A month ago, Republican Paul LePage led Democrat Libby Mitchell by nearly 20 points in Maine's gubernatorial race. Now LePage's support has fallen to a new low, putting him in a near tie with Mitchell. The latest Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Voters shows LePage picking up 35% of the vote, while Mitchell draws support from 32%. Democrat-turned-independent Eliot Cutler now earns 21% of the vote. Six percent (6%) prefer some other candidate, and another six percent (6%) are undecided. (For survey question wording, click here.)
These numbers move the race from Solid GOP to a Toss-Up in the Rasmussen Reports Election 2010 Gubernatorial Scorecard.
In mid-September, LePage held a 45% to 27% lead over Mitchell. Later that month, LePage’s comments to reporters about President Obama and news of his family’s tax problems in Florida made headlines.
In five surveys conducted since June, LePage, the mayor of Waterville, has earned 35% to 45% of the vote. Mitchell, president of the State Senate, has earned 27% to 36% of the vote in those same surveys. Cutler now receives his highest level of support yet, after failing to earn more than 16% in four previous surveys.
