Democratic Senate hopeful Richard Blumenthal continues to pull in over 50 percent of the vote and hold a double digit lead no matter who he’s matched against.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in Connecticut finds Blumenthal leading Linda McMahon, former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, by a margin of 52 percent to 39 percent.
The longtime state attorney general collects 55 percent of the vote when matched against former GOP Congressman Rob Simmons who earns 32 percent support.
Peter Schiff, a high-profile Wall Street investment banker, trails 54 percent to 29 percent.
McMahon is the only one of the GOP candidates who bests Blumenthal among voters not affiliated with either major party. The Democrat carries those voters in the other match-ups.
The survey of 500 Likely Voters in Connecticut was conducted on May 4, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/-4.5 percentage points with a 95 percent level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
Blumenthal jumped into the race in January following embattled Senator Chris Dodd’s surprise announcement that he would not seek reelection. Since then, his support has never fallen below 52 percent against any opponent and it’s reached as high as 60 percent.
On the GOP side, none of the candidates have yet reached the 40 percent mark. This month is the best showing for McMahon. Simmons’ highest total to date was 38 percent last month.
The GOP contest may be sorted out as early as May 21 at the party’s state convention or linger until an August 10 primary. McMahon, drawing on her sizable personal fortune, is already heavily outspending Simmons and because of that money edge is viewed by many Republicans as more competitive against Blumenthal.
Connecticut voters remain skeptical of the recently-passed national health care bill. Fifty-seven percent (57 percent) favor repealing it, while 39 percent oppose repeal. Nationally, 54 percent of voters favor repeal.
Thirty-five percent (35 percent) of Connecticut voters view Blumenthal very favorably, while just 10 percent regard him very unfavorably.
McMahon has very favorables of 21 percent and very unfavorables of 19 percent.
For Simmons, very favorables are eight percent (8 percent), very unfavorables 11 percent.
Schiff is viewed very favorably by seven percent (7 percent) and very unfavorably by 11 percent.
At this point in a campaign, Rasmussen Reports considers the number of people with strong opinions more significant than the total favorable/unfavorable numbers.
Connecticut voters are evenly divided on a law like Arizona’s that empowers local police to stop those they suspect of being illegal immigrants: 46 percent favor such a law, while 45 percent oppose it. Nationally, 59 percent of voters support a law like Arizona’s.
Sixty-five percent (65 percent) in Connecticut are at least somewhat concerned that a law like that might will violate the civil rights of some U.S. citizens.
Sixty-three percent (63 percent) favor a welcoming immigration policy that excludes only “national security threats, criminals and those who would come here to live off our welfare system.” That’s a bit higher than the national average of 57 percent.
Most Connecticut voters say it is at least somewhat important for Congress to pass an energy bill this year to reduce global warming, and 48 percent favor a major energy bill. Only 28 percent oppose such a bill.
The majority of voters in the state recognize that Republicans have been labeled the Party of No by Democrats for their unified opposition to President Obama’s agenda, but they’re evenly divided over whether that’s a good place for the GOP to be.
Sixty-two percent (62 percent) say America is overtaxed, a view held by 66 percent of voters nationwide.
Fifty-four percent (54 percent) approve of how Obama is handling the role of president, while 43 percent disapprove. This marks no change from last month and is higher approval than Obama earns nationally in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll.
Incumbent Senator Dodd, under fire for his close ties to the financial industry in the wake of the Wall Street meltdown, struggled against all his Republican challengers.
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