Blumenthal Has 12-Point Lead: Poll

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has a 12-point lead over Republican Linda McMahon in the U.S. Senate race in a poll released on Tuesday morning.

He also has a higher favorability rating, and pollsters said McMahon’s negative ads might be a contributing factor.

The Quinnipiac University poll shows Blumenthal, a Democrat with 54 percent among likely voters and McMahon, a former WWE executive, with 42 percent.

"Linda McMahon has tried to raise Attorney General Richard Blumenthal's negatives over the last several weeks, but she hasn't been successful. He remains popular, but McMahon's own negatives have risen above 50 percent. One has to wonder if over the last few weeks McMahon would have been better off spending more of her millions on positive ads," Quinnipiac University Poll Director Douglas Schwartz said.

This is a 1-point gain for Blumenthal since the poll released on Oct. 14, when the split was 54 percent for Blumenthal and 43 percent for McMahon.

“The vote for Connecticut governor and senator is solidifying. There has been little movement in either race in the last two weeks," Schwartz said.

In today's poll, 3 percent are undecided and 6 percent of voters who name a candidate said they could change their mind by Election Day.

Blumenthal has 86 among Democrats, 56 percent among independent voters and 61 percent among women.

McMahon has 85 percent among Republicans.

Men are split, with 49 percent for McMahon and 47 percent for Blumenthal.

Voters have a favorable opinion of Blumenthal, 55 to 39 percent.

McMahon got a negative favorability, 43 to 51 percent, down from a split 46 to 46 percent favorability Oct. 14.

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