Poll: Donnelly leads Mourdock in Ind. Senate race

A new Indiana poll shows Democrat Joe Donnelly has a double-digit lead over Republican Richard Mourdock in their Senate race, and is aided by the fallout from his rival's comments about rape and abortion.

Donnelly, a congressman since 2007, leads Mourdock 47% to 36% among likely Hoosier voters, according to the Howey/DePauw University Battleground Poll released Friday. Libertarian Andrew Horning is at 6% in the poll.

Mourdock, the state's treasurer, said during an Oct. 23 debate that pregnancy as a result of rape "is something that God intended to happen." He apologized that his comments were being "twisted" by Democrats, while restating that he is "pro-life."

The race is one that could determine which party controls power in the Senate. This Indiana seat has been held by Republican Richard Lugar for nearly 40 years, but he was defeated in a primary by Mourdock.

Mourdock released an internal poll to TheIndianapolis Star that shows him leading 46% to 44%.

Brian Howey, who publishes a political newsletter in Indiana, noted that polling in late March indicated a Mourdock-Donnelly race was deadlocked at 35% each. Polling since then had the candidates within the margin of error until the Oct. 23 debate, Howey wrote.

Among the likely voters in the Howey/DePauw survey who said they were aware of Mourdock's comments, 40% said they were less likely to vote for the Republican while 54% said it made no difference.

The poll of 800 likely Indiana voters Sunday through Tuesday has a margin of error of +/-3.5 percentage points.