Q Poll: Party Endorsed Senate Candidates Far Ahead of Challengers. Fall Murphy-McMahon Contest Tight.

Democrat Christopher Murphy and Republican Linda McMahon have opened wide leads over their respective challengers in the August 14th party primaries, according to a new Quinnipiac survey of Connecticut voters. Murphy leads Susan Bysiewicz by 30 points, McMahon is 29 points ahead of Christopher Shays.

In the November contest, Murphy’s three point lead over McMahon is three points, within the margin of error. That’s a significant improvement for McMahon since Quinnipiac polled the race in March. McMahon does better against Murphy than Shays, who has made his showing against Murphy in the March poll the cornerstone of his campaign to defeat McMahon in the Republican tussle for the party nomination. Today’s poll comes at an inopportune moment for the 21 year veteran of Congress who served from 1987 until his 2008 defeat.

The Connecticut Senate contest is not the subject of much polling at this point. The dire results for both Bysiewicz and Shays today will pose more challenges in attracting donors and committed volunteers.

While Murphy leads McMahon in a general election match up, he could face a gathering storm. More than 40% of voters surveyed said they do not know enough about him. McMahon could change that if she unloads a small slice of her fortune on defining the three term member of Congress. A continuing challenge for McMahon is moving her support among general election voters above the stubborn 43% mark.

A cautionary note: the Q poll at this point in the campaign surveys registered voters, not likely voters.