A new Survey USA poll shows Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Hays, pulling ahead of Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard, in the race for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate.

Moran leads Tiahrt 43 percent to 27 percent with 30 percent undecided. Moran was up five percentage points from a survey two months ago. Tiahrt was down five.

The representatives are competing to replace Sen. Sam Brownback, who is leaving the Senate to run for governor.

The poll includes data from 475 likely Republican primary voters and has a margin of error of 4.6 percent.

Moran, who represents the sprawling 1st Congressional District, swamped Tiahrt in western Kansas by 70 percent to 14 percent. Tiahrt held his southeast Kansas base, 53 percent to 32 percent.

In pivotal northeast Kansas in the Kansas City suburbs, Moran held a strong lead, 39 percent to 16, but 45 percent of the region's voters remain undecided.

Moran led 40-30 among self-identified pro-life voters, and 35-32 among conservatives.

Unaffiliated voters were included in the poll because the party has not decided whether they will be allowed to vote in the primary.

They broke heavily in favor of Moran, 52 percent to 16 percent.

Among Republicans only, the gap narrowed to 42 percent Moran, 28 percent Tiahrt.

The poll was commissioned by KWCH-TV Wichita and KCTV-TV Kansas City.