Poll: Republican Has Big Lead In South Dakota Senate Despite Hype

FILE - In this June 3, 2014 file photo, former South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds and candidate for U.S. Senate, visits with supporters at his campaign headquarters in downtown Pierre, S.D. On Monday, Sept. 22, 2014, Roun... FILE - In this June 3, 2014 file photo, former South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds and candidate for U.S. Senate, visits with supporters at his campaign headquarters in downtown Pierre, S.D. On Monday, Sept. 22, 2014, Rounds released his written answers to questions on what he knew about the state's involvement in the federal EB-5 program that lets foreign investors obtain a green card with a $500,000 investment in an approved job-creating project. The state’s Government Operations and Audit Committee plans to review his answers and those from Gov. Dennis Daugaard on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Nora Hertel, File) MORE LESS
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Some polling earlier this month suggested that the South Dakota Senate race might be unexpectedly competitive, but a new poll shows Republican candidate Mike Rounds with a significant lead 10 days before the election.

Rounds is taking 43 percent of the vote, according to the NBC/Marist poll released Sunday. Democratic candidate Rick Weiland is at 29 percent and former GOP Sen. Larry Pressler, now running as an independent, is polling at 16 percent.

The race has been lightly polled compared to other Senate battlegrounds, but earlier polling had indicated a tighter race, which led to Republicans, Democrats and outside groups diving in during the final weeks. A Survey USA poll released at the beginning of October put Rounds at 35 percent, Pressler at 32 percent and Weiland at 28 percent.

The NBC/Martist poll, conducted Oct. 19 to 23, surveyed 730 likely voters. Its margin of error is 3.6 points.

According to TPM’s PollTracker average, Rounds is currently leading 47.2 percent, Weiland at 25.7 percent and Pressler at 16.4 percent.

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