Poll: Republicans lead Senate races in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida

Republicans are leading in Senate races in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida, according to a new Monmouth University poll.

{mosads}In Ohio, Sen. Rob Portman (R) has a double-digit lead over former Gov. Ted Strickland (D), 55 percent to 38 percent. Portman leads his Democratic challenger among men, 64 percent to 32 percent, and among women, 48 percent to 44 percent.

In Pennsylvania, Sen. Pat Toomey (R) has an advantage over his Democratic challenger, Katie McGinty, 50 percent to 42 percent. 

Toomey is favored by 45 percent of women and McGinty by 44 percent. Independent voters also favor Toomey, 47 percent to 43 percent.

Among Democrats, McGinty has the support of only 71 percent of her party’s voters.

In Florida, Sen. Marco Rubio (R) is in a close race with his Democratic challenger, Rep. Patrick Murphy. Rubio leads Murphy by 4 points in the state, 48 percent to 44 percent, among likely voters.

Rubio leads his opponent among men, 59 percent to 30 percent, and Murphy has an advantage among women, 57 percent to 38 percent.

Rubio also leads among independent voters, 52 percent to 41 percent.

The poll also finds a close race in another battleground. In North Carolina, former state Rep. Deborah Ross (D) and her Republican opponent, Sen. Richard Burr, are tied, with each candidate garnering the support of 46 percent of likely voters.

Burr has an advantage among men, 52 percent to 43 percent, and Ross leads among women, 50 percent to 40 percent. 

The poll was conducted from Sept. 27 to Oct. 2 among likely voters in the four states. The margins of error were 4.2 points in Florida and Pennsylvania, and 4.4 points in North Carolina and Ohio.