Sam Brownback's campaign reveled when SurveyUSA polling delivered evidence the Republican was cascading toward victory in the governor's race.

Amanda Adkins, chairwoman of the Kansas Republican Party, declared the poll forecast a "clean sweep" on Election Day. Brownback spokeswoman Sherriene Jones-Sontag proclaimed the result proved Brownback's pitch was resonating with Kansans. The campaign's Facebook post piled on: "We're thrilled with the latest statewide poll. Thank you for your support."

But that was four years ago.

That August 2010 assessment by SurveyUSA indicated Brownback would claim 67 percent of the vote against 25 percent for Democratic nominee Tom Holland. When actual votes were counted in November 2010, the margin narrowed but Brownback barely broke a sweat, capturing 63.2 percent. Holland picked up crumbs at 32.2 percent.

In the midst of a challenging re-election campaign in 2014, Brownback's staff now takes a disparaging view of SurveyUSA's capacity to sample the public's political pulse. The Clifton, N.J., company's latest poll in Kansas' race for governor, revealed Tuesday, had Democrat Paul Davis leading 48 percent to 40 percent for Brownback.

"SurveyUSA has a history of inaccurate polling," said John Milburn, a spokesman for the governor and former Associated Press reporter who covered Brownback and other Kansas politicians for more than a decade. "This latest release from the organization is more of the same."

Brownback campaign manager Mark Dugan, who worked for Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer, discounted SurveyUSA's work product as "another absurd poll showing the governor losing."

His response included a public peek at an internal Brownback poll, normally held close to the vest, that placed the governor in front of Davis by 1 percentage point — 43 to 42. The campaign declined to reveal the poll's statistical details or share questions asked. It isn’t clear respondents could opt for the third candidate for governor, Libertarian Keen Umbehr.

Jay Leve, editor of SurveyUSA, said in an interview Thursday the firm had been in business a quarter century and started polling in Kansas during 1993.

"SurveyUSA polling in Kansas is unmatched," Leve said. "We wish the governor the best."

In 2010, SurveyUSA conducted four polls during the general election for governor in Kansas. The average of those surveys predicted Brownback would win 60 percent of the vote while Holland's take would be 30.2 percent. Brownback won 63-32.

The previous race for governor was between incumbent Democrat Kathleen Sebelius and Republican state Sen. Jim Barnett. In 2006, SurveyUSA performed at least three polls in that showdown. The average of those surveys suggested Sebelius would win re-election with 56.6 percent to 40 percent for Barnett. Official results: Sebelius, 57.9 percent; Barnett, 40.4 percent.

The governor's campaign and SurveyUSA aren't the only entities drawn to polling in the current fight for governor.

If Brownback's internal poll is aggregated with nine other surveys performed from February to August by SurveyUSA, CBS News/New York Times, Rasmussen Reports and Public Policy Polling, the outcome points to a close race between the major-party rivals.

Cumulative figures of the 10 polls: Davis, 45.4 percent; Brownback, 43 percent.

"The only poll that matters is going to be on November 4," said Chris Pumpelly, spokesman for the Davis campaign. "During the past year, Kansans have consistently been concerned with Sam Brownback's experiment."

He said the polling indicated expenditure of more than $1 million for anti-Davis radio and television advertising by the Republican Governor's Association and the Alliance for Freedom, which involves a son of former U.S. Rep. Jim Ryun, of Kansas, hadn't delivered significant traction for Brownback. SurveyUSA had Davis leading by 8 points in August, 8 points in July and 6 points in June.

In the latest assessment by SurveyUSA, 900 Kansas adults were interviewed Aug. 20-23. Brownback held 70 percent of Republicans. Davis had 91 percent of the Democratic vote, but independents were breaking 4-to-3 for Davis and moderates were falling 7-to-2 for the Democratic nominee.

Davis was leading in three urban regions: by 4 percent in greater Topeka, up 8 points in metro Kansas City, Kan., and by 10 points in the Wichita region. Brownback trailed in every age demographic, but was up 1 point among male voters.

However, Dugan said the internal poll performed for the governor's campaign Aug. 17-20 among 500 likely voters by Oklahoma City’s Cole, Hargrave, Snodgrass and Associates offered positive news: "We are winning."

He said in an email to supporters the new SurveyUSA poll was skewed to benefit Davis by including a higher proportion of Democrats than was present in June and July polls. It didn't make sense that SurveyUSA had Brownback drawing better among Republicans and independents while gaining only 2 points on Davis.

"How is it possible to make such a dramatic improvement in voter sentiment and yet the overall numbers stay the same?" Dugan said. "The sun is shining in Kansas. Don't let a bunch of liberals tell you any different."