The hopes of congressional Democrats that presumptive Republican Donald Trump’s presidential run will hurt incumbent Senate Republicans might be just that – hopes.
A new Quinnipiac Poll on Thursday finds three incumbent Republicans in key swing states comfortably leading their Democratic challengers.
The poll shows that Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and Rob Portman of Ohio are not only fending off their Democratic challengers but also, in some cases, they’re widening their leads.
Many talking heads have suggested that with Donald Trump at the top of the GOP, Republican Senate candidates might suffer. But at least in these three key states, the Republican Senate candidates are running ahead of Trump and don’t seem to be hurt by their shared party label.
Peter Brown, Quinnipiac University Poll assistant director
Rubio leads Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Fla., by 50-37 percent, a 6-point gain since Quinnipiac’s last poll of Florida voters in June. Rubio is also ahead of Rep. Alan Grayson, another potential Democratic challenger, by 50-38 percent.
“Democrats made fun of Sen. Rubio when he opted for a last-minute re-election bid in Florida, but he may be on the way to the last laugh, having quickly opened double-digit leads over both Democratic challengers,” said Peter, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.
In Ohio, Portman leads former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland by 47-40 percent. Quinnipiac’s survey differs from a Wall Street Journal/NBC News/Marist poll released Wednesday that found Portman and Strickland tied at 44 percent.
In Pennsylvania, Toomey holds a double-digit advantage over Democrat Katie McGinty, 49-39 percent.
William Douglas: 202-383-6026, @williamgdouglas
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