Dan Coats - Latest Rasmussen Poll

Dan Coats with Chris Dickson

Dan Coats for Indiana
http://dancoatsforindiana.blogspot.com

Two of the three top Republican hopefuls for the U.S. Senate in Indiana continue to hold double-digit leads over Democratic Congressman Brad Ellsworth. Ellsworth supported President Obama’s health care plan in a state where opposition to the legislation is higher than it is nationally.

A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of likely voters in the state finds former Congressman John Hostettler with a 50% to 32% lead over Ellsworth, a current House member who voted with most other Democrats on Sunday to pass the health care plan. The survey was taken last Wednesday and Thursday nights. Fifteen percent (15%) remain undecided in that match-up.

Ex-Senator Dan Coats now posts a 49% to 34% lead over Ellsworth, with 12% undecided.

Ellsworth runs best against the third GOP contender, freshman State Senator Marvin Stutsman. In that match-up, Stutsman leads by just seven points, 41% to 34%. Eighteen percent (18%) are undecided.

Fifteen percent (15%) of Indiana voters have a very favorable opinion of Ellsworth, while 14% view him very unfavorably.

Hostettler is viewed very favorably by 13% and very unfavorably by 10%.

For Coats, who served as a senator from Indiana from 1989 to 1999, very favorables are 15% and very unfavorables 11%.

Six percent (6%) have a very favorable view of Stutzman, while eight percent (8%) regard him very unfavorably.

At this point in a campaign, Rasmussen Reports considers the number of people with a strong opinion more significant than the total favorable/unfavorable numbers.