DOVER — A new poll from the University of Delaware has John Carney and Lisa Blunt Rochester holding big leads in the gubernatorial and congressional races.
Lisa Blunt Rochester
The same survey also indicates Hillary Clinton is almost certain to win Delaware in the presidential election.
Political science professor Paul Brewer said the results are not surprising given Delaware’s slant to the left. Democrats outnumber Republicans 318,000 to 188,000 in the state.
The poll, overseen by the university’s Center for Political Communication, finds U.S. Rep. Carney, the Democratic nominee for governor, with a 32-point advantage over Republican Colin Bonini. He garnered 57 percent of the vote in a poll conducted last month of 900 Delawareans.
Twenty-five percent of respondents said they would vote for state Sen. Bonini. Another 4 percent back Libertarian Sean Goward, while 3 percent support Green Andrew Groff.
In the race for the open seat in the House of Representatives, Ms. Blunt Rochester, who won a crowded Democratic primary, received support from 46 percent of participants, while Republican Hans Reigle had 26 percent. Libertarian Scott Gesty earned 6 percent of the vote and Green Mark Perri received 5 percent.
Dr. Brewer said both Sen. Bonini and Mr. Reigle are fighting an uphill battle, although Sen. Bonini faces the toughest challenge. He cannot merely win over undecided voters and those looking at third-party hopefuls but “has to change Carney voters to Bonini voters,” Dr. Brewer said.
U.S. Rep. John C. Carney
Meanwhile, Mrs. Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee, holds a healthy lead over Republican Donald Trump, 51 to 30 percent.
According to the survey, Mrs. Clinton has a 37-percent lead in New Castle County and an 11-point lead in Kent County, but Mr. Trump is ahead by 10 points in Sussex County. Mrs. Clinton leads the GOP nominee by 7 points among men, 33 points among women, 54 points among Hispanics and 89 points among African-Americans.
Libertarian Gary Johnson and Green Jill Stein received 7 and 2 percent in the survey, respectively.
Delaware has voted for the Democratic nominee in the last six presidential elections, and Dr. Brewer predicted “something spectacular would have to happen” for Mr. Trump to win the state’s three electoral votes.
Locally, Rep. Carney defeated Sen. Bonini in all categories: geographic, age, race, gender and education. Twenty-six percent of Republicans said they plan to vote for the Democrat.
Ms. Blunt Rochester holds leads in all three counties as well, although her advantage is tighter in Kent and Sussex.
Staff writer Matt Bittle can be reached at 741-8250 or mbittle@newszap.com. Follow @MatthewCBittle on Twitter.