It’s a statistical dead heat, but in the overheated world of election spin, let’s follow the opposing camp’s template to announce that Mark Pryor’s momentum continues with yet another poll showing him with a lead over Republican challenger Tom Cotton. To be precise: Rasmussen, known for a GOP bias, has Pryor ahead 44-43, with 6 percent for another candidate and 6 percent undecided.
The poll sampled 750 likely voters Aug. 25-26 and has a 4 percent margin of error. In a May survey, Rasmussen found Cotton up 4, 47-43.
Recent polling by Opinion Research Associates for the Democratic Party showed Pryor with a five-point lead. Deeper information — on minority percentage and favorability ratings (Hillary Clinton was also mentioned) — are not yet available to non-subscribers.
To repeat my mantra: The race is a tossup. Turnout is key. An issue perhaps as yet unknown will finally swing the undecideds. Most polling indicates undecided are self-identified as independent, a group that further self-identifies in Arkansas as majority conservative.