The new Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll of Arkansas finds Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln ahead of her primary challenger, Lt. Gov. Bill Halter. But the gap has been closing — and it’s also possible that Halter could be the stronger Democrat for the general election.
The numbers: Lincoln 44%, Halter 31%, with a ±5% margin of error. In the previous poll, from late November and early December 2009 — before Halter was officially in the race — Lincoln led by 42%-26%.
The poll has Lincoln trailing all five Republicans. Rep. John Boozman, the frontrunner for the GOP nomination, leads her by 49%-42%. State Sen. Kim Hendren leads Lincoln by 48%-43%, state Sen. Gilbert Baker leads by 49%-41%, businessman Curtis Coleman is ahead by 47%-44%, and businessman Tom Cox leads by 47%-43%.
Boozman also leads Halter, by a margin of 48%-40%. Hendren edges Halter by a statistically insignificant 45%-44%, though, and Baker has a narrow advantage of 46%-44%. Halter edges out Cox by 45%-44%, and Halter leads Cox by 45%-43%.
