Campaign 2008

New poll shows Coleman on top

by Mark Zdechlik, Minnesota Public Radio

St. Paul, Minn. — A new KSTP-TV/Survey USA poll shows Republican Sen. Norm Coleman with a double-digit lead over DFL Senate candidate Al Franken.

Pollsters surveyed 700 Minnesotans last week. They found in a race between Coleman and Franken, Coleman would win 52 percent to 40 percent.

Coleman's campaign says the poll results show Minnesotans are connecting with the Coleman campaign, but that it's anticipating a very close race.

Franken's campaign too is predicting a close race, saying it's seen all sorts of polls saying all sorts of things.

The poll also asked what would happen if former Independence Party Gov. Jesse Ventura entered the Senate race.

It found Coleman would still win with 41 percent, Franken would come in second with 31 percent and Ventura would get 23 percent.

A Rasmussen Reports poll also taken last week showed Coleman and Franken in a statistical dead heat.

That Rasmussen poll found in a three-way matchup, Coleman would win with 39 percent, Franken would end up with 32 percent and Ventura would get 24 percent.