Extra: Election

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Whitehouse leads Chafee in two new polls

04:06 PM EDT on Tuesday, October 10, 2006

BY STEVE PEOPLES
Projo.com staff writer

The man hoping to oust incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee is leading in two new polls released today.

Democratic challenger Sheldon Whitehouse has a 10-point lead in the poll conducted by the national independent pollster Rasmussen Reports. He leads Chafee 49 percent to 39 percent with 8 percent undecided and 4 percent supporting other candidates.

A separate poll released by Rhode Island College's Bureau of Government Research and Services found that Whitehouse leads by 3 percentage points, 40 percent to 37 percent with 23 percent undecided.

Both polls have a margin of error of 4.5 percentage points. Rasmussen surveyed 500 likely voters on Oct. 4. RIC surveyed 459 registered voters Oct. 2 and Oct. 4.

The race is being watched nationally because it is one of a handful whose outcome could affect the balance of Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. Senate. The election is four weeks away.

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