SEATTLE _ Democratic U.S. Sen. Patty Murray holds a commanding 18-point lead in her re-election bid over Republican challenger Chris Vance in a new statewide poll.
Murray garnered 52 percent support, to Vance's 34 percent, with 14 percent undecided, according to the poll released Tuesday by Seattle-based Elway Research.
That's the same lead Murray had in April, noted pollster Stuart Elway, who wrote "given the math and the stability of the support levels, time is running out for Vance to deny Murray a fifth term."
The poll also found Democrats leading some other statewide executive races _ with the exception of secretary of state, in which incumbent Republican Kim Wyman is ahead of Democratic challenger Tina Podlodowski, a former Seattle City Council member.
Wyman had 41 percent support in the poll to Podlodowski's 33 percent, with 26 percent undecided.
Notably, Wyman appears to be gaining significant backing _ 65 percent to Podlodowski's 15 percent_from "ticket splitters" who are voting for Democrats in other positions.
The poll of 500 registered voters was conducted Aug. 9-13 and had a margin of error of 4.5 percent.
Results for other down-ballot races with no incumbents include:
_Lieutenant governor: State Sen. Cyrus Habib, a Democrat, leads Republican Marty McClendon, a conservative talk-show host, 38 to 33 percent, with 29 percent undecided.
_State auditor: Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy, a Democrat, leads state GOP state Sen. Mark Miloscia, 37 to 29 percent, with 35 percent undecided.
_Lands commissioner: Democrat Hillary Franz, executive director of Futurewise, an environmental-conservation organization, is virtually tied with Republican Steve McLaughlin, a retired Navy commander, 33 to 32 percent, with 35 percent undecided.
_Superintendent of public instruction: At 68 percent, "undecided" leads the race to succeed retiring state schools chief Randy Dorn.
The two candidates vying for the post each got 16 percent support: Democratic state Rep. Chris Reykdal and Erin Jones, assistant superintendent of student achievement in Dorn's office.
