Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison

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The latest Rasmussen Reports poll of 500 likely Texas voters shows incumbent Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison further distancing herself from her Democratic challenger, Barbara Ann Radnofsky.  Hutchison now leads Radnofsky 58% to 31%.  Last month’s poll showed Hutchison leading 53% to 34%.

The Governor’s race is interesting only in that it’s an unusual four-way contest. Still, incumbent Rick Perry (R) has a solid lead.

Hutchison’s overall favorability ratings now stand at 65%, including 41% of voters who hold a very favorable impression of her.  Thirty-two percent (32%) of voters rate Radnofsky favorably and 31% view her unfavorably.  However, the greatest number of voters—36%—still aren’t sure what they think of her, compared with only 6% for Hutchison.

The senator’s fellow Texan, President George W. Bush, fails to draw such definitive reactions from his home state’s voters.  An equal number—35%—indicate strong approval and disapproval over the president’s job performance.  Overall, a slim majority (53%) report some level of approval for the president.

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Scott Rasmussen, president of Rasmussen Reports, has been an independent pollster for more than a decade.