Here Are The Results of SurveyUSA Election Poll #10437

Geography Surveyed: Minnesota
Data Collected: 10/21/2006 - 10/23/2006
Release Date: 10/24/2006 12:10 PM ET
Sponsors: KAAL-TV Rochester-Mason City-Austin, KSTP-TV Minneapolis, WDIO-TV Duluth

Incumbent Pawlenty, Challenger Hatch Still Tied for MN Governor: In an election for Governor of Minnesota today, 10/24/06, Republican incumbent Tim Pawlenty and DFL challenger Mike Hatch tie, according to a SurveyUSA poll conducted exclusively for KSTP-TV Minneapolis, KAAL-TV Rochester, and WDIO-TV Duluth. 2 weeks to the 11/7/06 election, it's Hatch 45%, Pawlenty 44%, within the poll's 4.1 percent margin of sampling error. Since an identical SurveyUSA poll released 26 days ago, on 9/28/06, Hatch has gained 1 point and Pawlenty has lost 1 point, but these changes are statistically insignificant. The contest was, and remains, effectively tied. Other candidates get 9% of the vote. Independence Party candidate Peter Hutchinson appears to be siphoning some votes from Pawlenty among 35 to 49 year olds, where Pawlenty is down 7 points and Hutchinson is up 6 points. Republicans pick Pawlenty 10:1. Democrats pick Hatch 12:1. Independents prefer Pawlenty by 5 points. The most affluent voters pick Pawlenty by 5 points. The least affluent pick Hatch by 21 points. Pawlenty wins among voters under age 50. Hatch wins among older voters. Hatch leads by 29 points in urban areas. Pawlenty leads by 15 points in suburban areas. Pawlenty was first elected Governor in 2002. Hatch is Minnesota's Attorney General.

Klobuchar's Lead Doubles; Holds U.S. Senate Seat For Democrats: In an election for for United States Senator in Minnesota today, 10/24/06, DFL candidate Amy Klobuchar defeats Republican Mark Kennedy, 55% to 39%, according to a SurveyUSA poll conducted exclusively for KSTP-TV Minneapolis, KAAL-TV Rochester, and WDIO-TV Duluth. Since an identical SurveyUSA poll released 9/28/06, Klobuchar has gained 4 points and Kennedy has lost 4 points. Klobuchar's lead has doubled, from 8 points to 16 points. Klobuchar's gains have come from male voters. Males had supported Kennedy by 11 points, now support Klobuchar by 11. 93% of Democrats vote for Klobuchar. 83% of Republicans vote for Kennedy. Independents favor Klobuchar, 50% to 35%. Klobuchar leads by 6 points among voters under age 35, a 19-point swing in the past month. Incumbent Democrat Mark Dayton is not running for re-election. Kennedy currently represents Minnesota's 6th district in the U.S. House of Representatives. The election is in 2 weeks, on 11/7/06.

Filtering: 1,000 Minnesota adults were interviewed 10/21/06 - 10/23/06. Of them, 886 were registered to vote. Of them, 606 were judged to be "likely" voters. Crosstabs reflect Likely Voters.