CO Sen: Challenger Romanoff Surges Ahead of Incumbent Dem Bennet

A new poll shows challenger Andrew Romanoff pulling ahead for the first time over appointed Democratic Colorado Senator Michael Bennet, who has held the lead for most of the campaign. Romanoff has been significantly outspent by Bennet, who has also drawn on support from the President and the DSCC. Yet a recent poll for “The Denver Post”/9News by SurveyUSA has Romanoff taking the lead over the incumbent.

SurveyUSA
Andrew Romanoff 48
Michael Bennet 45
Undecided 8

This is a significant improvement for Romanoff. With the primary roughly a week away on August 10, having momentum and a small lead is about as good as it gets for an underfunded challenger.

In response to this poll, the Bennet campaign quickly released an internal poll that had him beating Romanoff by just four points. If this is, presumably, the best recent internal poll the Bennet campaign has, releasing it does little to change the idea that Bennet has a real chance of losing the party's nomination.

On the Republican side, Buck holds lead

SurveyUSA also polled the Republican Senate primary. Establishment choice, former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton, is still trailing Tea Party favorite Ken Buck. While Norton had an early lead for weeks, now Buck is holding onto a solid margin.

SurveyUSA
Ken Buck 50
Jane Norton 41
Undecided 10

If Buck wins next Tuesday as expected, this year will mark an incredible string of failures for establishment GOP candidates in Senate primaries. In Florida and Pennsylvania, the establishment Republicans were driven out of the party by their primary challengers. In both Nevada and Kentucky, the establishment choice lost big. Finally, in Connecticut, establishment pick Rob Simmons is expected to lose his strangely suspended (but not really suspended) campaign against Linda McMahon.