Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) is the choice of more than 40 percent of Massachusetts Democrats to serve as the party’s nominee in the state’s U.S. Senate special election, according to a poll released Tuesday, giving him an ample cushion over Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) in the two-man primary contest.
According to the survey from Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling, conducted on behalf of the League of Conservation Voters, 43 percent of Bay State Democratic voters said they intend to vote for Markey in the primary, which will be held April 30, while 28 percent give the nod to Lynch. The League of Conservation Voters supports Markey in the race.
The poll found that Markey is currently both better-known and better-liked among Democrats in the state than Lynch. Fifty-eight percent said they have a favorable opinion of Markey, while 36 percent said they have a favorable view of Lynch. Thirty-five percent said they weren’t sure how they feel about Lynch, a self-described moderate, compared with 23 percent who said they aren’t sure about the more liberal Markey.
The PollTracker Average currently shows Markey with about a 12-point edge in the primary, although the race has been lightly polled thus far.
