Two New Polls Give Shaheen Small Advantage Over Sununu

Two new polls show former New Hampshire Gov. Jeanne Shaheen (D) narrowly leading Sen. John Sununu (R-N.H.) in the battle for the state's Senate seat.

Shaheen leads Sununu 46 to 41 percent in a poll conducted by American Research Group. The latest numbers represent an improvement in Sununu’s political standing over the last several months. In June, Sununu trailed Shaheen by 28 points in ARG's polling.

Sununu has also improved his standing among the state’s GOP base. Eighty percent of Republican respondents said they would vote to re-elect Sununu – a 19-point jump from the ARG poll conducted in June.

The poll, conducted between Sept. 14-17, surveyed 558 registered New Hampshire voters, and has a 4.2 percent margin of error.

Meanwhile, a Rasmussen poll showed Shaheen leading Sununu 48 to 43 percent. Both candidates have comparable approval ratings: 50 percent of voters view Sununu favorably, while 43 percent view him unfavorably.

Shaheen is viewed favorably by 51 percent of voters and unfavorably by 44 percent.

The Rasmussen poll surveyed 800 likely New Hampshire voters on September 16.

Shaheen kicked off her campaign last week, and is the heavy frontrunner for the Democratic nomination. She would face Sununu for the second straight time if she is nominated. In 2002, Sununu defeated her by four points in one of the cycle's most competitive races.