Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, one of the most vulnerable Republican incumbents up for re-election this year, is leading his chief Democratic challenger by an impressive 9-point margin.
A new Suffolk University poll finds Brown leading Elizabeth Warren 49 percent to 40 percent. Additionally, 45 percent of those surveyed said Brown deserves to be re-elected, while 39 percent said he did not and 16 percent were undecided.
Brown also has an approval rating over 50 percent, the poll finds, while Warren’s has only a 35 percent approval rating. The two share the same disapproval rating, 28 percent, despite the fact that Brown is better known in the state.
When asked what words came to mind when asked about Warren, most respondents said “liberal” and “Harvard,” which indicates the Republican efforts to brand her as a left-wing elitist have been successful.
First elected in 2010 to fill the seat vacated by the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, Brown came into office amid popular discontent with President Obama’s plan to reform the health care system. Brown’s re-election has long been seen as a challenge given the state’s strong Democratic leanings and Obama’s popularity in Massachusetts.