From the beginning of the year, New Mexico has been viewed as one of the Democrats’ best opportunities to pick up a Senate seat from the Republicans, and the latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the state does nothing to challenge that assumption.
Democrat Tom Udall now leads Republican Steve Pearce 55% to 41%. This is the sixth time in seven polls that Udall has enjoyed a double-digit lead. Last month, Pearce closed to within seven points, but even then Udall attracted support from a majority of New Mexico voters.
Udall and Pearce are seeking to replace retiring Senator Pete Domenici, a Republican who has been in the Senate since 1973. Both candidates chose to leave the U.S. House of Representatives to compete for the open seat.
Udall attracts support from 86% of Democrats and 50% of unaffiliated voters. Pearce wins the vote from 82% of Republicans and 42% of those not affiliated with either major party.
Udall earns favorable reviews from 56% of the state’s voters, while Pearce gets positive ratings from 43%.
Governor Bill Richardson, a Democrat, earns good or excellent ratings from 47% of voters in New Mexico, while 18% say he is doing a poor job.
New results for the presidential race in New Mexico will be released at 5 p.m. Eastern today.
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This telephone survey of 700 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports October 1, 2008. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.
|
New Mexico Trends: Udall vs. Pearce |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Date |
Udall |
Pearce |
|
10/28/2008 |
56% |
41% |
|
57% |
37% |
|
|
55% |
41% |
|
|
51% |
44% |
|
|
51% |
41% |
|
|
59% |
34% |
|
|
58% |
30% |
|
|
53% |
37% |
|
|
54% |
40% |
|
|
Favorable Ratings for Senate Candidates in New Mexico |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Pearce |
Udall |
|
|
Very Favorable |
27% |
38% |
|
Somewhat Favorable |
22% |
20% |
|
Somewhat Unfavorable |
20% |
16% |
|
Very Unfavorable |
27% |
24% |
|
Not Sure |
4% |
3% |
Rasmussen Reports is an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information.
The Rasmussen Reports ElectionEdge™ Premium Service for Election 2008 offers the most comprehensive public opinion coverage ever provided for a Presidential election.
Scott Rasmussen, president of Rasmussen Reports, has been an independent pollster for more than a decade.
