Ashjian a factor? More Senate numbers from Rasmussen Reports

Rasmussen Reports last week added its numbers to the U.S. Senate race speculation, giving Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid a statistical edge (48 percent to 47 percent) over Republican challenger Sharron Angle. It remains a tossup, and within the statistical margin of error, but the survey did show Reid had moved ahead of Angle and toward the 50 percent mark.

But in the wake of the eerie disclosure of a secret meeting between Angle and “Tea Party” candidate Jon Scott Ashjian, it’s interesting to note that Rasmussen logged 4 percent of likely voters statewide who favored candidates other than Reid and Angle. That means Ashjian might actually have some kind of impact on the election. (Other than a comedic impact, I mean.)

Not that it figures to make much difference now, but conservative bomb-throwers Chuck Muth and George Harris are busy dreaming up last-minute political parties in an attempt to ridicule Secretary of State Ross Miller’s decision to sanction Ashjian’s head-scratching candidacy and muddy the political waters with less than a month before Election Day.

In a display of amazing political lame-headedness, Angle met secretly with Ashjian and attempted to get him out of the race. She poked the Republican Party in the eye during the taped conversation, which has now been heard more than the last Brittney Spears CD.

It’s another mistake of the mouth on Angle’s part. (She never should have been in that meeting.) And it comes at a time when each slip is magnified by a Reid campaign that is extremely fast on its feet.