Poll: Coleman has strong lead in Senate race, with or without Ventura

By Kevin Duchschere, Star Tribune

Last update: June 17, 2008 - 11:37 AM

Former Gov. Jesse Ventura would trim support from both Sen. Norm Coleman and Coleman's DFL challenger, Al Franken, if he were to enter the U.S. Senate race, a Survey USA poll has found.

The poll, which was commissioned by KSTP-TV and conducted of 700 Minnesota adults last week, showed Coleman winning a three-way match over Franken and Ventura. Forty-one percent of poll respondents said they would support Coleman, compared with 31 percent for Franken and 23 percent for Ventura. The margin of error on that question was plus or minus 4.1 percentage points.

If Ventura doesn't enter the race, 52 percent said they support Coleman and 40 percent said they were for Franken. The margin of error was plus or minus 4 percentage points.

Ventura has said he is considering running. The deadline for filing is mid-July.

The poll also tested how things might change if former Senate candidate Mike Ciresi entered the race and beat Franken in a primary election this fall, thereby becoming the DFL candidate. Under that scenario, Coleman had 41 percent, Ciresi 28 percent and Ventura 26 percent, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points. Before he dropped out of the race in March, Ciresi said he would abide by the party's endorsement, which Franken won earlier this month.

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