NBC/Marist Poll: Joni Ernst Leads Braley by 3 Points

Republican Joni Ernst is leading Democrat Bruce Braley 49 percent to 46 percent with likely voters in the Iowa U.S. Senate race, according to the latest NBC News/Marist poll released Sunday.

That marks a one-point rise from earlier this month, when Ernst led 46-44, Talking Points Memo notes.

Ernst, a state senator, is finding support among independents, who favor her 49 percent to Braley's 41 percent, the poll found. Braley, a member of the U.S. House, is a favorite of early voters, where he leads Ernst 52-47, according the poll.

Fox News found early voters leaning Republican.

The poll was conducted Oct 18-22 with 772 likely voters. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

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