Lieberman Opens 17-Point Lead In Connecticut, Poll Finds

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Lieberman Opens 17-Point Lead In Connecticut, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds

"Candidate debates this week did not help the two principal challengers in the Connecticut Senate race, as Sen. Joseph Lieberman now holds a 52 - 35 percent likely voter lead over Democratic candidate Ned Lamont, with 6 percent for Republican Alan Schlesinger and 7 percent undecided, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.

This compares to a 49 - 39 percent Sen. Lieberman lead over Lamont, with 5 percent for Schlesinger in a September 28 poll by the independent Quinnipiac University.

In this latest survey, Lieberman leads Lamont 70 - 9 percent among likely Republican voters, with 18 percent for Schlesinger, and 58 - 32 - 5 percent among likely independent voters, while likely Democratic voters back Lamont 55 - 36 percent.

While 35 percent of Connecticut voters watched Monday's candidate debate, another 35 percent said they heard or read about the debate. Of those who watched the debate or read or heard about it, only 3 percent say they changed their mind about whom they would vote for as a result of the debate.

"Ned Lamont needed to score a knockout in the debates to catch Sen. Joseph Lieberman, but he apparently didn't lay a glove on him," said Quinnipiac University Poll Director Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D.

"Lamont's negatives are up and he has fallen farther behind in the matchup against Lieberman because of his drop among independent voters and men.

"Observers had speculated that Alan Schlesinger would benefit from the debate exposure and take Republican votes away from Lieberman," Dr. Schwartz added. "Instead, he took Republican votes away from Lamont."

Connecticut likely voters give Lieberman a 49 - 28 percent favorability rating, with 21 percent mixed. Lamont gets a negative 29 - 36 percent favorability rating, with 21 percent mixed and 13 percent who haven't heard enough to form an opinion. For Schlesinger, 65 percent don't know enough about him to form an opinion..."
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x11362.xml?ReleaseID=974