Democratic Gov. Joe Manchin still holds a slight lead over Republican John Raese in the final hours of West Virginia’s surprisingly close special U.S. Senate race.
The final Rasmussen Reports survey finds Manchin with the support of 50 percent of likely voters, while 46 percent prefer Raese. One percent prefer some other candidate, and 3 percent remain undecided.
With a 4-point margin of error in the survey, the race remains a tossup in the Rasmussen rankings.
Five days ago, Manchin edged from behind to a three-point lead, 49 percent to 46 percent, the first time he’d been ahead in the race since mid-September. In recent weeks, however, the highly popular governor has repeatedly distanced himself from President Obama and his policies, which are highly unpopular in West Virginia.
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and rock guitarist Ted Nugent swung through the state to campaign for Raese on Saturday, but Manchin later told reporters that he, too, was “friends” with Palin. This new survey was taken Sunday night.
Scott Rasmussen, president of Rasmussen Reports, says that this is one of the pivotal races to watch early on Election Night. “If Manchin holds on to a narrow victory as projected, it means the Republicans will have a tough time winning control of the U.S. Senate. If, on other hand, Raese manages to pull off an upset, it means the Republicans will have an even bigger night than expected and will be favored to take the Senate.”
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