Patty Murray, Dino Rossi Senate Race in Washington Looks Like a Toss-Up

In 10 matchups this year by Rasmussen Reports between three-term Democratic Sen. Patty Murray and Republican challenger Dino Rossi, the two have never been further than 4 points apart . Now, with Rossi moving to a 2 point lead, the pollster has changed its rating of the race from "leans Democratic" to "toss-up."

Rossi is ahead by a statistically insignificant 48 percent to 46 percent with 6 percent preferring someone else or undecided, according to Rasmussen's latest poll conducted Aug. 31. The margin of error is 4 points. In mid-August, Murray had led 48 percent to 44 percent.

When "leaners" are counted, Rossi leads 50 percent to 47 percent.

Polling analyst Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight.com has calculated a 46 percent probability that the Democrats will lose the seat.

Rossi is seen favorably by 54 percent of voters and unfavorably by 44 percent, with 2 percent undecided. Murray is regarded favorably by 50 percent and unfavorably by 49 percent, with 2 percent undecided.

Rossi leads Murray by 59 percent to 31 percent among unaffiliated voters with the rest undecided or preferring some other candidate. Rasmussen does give the size of the sample of independents.

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