Udall internal poll shows tight race

Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) holds a 1-point lead over Rep. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) in a new internal poll released by his campaign.

{mosads}The survey, conducted by Keating Research Oct. 21–23, gives Udall 45 percent support to Gardner’s 44 percent support among likely voters. Six percent of respondents remain undecided.

The numbers are meant to push back against public polling that’s shown Gardner leading the incumbent by varying margins since mid-September. A survey out Friday from Quinnipiac University gave Gardner a five-point lead in the race.

Democrats have dismissed the public polls, arguing their methodology is off and that most undersample the Hispanic vote in the state. Udall’s internals have always shown a more competitive race, and the latest poll marks a slight improvement for him from earlier this month, when his internals showed him tied with Gardner.

The new poll shows him leading a number of Democratic voting blocs, but only by single digits among women and younger voters. He takes 49 percent support from women to Gardner’s 41 percent, and takes 48 percent support from voters aged 18-49, compared to Gardner’s 40 percent.

He leads among Hispanics with 57 percent, but Gardner draws a sizable portion of that voting bloc as well, with 30 percent support. And he holds a 10-point advantage among independent voters, which make up 28 percent of the electorate.

The poll also found Udall leading in the five suburban counties where Gardner sees much of his base of support, taking 47 percent to Gardner’s 41 percent.

The survey was conducted among 1,005 likely voters via live interview by landline and cellphone, and has a margin of error of 3.1 points.