Dem Poll: Heinrich, Wilson in Close Race in New Mexico

Updated at 1:22 p.m.

Democratic Rep. Martin Heinrich and former Republican Rep. Heather Wilson are in a statistical dead heat, according to a poll of the New Mexico Senate race conducted for the League of Conservation Voters and other Democratic-leaning environmental groups.

Heinrich leads Wilson 49 percent to 45 percent in the survey, an advantage that is within the poll’s margin of error.

The two candidates secured their respective party nominations on June 5. Democratic polling firm Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz Associates, which conducted the latest survey for the environmental groups, also released their test of Wilson’s favorability from June 7-10, and found that 50 percent had a favorable view of the former congresswoman, 36 percent had an unfavorable view, and 14 percent had not heard of her or didn’t know.

In the latest survey, 45 percent said they had a favorable view of Wilson while 42 percent said they had an unfavorable view. Thirteen percent said they did not know or had not heard of her. Heinrich’s favorability numbers were not included the polling memo released by the LCV.

Right after the primary, the GOP-aligned American Crossroads began running positive Wilson spots, a rare strategy from the group that typically focuses its efforts on negative ads against Democrats. Environmental groups then entered the fray and ran negative spots about Wilson. Meanwhile, the GOP-aligned American Commitment and the American Future Fund have hit Heinrich with negative spots.

Overall, the poll indicates that a close race in the offing in New Mexico, a state where Democrats have a registration advantage and President Obama is favored to win in November.

The Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz Associates of 503 likely New Mexico general election voters was conducted

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