MAINE, USA — Less than three months out from election day, Maine's highly contentious race for U.S. Senate remains close. The latest poll from Quinnipiac University shows a narrow edge for Maine Speaker of the House Sara Gideon. In the poll, Gideon received 47 percent of the vote, while incumbent Senator Susan Collins received 43 percent. Six percent of voters polled were undecided.
This poll was conducted through Quinnipiac University and more than 800 Mainers were polled. There is a +/-3.5 margin of error.
Also shown in the poll was overwhelming party support for the two major-party candidates. According to the poll, democrats back Gideon by 88 percent. Republicans back Collins by 85 percent, and independents are divided with 46 percent for Gideon and 42 percent for Collins.
In the poll, voters were also asked about the candidate's favorability. Those polled give Senator Collins a negative 42 - 49 percent favorability rating while Sara Gideon saw a slightly positive 40 - 35 percent favorability rating. Twenty-three percent say they don't know enough about her to form an opinion.
Also, 48 percent of voters say in the poll that Senator Collins is too supportive of President Trump, while 33 percent say she has the right attitude towards the president, and 12 percent say she is not supportive enough of him.
With the election now less than 90 days away, candidates are gearing up to make their mark with voters. Gideon is set to make two campaign stops on Friday. She will tour ReVision Energy in South Portland and the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences in East Boothbay.
There are four candidates set to be on the ballot come November. Republican Senator Susan Collins, Democrat Sara Gideon, and independents Max Linn and Lisa Savage.