress:Unsure Count 2 3 3 2 4 14

% within Obama 1.5% 4.3% 6.7% 1.3% 33.3% 3.4%

Total Count 132 69 45 153 12 411

% within Obama 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

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Congress * Obama_Short Crosstabulation

Obama_Short

Obama:Approve Obama:Disapprove Obama:Unsure Total

Congress Congress:Debicella Count 19 172 3 194

% within Obama_Short 9.5% 86.9% 25.0% 47.2%

Congress:Himes Count 177 21 5 203

% within Obama_Short 88.1% 10.6% 41.7% 49.4%

Congress:Unsure Count 5 5 4 14

% within Obama_Short 2.5% 2.5% 33.3% 3.4%

Total Count 201 198 12 411

% within Obama_Short 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

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Obama * Congress Crosstabulation

Congress

Congress:Debicella Congress:Himes Congress:Unsure Total

Obama 1. Obama:Approve strongly Count 9 121 2 132

% within Congress 4.6% 59.6% 14.3% 32.1%

2. Obama:Approve Count 10 56 3 69
somewhat
% within Congress 5.2% 27.6% 21.4% 16.8%

3. Obama:Disapprove Count 26 16 3 45
somewhat
% within Congress 13.4% 7.9% 21.4% 10.9%

4. Obama:Disapprove Count 146 5 2 153

strongly
% within Congress 75.3% 2.5% 14.3% 37.2%

9. Obama:Unsure Count 3 5 4 12

% within Congress 1.5% 2.5% 28.6% 2.9%

Total Count 194 203 14 411

% within Congress 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

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Obama_Short * Congress Crosstabulation

Congress

Congress:Debicella Congress:Himes Congress:Unsure Total

Obama_Short Obama:Approve Count 19 177 5 201

% within Congress 9.8% 87.2% 35.7% 48.9%

Obama:Disapprove Count 172 21 5 198

% within Congress 88.7% 10.3% 35.7% 48.2%

Obama:Unsure Count 3 5 4 12

% within Congress 1.5% 2.5% 28.6% 2.9%

Total Count 194 203 14 411

% within Congress 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%