Missouri's Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate Eric Schmitt holds a double-digit lead over his opponent, Democrat Trudy Busch Valentine, one week out from the midterm elections, according to a new poll.
Fifty-one percent of likely voters in a new FOX 2/Emerson College Polling/The Hill survey said they will support Schmitt in the election. On the other hand, 39 percent said they support Busch Valentine. Six percent of voters said they were undecided.
A majority of voters, 54 percent, said they have a favorable view of Schmitt. Thirty-seven percent said they have an unfavorable view of him. Forty-two percent said they have a favorable view of Busch Valentine. An additional 42 percent said they have an unfavorable view of her.
“The state’s Senate seat has been widely seen as reliably red for Republicans this election cycle,” The Hill noted in its write-up, adding that President Biden’s poor approval rating in the state is not helping
The same survey showed that President Biden’s approval rating in the state likely isn’t helping Busch Valentine. Sixty percent of Missouri voters said they disapproved of the job Biden was doing, while 35 percent said they approved.
“We really see this reflected in the favorability numbers,” Emerson College Polling Director of Survey Operations Isabel Holloway said in a statement. “Since our last poll, Schmitt’s favorability has increased a couple of points. On the other hand, Busch Valentine’s favorability has decreased with her unfavorable rating going up since our last poll.”
The economy is “by far” the most important issue for 42 percent of voters as they head to the polls. Sixteen percent of voters said “threats to democracy” was the second most important issue. Fourteen percent said abortion.
“This issue tends to be more of a Republican issue and an issue that voters are trusting Republicans to handle more,” Holloway said.
RealClearPolitics currently shows Schmitt leading Busch Valentine by double-digits.