Minnesota Republicans still like former U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman.

In a Rasmussen poll that included several other Republican potentials, the former senator was by far the favorite candidate for the 2010 governor's race. Half of those polled chose Coleman, who lost reelection after an extended battle with Democratic Sen. Al Franken.

The pollster gave Republicans their pick among Coleman, who has said he'll decide next year whether to run for governor, and state Reps. Marty Seifert, Tom Emmer and Laura Brod.

Seifert was tops among 11 percent, while 1 percent chose Emmer. The two declared candidates won first and third, respectively, in a straw poll of Republican activists last month.

Brod, who got 5 percent in the Rasmussen poll of Republicans, hasn't made clear if she will run for the seat Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty will vacate at the end of his term. The pollster left off five other Republicans who are running. A quarter of those polled said they had no clear favorite.

Rybak, Dayton lead DFL field

Only four of the 11 declared DFL candidates were included in the Rasmussen poll. Among the four, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, who formally entered the race this month, and former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton tied at 30 percent apiece.

House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher came in a distant second with 8 percent, while former Rep. Matt Entenza, who has been actively running all year, got 5 percent. Another 5 percent preferred a candidate not listed in the poll, while 20 percent were undecided.

The poll surveyed 330 likely Republican primary voters and 402 likely Democratic primary voters on Nov. 10. The margin of error was plus or minus 5.5 percentage points.

Rachel E. Stassen-Berger • 651-292-0164