Skip to content

Missouri: McCaskill Trails All Republicans in Latest Poll

(Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)
(Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

Vulnerable Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) is just that, according to a new poll released this weekend by two Missouri media outlets.

In horserace matchups, McCaskill trailed all three of her serious Republican primary opponents.

Businessman John Brunner, who has put millions of his own money into the race, did the best against McCaskill, garnering 52 percent to the Senator’s 41 percent. Former state Treasurer Sarah Steelman pulled 49 percent to McCaskill’s 41 percent. And Rep. Todd Akin got 49 percent to McCaskill’s 44 percent.

McCaskill’s favorability ratings were weak. Thirty-seven percent of those polled had a favorable opinion of her, but 44 percent had an unfavorable opinion of her. Seventeen percent had a neutral opinion of her, but that will probably change as the election season begins in earnest and more political TV ads are seen by voters.

“Claire has been outspent in this race by more than $10 million and while all the attacks have been targeted at her, there is still no Republican nominee to hold accountable,” said McCaskill campaign communications director Caitlin Legacki in a statement. “While a lot of polls show us both up and down, we know that we have the best operation and Claire is a Senator on the side of Missouri, so the only poll that matters is when the voters speak on Nov. 6.”

Among likely GOP primary voters in the poll, Brunner led the pack in a ballot test. He got 33 percent to Steelman’s 27 percent. Akin trailed with 17 percent, while 19 percent said there were undecided. The primary is Aug. 7.

As has been long expected in a state trending more Republican, Missourians appear poised to vote for Mitt Romney over Barack Obama in November. The poll found Romney topped Obama, 51 percent to 42 percent.

The poll was conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and News 4, the St. Louis CBS affiliate.

Live telephone interviewers surveyed 625 likely voters on landlines and cell phones July 23-25. The margin of error was 4 points. The poll included an oversample of 400 likely Republican primary voters, who were asked about the GOP contest. The primary ballot test had a margin of error of 5 points.

Read the polling memo here:

[scribd id=101476052 key=key-1b6mxp24odmq6a0b499a mode=list]

Recent Stories

Capitol Lens | O’s face

Mayorkas impeachment headed to Senate for April 11 trial

Muslim American appeals court nominee loses Democratic support

At the Races: Lieberman lookback

Court says South Carolina can use current congressional map

Joseph Lieberman: A Capitol life in photos