New poll shows Bayh with 18-point lead

A new poll released by Senate Majority PAC, a Democratic super-PAC, shows former Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) leading his Republican opponent by 18 points in Indiana’s Senate race.

The survey, conducted by Global Strategy Group from Aug. 10 to Aug. 14, shows Bayh with a 55-percent favorable rating and besting Republican Rep. Todd Young (R-Ind.) 54 percent to 36 percent in a head-to-head match-up.

{mosads}A Monmouth University poll released last week showed the race had narrowed to 7 points; the newest poll shows Bayh has maintained his lead despite a spate of negative media coverage raising questions about his residency in Indiana and his ties with corporate interests with business before Congress.

Republican outside groups have outspent their Democratic counterparts significantly in the state. The Senate Leadership Fund, the National Republican Senatorial Campaign and Freedom Partners have spent or reserved air time worth a total of $2.5 million since Aug. 1, according to a GOP source who tracks media buys.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has allocated $1.3 million over the same period, according to the source.

“Evan Bayh has weathered millions in attacks from Todd Young and his allies and yet still leads by 18 points because voters know he’s a principled, bipartisan leader who will put Hoosiers first,” said Shripal Shah, the spokesman for Senate Majority PAC. 

“Bayh’s cross-partisan appeal will be very difficult for Republicans to overcome between now and November,” he said.  

The poll found 78 percent of likely voters are familiar with Bayh and only 23 percent have an unfavorable opinion of him.

Bayh, who for years was one of the Senate’s most prominent centrists, does particularly well among self-described moderates.

He leads Young among these voters, 64 percent to 21.

The Monmouth poll released Aug. 17 showed Bayh leading Young by only 7 points, 48 percent to 41.

That survey showed 46 percent of voters had a favorable opinion of Bayh and 19 percent had an unfavorable view.