Gov. Mark Dayton leads Republican challenger Jeff Johnson 50 percent to 40 percent in a statewide telephone survey of likely voters conducted by Rasmussen Reports.

That was enough for Rasmussen, a nationwide polling firm, to move its rating of the race from "Leans Democrat" to "Safe Democrat." In its last polling of Minnesota's governor's race, in August, Dayton led Johnson 49 percent to 41 percent.

The survey of 750 likely voters was conducted Sept. 29-30 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. It found 3 percent supported other candidates and 7 percent undecided.

The same poll also found U.S. Sen. Al Franken leading his Republican challenger, Mike McFadden, 49 percent to 41 percent.

While Rasmussen Reports has at times been criticized for leaning Republican in its polling, its latest measure of the governor's race gives DFLer Dayton reason to be confident with the election a month off. Dayton registered a 56 percent approval rating in the poll, while 41 percent disapprove.

The poll indicates Johnson has made some progress in improving low name recognition. He had a favorable rating of 38 percent, and an unfavorable rating of 32 percent. While 17 percent had not heard of Johnson, that's improved from 31 percent in the August poll.

The poll also found Johnson had a narrow edge over Dayton among voters who don't affiliate with either party: 44 percent to 41 percent.