Bass In Best Shape In 2nd District Poll
MANCHESTER, N.H. — The latest WMUR Granite State Poll currently shows Republican Charlie Bass with the best chance of winning the second congressional seat in November.
The district is packed with candidates on both the Republican and Democratic sides. It’s an open seat, after current two-term U.S. Rep. Paul Hodes decided to run for Senate.
The poll put Republicans Bass and Jennifer Horn in head-to-head match-ups with Democrats Katrina Swett and Ann McLane Kuster.
Bass, who represented the district for 12 years before losing to Hodes in 2006, leads Swett 44 percent to 27 percent. That margin is 10 points higher than the last poll, back in February.
Bass also leads Kuster, 42 percent to 30 percent. Those numbers are on par with the February poll.
Horn also tops both Democratic candidates in the poll, but by a lesser margin. She leads Swett, 35 percent to 31 percent. The poll puts her over Kuster by just one point, 33 percent to 32 percent.
The poll also looked at favorability rankings among the candidates.
Bass, by far, is the most well-known candidate in the race right now. Thirty-two percent of those surveyed have a favorable opinion of the former congressman. Twenty-five percent view him unfavorably, while 33 percent don’t have an opinion.
Horn is the next most-recognized candidate, with 20 percent having a favorable opinion of her. Fifteen percent view her unfavorably, while 59 percent say they don’t know her.
A third Republican included in the poll, Bob Guida, was unknown by 81 percent of the voters.
On the Democratic side, Swett was unknown by 66 percent of voters. Thirteen percent have a favorable view of her, while 14 percent view her unfavorably.
Kuster was unknown by 81 percent of those surveyed, only slightly more recognized than another Democrat in the poll, John DeJoie. He was unknown to 86 percent of those questioned.
The survey included 254 adults living in the 2nd Congressional District. It has a margin of error of 6.1 percent.
Click here to read the full story.