Rasmussen: Brewer Leads Goddard

Rasmussen has new numbers on the Arizona governor’s race. She’s out ahead of Goddard:

Brewer, the runaway leader in her own party’s primary contest, is now leading Goddard, the unchallenged Democratic candidate for governor, by 18 points in the latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of the governor’s race.

Fifty-three percent (53%) of Likely Voters in the state support Brewer, while Goddard earns 35% of the vote. Two percent (2%) prefer some other candidate, and nine percent (9%) remain undecided.

This marks a slight improvement for Brewer who in mid-May led Goddard 52% to 39%.

However, it’s a huge change from earlier in the year. Brewer trailed Goddard 45% to 36% in March. Since then, she has benefitted significantly from the national debates over health care and immigration.

Another tidbit:

Eighty-nine percent (89%) of Tea Party members support Brewer. Non-members break almost evenly between the two candidates.

Goddard is viewed Very Favorably by 18% of Arizona voters and Very Unfavorably by 14%. The Democratic contender, served as mayor of Phoenix in the 1980s and also is the son of a former governor.

Thirty-three percent (33%) hold a favorable opinion of Brewer, who became governor last year when President Obama named Janet Napolitano secretary of Homeland Security. Twenty-two percent (22%) view her Very Unfavorably.

Disclaimer: Some folks are skeptical of Rasmussen’s results.

This article appears in Jul 1-7, 2010.