Republican businessman David Perdue has galloped to an 8-point lead over Michelle Nunn, the Georgia Democrats' nominee for the vacant U.S. Senate seat, a poll released Wednesday shows.
The
Monmouth University poll finds that Perdue has the support of 49 percent of likely voters, while Nunn has 41 percent — and that Perdue leads not only among men, 52 percent to 38 percent, but also with women, 47 percent to 43 percent.
Independents prefer Perdue over Nunn by 50 percent to 33 percent, the poll shows — and that could prove to be key, says Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute in West Long Branch, N.J.
"Perdue is clearly in the lead, but there is a sizable number of truly undecided voters in this race," Murray said. "If most of them swing to Nunn in the final days, a runoff is possible."
The survey also finds 45 percent of Georgia voters prefer the GOP to control the Senate, compared with 33 percent who'd rather see Democrats in the majority; 21 percent say party control makes no difference to them.
The margin of error is 4.7 percentage points.
Perdue has been closing the gap in recent days. A
Survey USA poll released Tuesday showed Perdue leading Nunn 48 percent to 45 percent; the week before, the pollster had Nunn on top by 2 points, 46 percent to 44 percent.
The race seems likely headed for a runoff, says
Georgia pollster Matt Towery, who said a candidate has to capture more than 50 percent of the vote to be declared the winner.
Failing that, the top two vote-getters go to a runoff.