Latest Senate race polls

Four new polls from three Senate races present mixed, but mostly good news for Republicans. First, a Rasmussen poll of the Nevada race shows Republican Sen. Dean Heller with an 11 point lead over Democratic Rep. Shelley Barkley. Previous polls had suggested a somewhat closer race.

But the Nevada seat currently is held by Heller, who was appointed to replace Republican John Ensign, and few expect the Dems to pick it up. The more significant races with new polls out are Virginia and Montana, the two states that (along with Missouri) were instrumental in the Senate’s shift to Democratic control in 2006.

In Virginia, a PPP poll gives Democrat Tim Kaine a statistically insignificant lead of 46-45 over former Senator George Allen. PPP it should be noted, is a partner of the Daily Kos and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). However, its Virginia results are in-line with recent Rasmussen polling. This race looks like a true toss-up.

In Montana, PPP has the incumbent Democrat, Jon Tester, leading Republican challenger, Rep. Denny Rehberg by a margin of 48-43. But Rasmussen has Rehberg up by 53-43, and this result is more in line with past polling of the race.

I’m no expert on Montana politics, but I think it’s expecting a lot of Tester, whose voting record is liberal ( ACU rating of 20 percent), to hold this seat in a year when he will be on the same ticket as President Obama.

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