Dem poll shows Udall leading Schaffer

A new Democrat-funded poll out today shows Democratic U.S. Rep. Mark Udall leading former U.S. Rep. Bob Schaffer in the race for the seat of retiring U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard.

The poll, conducted by Garin-Hart-Yang Research for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, shows Udall leading Schaffer by a 46 percent to 37 percent margin. In a generic ballot test, Colorado voters say they would vote for a Democrat by a 42 percent to 36 percent margin. The poll has a margin of error of 3.5 percent.

The seat is widely seen as one of the most competitive this fall. While Republicans have been accusing Udall of being too liberal for the state, Democrats have been painting Schaffer as an extreme conservative and an unethical politician, hammering him for his alleged connections to jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Democrats seized on the poll today, saying it was evidence its message in the race was resonating with voters. “The more Coloradans get to know Bob Schaffer, the less they want him representing them in the Senate,” said DSCC spokesman Matt Miller.

Republicans, however, called the poll partisan and said it was done too early in the contest to yield an accurate reflection of the electorate. “As soon as the electorate is focused on the race, you’re going to see people very leery of Mark Udall’s record,” said John Randall, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Randall also predicted the numbers would shift the Republican’s direction closer to the fall, when, he said, Schaffer would be more aggressive in his advertising campaign.

Both men are no strangers to Washington. Udall has represented Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District, which encompasses a heavily Democratic area, for four terms. Schaffer retired from congress in 2002 after serving three terms.