Republicans Threaten to Take Colorado Senate Seat from Democrats

While former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton, a Republican, holds the biggest margin over two Democrats vying for their party's nomination, all the GOP hopefuls in the field would run competitively against incumbent Michael Bennet or his challenger, Andrew Romanoff, according to a Rasmussen Reports poll conducted Dec. 8.

Norton leads Bennet, who was appointed to the seat when President Obama picked then-Sen. Ken Salazar to be his Interior secretary, by 46 percent to 37 percent with 8 percent preferring another candidate and 8 percent undecided.

Norton also leads former Colorado House Speaker Romanoff, who is challenging Bennet for the Democratic nomination, by 45 percent to 34 percent with 7 percent preferring someone else and 15 percent undecided.

Two other Republican hopefuls run within the margin of error against Bennet and Romanoff.

Former state Sen. Tom Wiens leads Romanoff by 42 percent to 41 percent with 5 percent preferring someone else and 14 percent undecided. He leads Bennet by 42 percent to 41 percent with 7 percent preferring someone else and 10 percent undecided.

Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck leads Romanoff 41 percent to 39 percent with 6 percent preferring someone else and 14 percent undecided. He leads Bennet by 42 percent to 38 percent with 8 percent preferring someone else and 12 percent undecided.

The margin of error is 4.5 points.