IA-GOV: New poll shows a close race for November.
The new Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll suggests two of those would-be challengers state Sen. Nate Boulton and retired businessman Fred Hubbell are more competitive with Reynolds than other Democrats in the race, but also indicates a high level of uncertainty and lingering unfamiliarity with the wide field of challengers.
In a Reynolds-Boulton matchup, 41 percent of likely 2018 voters say theyd vote for Reynolds, compared to 37 percent for Boulton a 4 percentage-point advantage. In a Reynolds-Hubbell matchup, 42 percent would opt for the incumbent while 37 percent would back the Democrat, a 5-point edge.
In each hypothetical matchup, 22 percent of voters say theyd choose someone else, wouldnt vote or simply werent yet sure whom to choose.
Reynolds margin is substantially wider against other Democrats tested: She polls 13 percentage points ahead of labor leader Cathy Glasson; 12 points ahead of former Iowa Democratic Party Chairwoman Andy McGuire; and 11 points ahead of former state and federal administrator John Norris.
That said, Reynolds doesnt garner more than 44 percent of the vote in any of the five matchups a figure that underperforms both her 49 percent favorability rating and 47 percent job-approval rating among likely 2018 voters.
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/iowa-poll/2018/02/07/iowa-poll-kim-reynolds-leads-all-democratic-challengers-2018-race-governor/308397002/