Poll: Lugar, Mourdock Close

Friday, April 6, 2012 at 7:29 AM

Dick Lugar (left) and Richard Mourdock

(Undated) - The battle for Indiana’s U.S. Senate seat is heating up.

A new Howey/DePauw Indiana Battleground Poll released Thursday shows incumbent Senator Richard Lugar leading challenger Richard Mourdock, 42-35 percent.

The poll was conducted March 26 through 28 by Republican pollster Christine Matthews and Democrat pollster Fred Yang. It surveyed 503 likely Republican primary voters and 503 likely Indiana general election voters.

The margin of error was +/- 4.5 percent.

The same poll showed if Lugar wins the primary he would get 50 percent of the November vote. Joe Donnelly, who is the only Democrat running, would get about 29 percent.

But, if Mourdock, the two-term Indiana State Treasurer, wins the primary he would be tied with Donnelly at 35 percent.

Also, Indiana’s Republican voters appear unsure of who they would vote for the party presidential nomination. Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum are in a dead heat – Santorum 27 percent and Romney at 26. Thirty-five percent said they were undecided about the race.

The poll showed Republican Congressman Mike Pence running away from Democrat and former state House Speaker John Gregg 44 to 31 percent.

Hoosiers in the poll approved of the job current Governor Mitch Daniels is doing to the tune of 63 percent.

Only 39 percent approved of President Barack Obama’s performance.