The new Fox News poll of the West Virginia Senate race is giving Republican businessman John Raese a solid lead against Democratic Gov. Joe Manchin, in the race to succeed the late Dem Sen. Robert Byrd.
The numbers: Raese 48%, Manchin 43%. The survey of likely voters has a ±3% margin of error. There is no previous Fox News poll of this race. However, this poll was conducted through a Rasmussen offshoot, Pulse Opinion Research, which performs made-to-order robopolls. In the previous Rasmussen poll from last week, Raese led by 48%-46%.
One key number is that Manchin is actually very popular, with a 66% approval rating and only 24% disapproval of his job as governor, while Raese’s personal favorable rating is at only 42%-37%. But on the other hand, President Obama’s rating here is a ghastly 29%-65% — and that is likely what’s dragging Manchin down and bringing Raese up.
The TPM Poll Average gives Raese a lead of 48.1%-43.6%.
