Missouri continues to be the Democrats’ best chance at picking up a governor’s seat in 2008, as four-term Attorney General Jay Nixon has a substantial edge over both likely GOP nominees. Research 2000 offers up slightly better numbers than last week’s Rasmussen and PPP polls.
Research 2000 (7/7-7/10, likely voters):
Jay Nixon (D): 52
Kenny Hulshof (R): 35
(MoE: ±3.5%)
Jay Nixon (D): 53
Sarah Steelman (R): 34
Nixon also has a high 56% favorable rating, with 38% unfavorable and only 6% no opinions. (This contrasts with outgoing GOP governor Matt Blunt, with 42%/54% favorable/unfavorable.)
In the Republican primary, it looks like Rep. Hulshof (from MO-09) has a better shot than Steelman, the state treasurer. (27% remain undecided for the fast-approaching Aug. 5 primary, though.) Both Hulshof and Steelman are giving up their current jobs to run for this seat, creating a situation like NM-Sen where we can potentially clean house in three GOP seats in one fell swoop.
Kenny Hulshof (R): 32
Sarah Steelman (R): 24
Scott Long (R): 12
Jen Sievers (R): 5