The first political poll of the season on Alaska’s U.S. Senate race gives the Republican challenger a six-point lead over his opponent, but the survey shows that this race is a moving target for both campaigns. The survey of 500 Alaska residents finds that 33 percent of likely voters have a negative opinion of GOP candidate Joe Miller of Fairbanks and many seem unsure of what the Democratic candidate stands for.
Here’s the latest release from the Rasmussen Reports pollsters:
In Rasmussen Reports’ first look at the U.S. Senate race in Alaska, Republican newcomer Joe Miller holds a six-point lead over Sitka Mayor Scott McAdams.
The latest statewide telephone survey of Likely Voters shows Miller attracting 50% of the vote, while McAdams earns support from 44%. Four percent (4%) prefer some other candidate and two percent (2%) are undecided.
This survey was conducted Tuesday night just hours after incumbent GOP Senator Lisa Murkowski conceded the Republican nomination during a recount of the August 24 primary. Miller, a lawyer and military veteran, benefited from support from the state’s former governor Sarah Palin and Tea Party activists.
Ninety percent (90%) of Democrats back McAdams while 79% of Republicans throw their vote behind Miller. McAdams holds a 22-point lead among voters not affiliated with either major political party.
The new numbers move this race from Solid Republican to Leans Republican in the Rasmussen Reports Election 2010 Senate Balance of Power.
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The survey of 500 Likely Voters in Alaska was conducted on August 31, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
Eighty-six percent (86%) of Alaska voters view Miller as a conservative, including 65% who say he’s Very Conservative.
While 33% see McAdams as being liberal, roughly the same number (32%) views him as a moderate.
Forty-two percent (42%) see Miller’s views as being mainstream, but slightly more voters (48%) say his views are extreme.
Nearly half (47%) in Alaska say McAdams’ views are mainstream, while just 21% say his views are extreme. But another 32% are not sure at this point.
Miller is viewed Very Favorably by 25% and Very Unfavorably by 33%.
Thirteen percent (13%) regard McAdams Very Unfavorably, while 18% view him Very Unfavorably
In Alaska, 56% of voters rate their personal finances as good or excellent, while 11% rate them as poor. While 33% say their finances are getting better, 34% say they are getting worse. Those results show a slightly higher level of optimism in Alaska compared to those found on the national level.
Forty-six percent (46%) of Alaska voters approve of the job President Obama is doing, while 54% disapprove. Those ratings are a bit more critical than those found nationally in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll.
Rasmussen Reports has recently surveyed Senate races in Arizona, Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
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