Democratic Montana Gov. Steve Bullock is ahead of the Republican incumbent in their race for the state’s Senate seat, according to a new poll.
Bullock, a former long-shot 2020 presidential candidate, has 46% support to GOP Sen. Steve Daines, elected in 2014, who has 39%, the Montana State University survey released Tuesday found. Another 7% told researchers they were undecided, while 6% would vote for either the Libertarian or Green Party candidate on the ballot.
The contest is one of the most high-profile this election cycle, in which Democrats are hoping to overturn the Republican advantage in the Senate. The GOP has 53 senators in the chamber compared with 45 Democrats and two independents who caucus with them. Of the 35 seats up for election, 23 are currently held by Republicans.
“I think it’s certainly reasonable to assume that the race is probably within the margin of error and too close to call,” MSU’s David Parker told MTN News. “So, while we show a lead (for Bullock), it’s within the margin of error, so I would say, yeah, this is a competitive Senate race.”
President Trump won Montana in 2016 by more than 20 percentage points, 56% to Democratic White House rival Hillary Clinton’s 34%. That same year, Bullock reclaimed the governor’s mansion for a second term over Republican challenger Rep. Greg Gianforte, 50% to 46%.
Both men’s popularity is reflected in Tuesday’s study. Trump is ahead of Democratic opponent Joe Biden, 45% to 40%, with 53% approving of his handling of the novel coronavirus pandemic. A whopping 70% approved of Bullock’s job during the COVID-19 outbreak, indicative of the press attention the pair continue to receive during the crisis.
The online poll was conducted among 738 registered, likely Montanan voters from mid-to-late April. Its results have a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points.
