Press Release: Pumpkins Proclaim Political Winners

Pumpkin Chunkin’ Exit Poll Predicts Presidential Winner;
80 Percent Accurate in 2004

STATESVILLE, NC – According to the pumpkins, the McCain/Palin presidential ticket will land the White House.

That prediction was determined during The Great Heads of Statesville Exit Poll in Statesville, North Carolina on Friday, October 24. Pie pumpkins, weighing 3 pounds each, were catapulted from a trebuchet. Official pumpkin chunkin’ rules were used to determine the scores.
Distances were added together for the presidential contests.

Senator John McCain’s pumpkin spun to the right and bounced 81 yards from the catapult, while Governor Sarah Palin’s initially veered to the left, but pulled back to the right before landing 85 yards.
On the Democratic side, both pumpkins stayed true to the left. The Senator Barack Obama pumpkin flew 79 yards, while Senator Joe Biden’s gourd sailed 83 yards.

The total distance was 166 yards for the Republican ticket and 162 for the Democrat.

In the North Carolina bid for the US Senate seat, the pumpkin for Kay Hagan (D) aimed for the left while it soundly defeated incumbent Elizabeth Dole (R) 85-79 yards, whose pumpkin leaded to the right.

The pumpkins reinforced that the gubnatorial race between Lt. Governor Beverly Perdue (D) and Charlotte mayor Pat McCrory (R) is a toss-up. Both pumpkins were hurled 86 yards, meaning a run-off is be needed. Like the senatorial race, the gubnatorial pumpkins stayed true to their respective party lines.

The contest was scheduled to include other races, but heavy rains caused the process to end.

The trebuchets were designed and constructed by physics and mechanical engineering students at Mitchell Community College. Artwork on the pumpkins was provided by 7th and 8th graders at the American Renaissance Charter School in Statesville.

The Great Heads of Statesville Exit Poll was actually a media preview for the Crossroads Pumpkin Fest to be held in Statesville on Saturday, November 1. The festival will include a pumpkin chunking competition from 8:30-10:30 a.m. during which the McCrory/Perdue race will be predicted. A street festival with pie-eating, pumpkin smashing and pumpkin bowling contests will be held throughout the day in downtown Statesville. For more information on that event, call 877-531-1819 or log onto http://www.statesvillepumpkinfest.com/.

For more information about the media preview, log onto http://thegreatheadsofstatesvilleexitpoll.blogspot.com/ or call the media preview event organizers Greta Lint and Joel Leonard at 336-626-0527.

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