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Poll shows Collins, Baldacci with significant leads PORTLAND (AP) -- A statewide telephone poll released Monday indicates that Republican Susan Collins and Democrat John Baldacci hold significant leads in their respective races for U.S. senate and governor. The poll conducted by Strategic Marketing Services shows 55.2 percent of those surveyed support or are leaning toward incumbent Collins, compared with 36 percent for Democrat Chellie Pingree. Baldacci had 50 percent, compared to 29 percent for Republican Peter Cianchette, 6.2 percent for Green independent Jonathan Carter and 3.4 percent for independent John Michael. Democrat Tom Allen led the 1st District congressional race...

Michaud, Raye near dead heat Independents favoring 2nd District Republican BANGOR - With one week to go in one of the closest races in the nation, Republican Kevin Raye has pulled to within less than a percentage point of Democrat Mike Michaud in their race for the open 2nd Congressional District seat, according to a poll released Monday. In the Oct. 23-26 survey, administered for a media consortium including the Bangor Daily News, 36.5 percent said they supported Michaud, with 35.8 percent favoring Raye. Twenty four percent were undecided, down from 37 percent in September. Unlike last month, this time...

Polls assess key campaigns By DAVID SHARP, Associated Press Democrat Michael Michaud and Republican Kevin Raye are locked in a tight congressional race in Maine's 2nd District, but heavy television advertising has not erased wide leads for Susan Collins and John Baldacci in the Senate and gubernatorial races, according to polls released Wednesday. One poll by Strategic Marketing Services showed Michaud leading Raye by 5.4 percentage points, a statistical dead heat after the margin of error was taken into account. The other, by Critical Insights, had Michaud ahead by 9 points. Both polls indicated Democrat Chellie Pingree still has considerable...

2nd District contest tightens By Jeff Tuttle, Of the NEWS Staff BANGOR — A new sampling of likely voters in Maine’s two congressional races suggests one contest is close — and getting closer — while the other is not close — at least not yet. The poll, conducted for a media partnership including the Bangor Daily News, suggests the gap is closing in the already tight race in Maine’s northern 2nd Congressional District between Democrat Mike Michaud and Republican Kevin Raye. In the survey of 311 likely voters in the district, 31 percent said they would vote for Michaud, the...