The new SurveyUSA poll of the Minnesota gubernatorial race shows Democrat Mark Dayton extending his narrow lead against Republican Tom Emmer, in the race to succeed GOP Governor and potential presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty.
The numbers: Dayton 42%, Emmer 37%, and Independence Party candidate Tom Horner at 14%. The survey of likely voters has a ±3.7% margin of error. In the previous SurveyUSA poll from two weeks ago, Dayton had 38%, Emmer 36%, and Horner 18%.
If Dayton wins this race, it would be an amazing comeback — in a Republican year, no less — for a man who served one term as a U.S. Senator, then retired in 2006 and openly cited problems with his own electability at the time. On the other hand, Emmer has had his own problems, most notably his gaffe and failed damage control efforts when he claimed that waiters were making $100,000 a year in tips and hurting their employers.
The TPM Poll Average has Dayton at 39.5%, Emmer 35.4%, and Horner 15.2%.
