The first poll for the 2012 Washington state U.S. Senate race shows U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell leading potential challengers.
The survey by Public Policy Polling shows Ms. Cantwell leading by 13 to 19 points over prospective Republican challengers, and overall a 50 percent to 36 percent approval rating among voters.
The poll is the first to show the Washington state Democrat with a commanding lead as she prepares for the 2012 U.S. Senate election, which is largely seen as a tough reelection for the Democrat.
PPP pollsters say the poll results reflect a weakness within the field of Republican candidates, noting that few serious challengers have emerged.
“Cantwell’s reasonably popula,r and the GOP doesn’t have anyone good to run against her,” Tom Jensen of PPP wrote in a summary of the poll.
Among those floated as potential challengers to Ms. Cantwell include former gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi, whom Ms. Cantwell defeats by a double-digit margin. The Washington state Democrat also defeats former King County executive candidate Susan Hutchinson by a wide margin.
