The race for the U.S. Senate in Nevada is shaping up to be a nail-biter.
A new Emerson College poll found Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and former Republican state Attorney General Adam Laxalt in a dead heat.
Ms. Cortez Masto received the support of 41% of likely voters and Mr. Laxalt 42%. Another 11% are undecided, and 4% plan to cast their vote for someone else.
Ms. Cortez Masto, who is running for a second term, is perhaps the most vulnerable Democrat seeking re-election in the 2022 midterm elections.
The poll found a significant split along lines of gender and race.
“Men and women break nearly in opposite directions; male voters break for Laxalt by six and women voters break for Cortez Masto by seven,” Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, said in a news release. ‘Additionally, Cortez Masto holds a 19-point lead among Hispanic voters and 27-point lead among Black voters, whereas Laxalt leads White voters by 9.”
The poll suggested that Ms. Cortez Masto is facing headwinds from President Biden’s poor approval rating, which remains underwater in Nevada with 53% of likely voters saying they disapprove of his performance and 37% saying they approve.
The economy remains the top issue for Nevada voters, followed by abortion access, health care, immigration and crime.
The survey showed that half of Nevada voters say the Supreme Court’s ruling overturning Roe V. Wade makes them more likely to vote in the fall election, compared to 47% who said it will not impact their vote.
The poll was conducted Sept. 8-10 and included 1,000 likely voters. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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