Raleigh, N.C. – In the latest PPP poll Colorado voters gave one point leads to both incumbent Governor John Hickenlooper and incumbent Senator Mark Udall. Hickenlooper leads challenger Bob Beauprez 44/43 and Udall also leads challenger Cory Gardner 44/43.
However, each of the incumbents are still in danger as they both face a disapproving electorate. Hickenlooper faces a three point gap in approval ratings with 43% approval and 46% disapproval. Udall is forced to contend with a much wider gap, he has a 36% approval rating and a 47% disapproval rating.
Those two Democrats appear to be in a better position than other Democrats across the state. When asked about who they would vote for in an election for state legislature 45% of voters responded they would vote for a generic Republican compared to only 38% who would vote for a Democrat.
Continuing that trend the three other statewide races show large deficits for the Democratic candidates. In the Secretary of State race Democrat Joe Neguse trails Republican Wayne Williams 27/35 with 38% still undecided. The State Treasurer race shows a wider gap, Democrat Betsy Markey trails Republican Walker Stapleton 33/43 with 24% undecided. The race to be Attorney General shows a similar margin, Democrat Don Quick trails Republican Cynthia Coffman 29/38 with 32% undecided. In every statewide election the Republican candidate wins the votes of independents.
The state’s voters do however oppose the latest personhood amendment in Colorado, Amendment 67. On this measure, 40% of voters said they would vote yes while 45% would vote no with 15% still undecided.
“The Colorado races are shaping up to be very close,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “The Democratic incumbents aren’t very popular, but their Republican challengers aren’t exactly setting the world on fire either.”
PPP surveyed 653 Colorado voters from July 17th to 20th. The margin of error for the sample is +/-3.8 %. 80% of interviews for the poll were conducted over the phone with 20% interviewed over the internet to reach respondents who don’t have landline telephones.
Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.
Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of President
Barack Obama’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 39%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 53%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 8%
Q2 Do you approve or disapprove of Governor
John Hickenlooper’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 43%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 46%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 11%
Q3 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Bob Beauprez?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 31%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 30%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 38%
Q4 The candidates for Governor this fall are
Democrat John Hickenlooper and Republican
Bob Beauprez. If the election was today, who
would you vote for?
John Hickenlooper …………………………………… 44%
Bob Beauprez …………………………………………. 43%
Undecided………………………………………………. 12%
Q5 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator Mark
Udall’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 36%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 47%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 17%
Q6 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Cory Gardner?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 34%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 39%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 26%
Q7 The candidates for U.S. Senate this fall are
Democrat Mark Udall and Republican Cory
Gardner. If the election was today, who would
you vote for?
Mark Udall………………………………………………. 44%
Cory Gardner ………………………………………….. 43%
Undecided………………………………………………. 13%
Q8 The candidates for Secretary of State are
Democrat Joe Neguse and Republican Wayne
Williams. If the election was today, who would
you vote for?
Joe Neguse…………………………………………….. 27%
Wayne Williams ………………………………………. 35%
Undecided………………………………………………. 38%
Q9 The candidates for State Treasurer are
Democrat Betsy Markey and Republican
Walker Stapleton. If the election was today,
who would you vote for?
Betsy Markey ………………………………………….. 33%
Walker Stapleton……………………………………… 43%
Undecided………………………………………………. 24%
Q10 The candidates for Attorney General are
Democrat Don Quick and Republican Cynthia
Coffman. If the election was today, who would
you vote for?
Don Quick………………………………………………. 29%
Cynthia Coffman ……………………………………… 38%
Undecided………………………………………………. 32%
Q11 Generally speaking, if there was an election for
the state legislature today, would you vote for
the Democratic or Republican candidate from
your district?
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 38%
Republican……………………………………………… 45%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 17%
Q12 Amendment 67, which will be on the ballot this
fall, reads, “Shall there be an amendment to
the Colorado constitution protecting pregnant
women and unborn children by defining
‘person’ and ‘child’ in the Colorado criminal
code and the Colorado Wrongful Death Act to
include unborn human beings?” If the election
was today, would you vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on
Amendment 67?
Yes………………………………………………………… 40%
No …………………………………………………………. 45%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 15%
Q13 Would you be more or less likely to vote for a
candidate who wants to restrict access to
affordable birth control, or would it not make a
difference?
More likely………………………………………………. 15%
Less likely ………………………………………………. 60%
Wouldn’t make a difference……………………….. 20%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 5%
Q14 In the last presidential election, did you vote for
Barack Obama or Mitt Romney?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 47%
Mitt Romney……………………………………………. 46%
Someone else / Don’t remember ……………….. 7%
Q15 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 10%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 17%
Moderate………………………………………………… 33%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 23%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 16%
Q16 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 53%
Man……………………………………………………….. 47%
Q17 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a Republican,
press 2. If you are an independent or identify
with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 35%
Republican……………………………………………… 34%
Independent / Other…………………………………. 31%
Q18 If you are Hispanic, press 1. If white, press 2.
If other, press 3.
Hispanic…………………………………………………. 14%
White …………………………………………………….. 77%
Other……………………………………………………… 9%
Q19 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to
45, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If you are
older than 65, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 15%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 21%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 43%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 21%
Q20 Mode
Phone ……………………………………………………. 80%
Internet ………………………………………………….. 20%
