MANCHESTER, N.H. (Legal Newsline) - While he still trails the Democratic incumbent, Scott Brown leads all other Republican candidates in a potential November matchup in his quest to reclaim a U.S. Senate seat, a new poll shows.
Brown, the former Republican senator from Massachusetts, announced his candidacy in April, joining a packed group of New Hampshire Republicans looking to unseat Democrat Sen. Jeanne Shaheen.
If the election were held today and Shaheen and Brown were the candidates, 50 percent of likely voters say they would vote for Shaheen, while 38 percent would vote for Brown, according to a Wednesday WMUR Granite State Poll.
Brown's rivals in the Sept. 9 GOP primary, Bob Smith and Jim Rubens, respectively trail Shaheen by 23 points and 26 points, signaling Brown may be the incumbent's strongest challenger come November.
The Shaheen campaign is taking the poll as a positive indicator.
"This poll shows what Granite Staters know: Jeanne Shaheen puts New Hampshire first and her common sense leadership makes a difference for people here," Shaheen campaign manager Mike Vlacich said in a press release.
"She's got deep roots in New Hampshire, raised her family here and her record proves she shares our values."
Reach David Yates at elections@legalnewsline.com
N.H. U.S. Senate race: Brown leads potential GOP candidates
