Poll: Carnahan Leads Potential GOP Candidates

Only six days after Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO) announced his retirement, PPP released the first poll for his potential successors in the 2010 election.

According to the poll, Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan (D) would lead three potential Republican candidates--Rep. Roy Blunt, former Sen. Jim Talent and former state Treasurer Sarah Steelman--in Missouri's 2010 open-seat Senate race, if she decides to run. Here are the numbers.

Carnahan--45%
Blunt--44%

Carnahan--47%
Talent--43%

Carnahan--47%
Steelman--36%

These numbers show that Carnahan would start off in a strong position if she ran, even against the strongest Republican challengers, but she would not be a shoo-in by any means for the seat. Currently 45% of voters having a favorable opinion of her and 36% view her unfavorably.

Blunt, who runs the most competitively with Carnahan (most likely because of his high name recognition), is also viewed less favorably by Missourians, with only a negative favorability rating (40% view him favorably and 43% view him unfavorably).

Talent has the highest favorable rating of the three Republicans included in the poll, with 45% viewing him favorably and 39% viewing him unfavorably.

Steelman is the least known of the three, with 35% of the poll's respondents saying that they have no opinion of her either way, which means that she could potentially have room to improve her numbers once Missourians get to know her better.

But in any case, this early poll shows us that the race for this open seat will undoubtedly be very competitive.