The Associated Press

A week before the election, challenger Mark Dayton has a small lead over incumbent U.

Tuesday, October 31, 2000

A week before the election, challenger Mark Dayton has a small lead over incumbent U.S. Sen. Rod Grams in the race for U.S. Senate, according to a poll released Monday night.

The poll, conducted for KARE-TV, Minnesota Public Radio and the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, shows Dayton with 47 percent, Grams with 42 percent and Independence Party candidate James Gibson with 5 percent.

The poll of 625 registered Minnesota voters conducted late last week has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points

The figures are similar to those in a poll released a month ago and another one released two months ago. In a September poll by the same groups, Dayton had 46 percent, Grams had 41 percent and Gibson had 4 percent. In August, Dayton had 44 percent, Grams had 41 percent and Gibson had 4 percent.

The Senate race is closer in this poll than in two earlier surveys. A Star Tribune Minnesota Poll conducted Oct. 14-18 showed Dayton leading Grams 49-37 percent, while a St. Cloud State University poll taken Oct. 14-24 had Dayton up 48-33 percent.

Grams said he’s not ready to panic.

"We’ve been in this position before," he said. "We were in this same position six years ago and we’re closing strong. Our numbers say that we’re moving the numbers the way we want them. We’re gaining support. Mark Dayton is actually losing support according to our polls."

Grams’ negative attack ads have had an apparent effect on how voters view the race, according to Sharon Ruhland, Dayton’s press secretary.

"The negative impact or tone of those ads has impacted how people may perceive Mark, but what it has not impacted is who they’re going to support," she said.

The poll showed that 39 percent have a favorable view of Grams and 37 percent view him unfavorably. Forty-two percent of respondents viewed Dayton favorably, compared with 32 percent who had an unfavorable view of the challenger.

Though Dayton’s lead isn’t large, a polling expert said the results show Grams should be worried.

"The fact that you have an incumbent that’s trailing, that’s the key sign there, and he’s well below 50 percent at this point, and he’s consistently polled in the low 40s, and that’s probably where he’s going to end up," said Brad Coker, managing director of Mason-Dixon Polling and Research, which conducted the poll.

The results were a "little disappointing" for Gibson, said Phil Fuehrer, his assistant campaign manager. "But this is Minnesota. Anything can happen." Gibson started airing his first TV ads on Thursday. "We’re hoping that connects with people," Fuehrer said.