Murphy leads in latest poll? - New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)

By Mary E. O"Leary

Register Staff

HARTFORD -- Another measure of the U.S. Senate race was issuedthis week, this one giving Democratic candidate Chris Murphy anarrow lead over Linda McMahon.

Both camps see these early polls as a snapshot in time, but theywon"t pass up an opportunity to snipe at each other.

The left-leaning Public Policy Polling, after contacting 881voters Aug. 22-23, found 48 percent would vote for Murphy with 44percent voting for Republican McMahon and 8 percent undecided.

It also has President Barack Obama winning with 53 percent of thevote in Connecticut to 40 percent for Republican presidentialcandidate Mitt Romney, with 7 percent undecided in the automatedphone survey.

PPP, on its website, said 46 percent of those contacted wereDemocrats, 25 percent were Republicans and 29 percent independents.The margin of error on its poll was 3.3 percentage points.

The Quinnipiac University Poll Tuesday issued a poll of 1,472people, taken by live phone interviews of likely voters, a moreselect group. It called Aug. 22-26.

It put McMahon in the lead 49 percent to 46 percent for Murphy,with McMahon advancing to close the gap with women and ahead amongmen and independents, with the economy the main issue. It has amargin of error of 2.6 percentage points.

Corry Bliss, McMahon"s campaign manager, said the only poll thatcounts is the one on Election Day, but he feels McMahon"s numbersshow that "Connecticut voters are sick and tired of professionalpoliticians who say one thing, do another." He criticized Murphy formissing the majority of financial service hearings in 2008.

Murphy, who disagreed with the Quinnipiac Poll that had Obamawinning here by only 7 percentage points, said, "I think these earlypolls are meaningless."

"We"ve known this is a close race for a long time and that"s howit is going to remain from here to the end of the race," Murphy saidWednesday. "It"s not even Labor Day. I caution anybody to read toomuch into a poll taken before the World Series is over."

Murphy said the differences between himself and McMahon on theissues will soon be clear.

The congressman from the 5th District said he has spent hiscareer helping people whether that is "small manufacturers or hungrykids or people without health care. Linda McMahon spent her entirecareer running over people to help herself," Murphy said.

Bliss had a different viewpoint.

"The difference between Linda McMahon and Chris Murphy is thatLinda started a business in her basement, and through hard work andactually showing up to work every day, built a successful companythat created over 600 good-paying connecticut jobs and stands instark contrast to Chris Murphy," he said.

Murphy wants McMahon to participate in eight televised debatesand said she is putting off real engagement until late in thecampaign season. She has agreed to four starting on Sept. 30.

"At some point McMahon has to come out from hiding and show thevoters whether or not she can talk about the issues out of a 30-second ad," Murphy said.

"Congressman Murphy will do or say anything to get elected," saidBliss who charged he is a politician who engages in "double-talk"and gets little accomplished.