Republican Alaska Senate candidate Dan Sullivan did more than just gain ground on Democratic incumbent Mark Begich since securing the nomination last month — he now leads him by a couple of points.
Sullivan, who won the Republican primary on August 19, leads Begich 43 percent to 41 percent, according to a new Public Policy Polling survey. Since the last time PPP measured the race before the primary, Sullivan has picked up six points (he was at 37 percent in early August), while Begich has dropped two points (45 percent), a significant shift in the past month and a half.
Begich must also combat President Obama’s unpopularity in the state, where 56 percent of Alaskans disapprove of the job the president is doing. The Alaska race is a key contest in Republicans’ effort to retake the Senate this fall, as it’s a red state with a Democratic incumbent, Begich.