Oz leads Fetterman in polls for the first time after Democrat’s struggles in debate
Updated
For the first time since announcing her candidacy, the favourite to unseat Arizona Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick has opened up a clear lead in the race.
For the past several weeks, Republican Martha McSally has held the lead in the Arizona race, but recent polls suggest she’s now headed for a second-place finish.
The latest poll has Fetterman up a single percentage point, or two per cent, with 52 per cent support to 46 per cent for McSally and 6 per cent for independent Joe Arpaio.
The results are the latest in a series of upsets for McSally in recent weeks, including a loss in a party primary to Republican candidate David Ryan.
But Fetterman has held his own in debates, while McSally seems to have struggled in the last week, with at least three candidates trying to turn the race around.
To see the latest vote shares, here are the poll results for all three candidates in the race:
“In a good debate, and certainly today, I think, our candidates had better performances,” said Mark Kelly, the former congressman who lost his U.S Senate bid last month. “I liked Scott because he was consistent. They all talked about Arizona issues, and I thought they all had a good message. I thought Ann was inconsistent.
“It’s a contest, and I think the race will go to the wire.”
Despite that optimism, Kelly said he won’t be able to vote for McSally because she will need to win the seat back in November.
“I don’t know if she has enough money to win,” Kelly said. “I can promise you I’m willing to get out and vote, and I don’t want to vote for someone who doesn’t have the right message.”
The latest poll shows Fetterman leading McSally by three percentage points, which Kelly called “a huge deficit.”
The latest polling was conducted by the University of Northern Colorado, with an average margin of error of two per cent.
Polling is still being conducted for Arpaio, who is not seeking a new term. He has said he’ll only run for the job if he can win it.
Arizona has opened up between