A SurveyUSA poll released last night by KSTP shows that Rep. Michele Bachmann still commands a 9-point lead over her DFL challenger Tarryl Clark in the Sixth District.

Thursday night's poll, which had a margin of sampling error of +/- 4.1%, showed Bachmann ahead 49-40 -- the same margin as the last SurveyUSA-KSTP poll in July.

That's not good news for the Clark campaign, which has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on television ads trying to sway public opinion of Bachmann in the Sixth.

Independence Party candidate Bob Anderson again took 6 percent of the vote.

The pollsters noted that Clark has made headway among men, independents and people over 50, while Bachmann is advancing with women and middle-age voters.

"[W]e're focused on the people of the 6th District, not on polls, and we will be working hard in the coming weeks to make sure voters know the truth about Bachmann's record in Congress of putting the corporate special interests ahead of the well-being of her own constituents," Clark campaign manager Zach Rodvold said in a statement.