AT THE RACES: Another WA-Sen Polls Gives Rossi An Edge

VANCOUVER, WA - When I met with Dino Rossi's campaign in Bellvue and Seattle yesterday (keep your eyes peeled for a full report on the homepage), top staffers were unanimous in their cautious optimism about the race. On more than one occasion, they called my attention to the fact that the last three independent polls have shown their campaign ahead, albeit by slim margins. Well, it's time to update that talking point--it's now four favorable polls in a row for Rossi:

Rossi Nips Murray in Washington Senate Race

A new Fox News poll shows Republican Dino Rossi with a 1-point lead over incumbent Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) in what promises to be one of the hottest contests of the fall.

Though Rossi’s lead is well within the poll’s margin of error, it’s further proof that the race is heading down to the wire. Rossi’s 47 percent to 46 percent advantage among likely voters is a 3-point swing from the first Fox News poll, conducted Sept. 25, when Murray led by 1 point.

Also of note, the same Fox poll of Senate races puts Sharron Angle ahead by 2 points in Nevada (I'll be heading to Las Vegas at the tail end of my Western Odyssey), shows Linda McMahon back within mid-single digits in Connecticut, reinforces Republican dominance in Ohio, and indicates little movement in Christine O'Donnell's long-shot effort to defeat Chris Coons in Delaware. Full results HERE.

A new PPP poll also shows Democrat Joe Manchin vaulting back in front of Republican John Raese in West Virginia. The GOP is still recovering from "Hickgate," which Ed Morrissey revealed to be much ado about nothing. Still, the meme caught on in West Virginia and may have injured Raese.