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September 19, 2006

Update: Brown poll shows Chafee, Whitehouse neck and neck

PROVIDENCE – Incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee and his Democratic opponent, Sheldon Whitehouse, are locked in a close race, according to a Brown University poll released this morning.

If the November general election were held today, 40 percent of Rhode Islanders polled would vote for Whitehouse, while 39 percent would cast their ballots for Chafee. Twenty-one percent of those polled Sept. 16-18 were still undecided.

The poll was conducted by Darrell M. West, director of the Taubman Center for Public Policy and the John Hazen White Sr. Public Opinion Laboratory. It is based on a statewide random sample of 578 likely voters in Rhode Island. Overall, the poll had a margin of error of about plus or minus 4 percentage points.

The Brown poll, the second released since last week’s GOP primary, shows a closer race than the Rasmussen Reports poll that became public yesterday.

That poll showed Chafee trailing Whitehouse by 8 percentage points, with 51 percent supporting Whitehouse and 43 percent supporting Chafee.

On the casino front

The Brown poll also asked respondents to weigh in on another key vote on the November ballot -- the casino question.

More than half of those polled, or 55 percent, oppose amending the state Constitution to allow a gambling casino in West Warwick operated by Harrah’s in association with the Narragansett Indian Tribe. The Brown poll shows 36 percent favoring a casino and 9 percent undecided.

Governor's race

The poll also shows Republican Governor Carcieri well ahead of his Democratic challenger, Lt. Gov. Charles Fogarty. Carcieri now leads Fogarty with 50 percent of likely voters supporting him to 38 percent supporting Fogarty, up from a 44 percent to 39 percent Carcieri lead in a June poll.

How's Bush doing?

Only 22 percent of Rhode Island voters believe President Bush is doing an excellent or good job, with just 4 percent of those saying he’s doing an excellent job.

Twenty-one percent of those polled said the Republican Bush is doing an “only fair” job, 55 percent said he’s doing a poor job and 2 percent either said they didn’t know or did not answer the question.

Full story.

Posted by Kate Bramson  at 11:00 AM | Permalink

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