Kinder poll shows him trailing Nixon by seven percent

A poll commissioned by Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder shows him trailing Jay Nixon by seven percent, 48 to 41, despite the recent wave of publicity about Kinder's cavorting with a former Penthouse Pet:

Wilson Perkins Allen Opinion Research conducted a survey of 600 likely 2012 Missouri voters August 10th, 11th and 14th. These interviews were conducted during the height of the recent media coverage of Kinder. Even under those circumstances Jay Nixon fails to clear fifty percent on the ballot as an incumbent.

That's one way to spin it. Another way would be to note that Nixon is leading Kinder by seven points, well beyond the margin of error in Kinder's own poll and this is despite the steady erosion of support for President Barack Obama.

With Kinder's largest contributor, Joplin businessman David Humphreys of TAMKO, withdrawing his support and the ever-looming threat of more revelations about the lieutenant governor, the Republicans' only chance to unseating Nixon would appear to be finding another candidate and hoping Nixon does something wrong before next November.