A new poll finds Colorado's Governor and Senate races remain close. Republican Cory Gardner is still ahead of Democrat Mark Udall in the Senate race, but the gap has closed to 3 points, with 46 percent for Gardner, and 43 percent for Udall. The governor's race remains a statistical dead heat between Democratic Governor John Hickenlooper and Republican Bob Beauprez, with 45 percent in favor of Hickenlooper and 44 percent for Beauprez.
Public Policy Polling surveyed 778 likely voters from Oct. 16 to 19. The margin of error for the survey is +/- 3.5 percent.
According to a press release, 80 percent of interviews for the poll were conducted over the phone with 20 percent interviewed online "to reach respondents who don't have landline telephones."
Democrats are doing well with women, Hispanic and young voters. For Hickenlooper, 49 percent of likely women voters polled say they will vote for him. The majority of Hispanic voters are for Hickenlooper with 60 percent, and nearly the same number of young voters with 59 percent.
Udall is similarly ahead with 46 percent of likely women voters in favor, 64 percent with Hispanic voters, and 59 percent with young voters.
According to the poll, the problem for Democrats lies with male, white and senior voters.
"Republicans have a chance for their first big statewide victories in Colorado in a decade because they're running up the score with the groups they need to do well with- men, white voters, and seniors," said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling in a release. "If they can continue that it will offset their difficulties with women, Hispanics, and young voters."
Hickenlooper trails by 10 points with men, Udall by 11. With white voters, Hickenlooper trails by 5 points, Udall by 12, and with seniors Hickenlooper trails by 9 points and Udall by 13.
The poll says the struggles with these groups are largely offsetting Democrats' strength with their traditional constituencies.
Only 37 percent of voters think Udall's doing a good job. Hickenlooper's approval rating is also struggling with 43 percent of voters approving of him. Both Republican candidates have narrowly positive favorability ratings- 45 percent for Gardner and 41 percent approve of Beauprez.
For the third time, Colorado voters will decide the fate of a personhood amendment on this fall's ballot. The poll asked respondents "if the election was today, would you vote 'yes' or 'no' on Amendment 67?"
The majority of people said no, with 54 percent, while 37 percent said yes and 9 percent "weren't sure."
Of the people polled, 13 percent self identify as Hispanic, 80 percent as White, and 7 percent as other.
Only 9 percent of the respondents were in the youth voter category of 18 to 29 years old, 20 percent were between the ages of 30 and 45 and 46 percent between 46 and 65. The remaining 25 percent self identified as older than 65.
