The new survey of the West Virginia Senate race from Public Policy Polling (D) gives Democratic Gov. Joe Manchin the lead against Republican businessman John Raese.
The numbers: Manchin 50%, Raese 44%. The survey of likely voters has a ±2.8% margin of error. In the previous PPP survey from three weeks ago, Manchin had taken a lead of 48%-45%, after Raese had been ahead two weeks before that.
This race pitted Manchin’s massive popularity as governor against President Obama’s equally formidable unpopularity as president in this state. The polls have been very close, with alternating bouts of momentum by both Manchin and Raese.
The TPM Poll Average gives Manchin a lead of 46.9%-46.0%.
