Saying polls manipulate and take the public mind off issues, Republican gubernatorial candidate Richard Eyre shrugged off a KSL-Deseret News poll showing him running slightly behind rival Mike Leavitt.
"People pay about as much attention to polls as they do to establishment endorsements," Eyre said. "We haven't started the public phase of our campaign, yet."When he does, Eyre said, "it will be a campaign of substance rather than `name and face.' "
Eyre pointed out that the latest poll numbers among probable primary voters are almost identical to polls released just before the State Convention showing him behind Leavitt among convention delegates.
"The reason I surprised the pollsters and won the convention is that delegates went beyond billboards and endorsements and took the time to look closely at the candidates and know them on issues and qualifications."