Rachel Maddow Leads for Most Influential Progressive; Mother Jones and The Nation Tied for Best Online Mag; Daily Kos Slim Lead Among Top Blogs

Nightly MSNBC host Rachel Maddow is demonstrating her huge popularity at the half-way mark of voting in AlterNet's poll of the "Most Influential Progressive Media Figures," jumping out ahead of Michael Moore. Thousands of votes have been cast by AlterNet readers and those from other progressive web sites. Anyone can vote in this poll.

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On the online magazine front, Mother Jones.com and The Nation.com are locked in a virtual dead heat. Surprisingly, despite being sold to AOL, The Huffington Post is right on their heels. Truth Out and Salon.com are also in the battle for the top five online Magazines in the early counting.

In the blog contest, The Daily Kos is barely ahead of Media Matters in the early polling, while FireDogLake is clearly within striking distance, along with Crooks and Liars, and Ezra Klein.

In the battle for most influential, the array of media icons battling it out at the top of the list includes Jon Stewart, Amy Goodman, and Keith Olbermann, even though Olbermann has parted ways with MSNBC (his fans are waiting to see what is in store as he become's part of the Current Network, partially owned by former vice President Al Gore). Noam Chomsky, Paul Krugman, Bill Maher and Stephen Colbert are also in play for the leadership spot, while Arianna Huffington appears to have lost significant ground since AlterNet's last poll in 2009. On the other hand, Ed Schultz, perhaps because of his feisty shows focusing on the political battles in Wisconsin, has improved his visibility significantly, while the popular Canadian writer and pundit, Naomi Klein is also in the top ten. Bill Moyers won the poll in 2009,

but has retired from Public Television, and was not included in this year's list.

Voting will continue through Saturday, April 15th.