Colorado wasn’t initially thought to be one of the more competitive Senate races, but the entrance of Republican congressman Cory Gardner to run against Democratic incumbent Mark Udall is changing the race’s dynamic, according to a new poll.
A new Quinnipiac poll finds Udall and Gardner essentially tied, with Udall at 45 percent support and Gardner at 44 percent. While self-identified Democratic and Republican voters overwhelmingly back their respective candidate, independents break toward Gardner 43 percent to 41.
What may be more troubling for Udall is that less than half of Coloradans (46 percent) think he deserves reelection with 42 percent approving of his job performance. Already facing a tough race, Udall will also have to shake his ties to Obamacare, which 59 percent of state voters opposed to the law, as Republicans will surely try to tie him to it in the coming months.