Poll: McCaskill, Hawley in dead heat in Missouri Senate race

Incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) is in a dead heat with her Republican challenger, Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley, ahead of next month’s midterm elections, according to a new poll.

The Reuters/Ipsos/UVA Center for Politics poll published on Wednesday found that 44 percent of likely Missouri voters back McCaskill, while 45 percent support Hawley. Hawley’s slight lead is within the poll’s “credibility interval” of 3 percentage points.

{mosads}The poll’s results are consistent with other recent polling that has shown a tight race between McCaskill and Hawley, indicating that McCaskill’s vote against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hasn’t hurt her among voters.

The new survey found that 44 percent of likely voters said they were “more likely” to support McCaskill’s candidacy because of her opposition to Kavanaugh, while 46 percent said they were “less likely” to do so.

McCaskill is considered vulnerable as one of 10 Senate Democrats up for reelection in states President Trump won in 2016. Trump took Missouri by double digits in the 2016 election, but McCaskill is hoping Democrats’ dissatisfaction with the president will boost her to victory.

Hawley has earned Trump’s praise and endorsement, and the attorney general has aligned himself with the president throughout his campaign. 

The poll results published Wednesday were based on online surveys with between 968 and 1,111 likely voters from Sept. 27 to Oct. 7.