HELENA – The percentage of Montanans who say they’ll vote for a Republican over a Democrat in the state Legislature is at its highest point in more than three years, a new poll shows.
Forty-three percent of those polled said they were more likely to vote for a Republican for the state Senate or House, while 37 percent said they were more likely to vote for a Democrat. Twenty percent were undecided.
The telephone poll of 625 registered voters was done by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc., from May 19-21. It has a margin of error of 4 percentage points.
Polls show Montanans have reported a preference for Republicans in the Legislature since the fall of 1998. In 2001, the margin was 14 percentage points, but it fell to just 1 percentage point in 2005 and 2006.
Last December, Republicans led Democrats by 2 percentage points, and now the lead has grown to 6 percentage points.
All 100 seats in the House are up for re-election. During the last legislative session, Republicans held a 50-49 edge of Democrats with one Constitution Party member.
In the 50-member Senate, half the seats are up for re-election. Democrats held a narrow 26-24 lead during the 2007 session.