Less than two months before the election, Denver District Attorney Bill Ritter (D) has jumped even further ahead in Colorado's gubernatorial race. He now leads Republican Representative Bob Beauprez 50% to 34% (see crosstabs). Ten percent (10%) are undecided.

The race was most competitive early in the year, when Ritter tended to edge out his likely Republican opponent by a point or two. That lead increased to five points in the months just before the August 8 primaries. Right after them, Ritter enjoyed a nine-point lead.

In the new Rasmussen Reports poll, conducted a few days after the candidates' first televised debate, Ritter actually adds only two more percentage points to his support to reach 50%. But Beauprez's support slides by five.

The Republican's fundraising efforts seem to have hit a shoal, with his Democratic opponent reportedly raising three times as much during the month of August. In addition to the GOP's national malaise this election year, Beauprez has had to contend with stateside partisan infighting over a controversial tax measure, Referendum C, narrowly passed by voters last year. The measure, which Beauprez opposed, allows Colorado to keep funds that would have been returned to taxpayers under the state's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR) law.

Ritter is now viewed favorably by 59% of all likely voters, with 25% "very favorable" (an increase since August); Beauprez by 44%, with 14% "very favorable" (a drop). Twice as many voters now view Beauprez very unfavorably: 23% versus just 11% for Ritter.

Colorado Governor Bill Owens, a Republican, earns approval from 52% of all voters; 46% disapprove of the job he's doing.

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