(CNN) - Former pro-wrestling executive Linda McMahon has closed the gap against Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal in the state's contentious Senate race, according to a new poll.
A Quinnipiac University survey released Tuesday indicates that McMahon, the GOP nominee, trails Blumenthal, the Democratic standard bearer, 49 to 46 percent among likely voters, with four percent undecided. Blumenthal's three point advantage is within the poll's sampling error, and is down from a six-point margin in a Quinnipiac survey from two weeks ago.
Nine percent who named a candidate say they may change their minds by the November election.
According to the poll, McMahon holds a five-point advantage among independent voters, a switch from two weeks ago when independents were split between the two candidates. The survey suggests a gender reversal, with McMahon leading among men by 12 points and Blumenthal leading among women by 17 points. The poll also indicates that those who say they are "angry" with the federal government back McMahon by a nearly four to one margin.
"With five weeks to go, the Connecticut Senate race is very close. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is ahead by only a statistically insignificant three points. Blumenthal has to be concerned about Linda McMahon's momentum. He can hear her footsteps as she closes in on him," says Quinnipiac University Poll Director Douglas Schwartz.
"McMahon clearly is capitalizing on the anger that one-third of voters are feeling toward the federal government."
Nearly seven in ten voters approve of the job Blumenthal's doing as attorney general and 51 percent have a favorable opinion of him, with 41 percent saying they see him in a negative way.
According to the survey, McMahon has a 42 percent favorable rating, with 43 percent viewing her unfavorably.
"Usually debates don't make much of a difference, but in a race this close next month's debates could be a game changer," adds Schwartz.
The winner in November will succeed five-term Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd, who announced earlier this year that he would not run for re-election. A GOP Senate victory in Connecticut would give the party a big boost towards possibly reclaiming control of the chamber.
McMahon has spent over $20 million on her bid for the Senate. The poll suggests that a majority of Connecticut voters find her campaign commercials annoying, while only 42 percent say the same thing about Blumenthal's ads.
The poll's release comes just eight days after President Barack Obama teamed up with Blumenthal in Connecticut. The survey indicates that 45 percent of Connecticut voters approve of the job Obama's doing in the White House, while 51 percent disapprove.
The Quinnipiac University poll was conducted September 21-26, with 1,083 Connecticut likely voters surveyed by telephone with live interviewers. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.
Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @PsteinhauserCNN
From CNN Politics
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Meh... Connecticut. The only thing good to come out of Connecticut is Ray Allen.
Linda... just hit him with a flying elbow smash and finish him off.
Let's be clear here...the Dems deserve to lose the House and Senate this November, their time in power has been an outright disaster. BUT, the Republicans certainly haven't earned the keys back either...neither party should be gloating at this point.
Love it. Didn't old hair plug Biden and the incompetent, inept, corrupt, union toady president himself campaign for Blumenthal. A win here would be a real repudiation to a bunch of repugnant thugs that currently control the congress and presidency.
I think Linda McMahon has been slammed to the mat one to many times.
Thank GOD that American citizens are waking up and realizing that libralism and progressivism is not the direction we want to go. It won't be long until labor unions and other dead weight organizations are a thing of the past. My advice to whinney lazy liberals...GET A JOB, TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR OWN LIFE AND GET USED TO SUPPORTING YOUR SELF.
WHY would any think LINDA McMahon would make a good senator, she know nothing about it all she know is about pro. wresting. Why would someone spend 20 millions dollars of her own money,too make 174,000k a year. DOES that sound like good business too you,sound a little crooked too me.
Connecticut voters won't be dumb enough to elect an Obozo rubber stamp.
Oops. What happened to the 35 point lead? Voters started paying attention, that's what.
In politics, you can buy even a seat in the US Senate.
Truly pathetic for Connecticut. I stiil say that the fake Vietnam vet beats the fake wrestling lady.
Lets hope she puts a smackdown on Blumenthal and the Dems hopes!!
Apparently, some Americans really love more wars, having the top 2% get more wealthy,the middle class become smaller, the jobless rate go higher, being manipulated by mortgage companies and banks, less regulations on the quality of our water, air and food, corporations buying political power. We really want to take the country BACK- WARDS with the Republican fools being in charge!
Remember, it took 8 years of the Bush/ Cheney policies to destroy our economy; it IS going to take more than 2 years to fix it, folks.
I agree with the vice president quit whining democratic and start fighting back.