Rasmussen Poll: Vander Plaats Lead Over Culver Grows, Branstad Lead Shrinks

DES MOINES – Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats leads Gov. Chet Culver by six points in the latest Rasmussen Poll, which is an increase of 3 percent from an Iowa Poll published earlier this month.

Vander Plaats leads Culver 46 percent to 40 percent among a survey of 500 likely voters contacted by the Washington, D.C., polling firm on Thursday. He led Culver 43-40 percent in the Iowa Poll. Meanwhile, Terry Branstad’s lead over Culver in the Rasmussen Poll is 53 percent to 37 percent, down from the 53-33 percent margin in the Iowa Poll.

Only 41 percent of Iowans approve of Culver’s job performance while 57 percent disapprove, according to the Rasmussen Poll.

Vander Plaats, a Sioux City businessman, said the latest poll continues to dispel claims by Branstad’s campaign that the former governor is the only candidate who can defeat Culver.

“The Republican primary is going to come down to the wire and I believe we’re going to prevail because voters want the clearest possible contrast between our nominee and Chet Culver. They want an energetic leader for the future – and that’s what our campaign represents,” Vander Plaats said. “What the Rasmussen Poll says to anyone who has been told that they have to nominate Terry Branstad if we’re going to beat Chet Culver is that that’s just not true. We can move the Republican Party forward in June and defeat Chet Culver in November – and that’s just what I’m going to do.”

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