A new survey of Missouri from Public Policy Polling (D) shows a close race in 2012 for Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill.
McCaskill was tested against three potential Republican nominees, with all trial heats ending up within the margin of error: Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder leads McCaskill 46%-44%; McCaskill edges former state Treasurer Sarah Steelman, who just declared her candidacy today, by 45%-44%; and former Sen. Jim Talent, who lost to McCaskill in the Democratic wave year of 2006, leads her 47%-45.
The survey of registered voters has a ±4.3% margin of error.
A key number here is that President Obama’s approval rating in this perennial swing state is currently at just 43%, with 52% disapproval. McCaskill’s approval rating as a senator is also only 43%, with disapproval at 44%.
