Poll gives Vitter big lead for 2010

BATON ROUGE -- A statewide poll released Tuesday shows Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. David Vitter holds a double-digit lead in his 2010 re-election bid over Democratic challenger Rep. Charlie Melancon, although he is short of a majority.

Vitter got 47.6 percent to Melancon's 35.8 percent, with 16.6 percent undecided, according to the survey conducted last week by Southern Media and Opinion Research of Baton Rouge.

The poll was financed by Baton Rouge businessman Lane Grigsby, who has contributed mainly to Republicans in the past, including Vitter. The survey is based on telephone interviews with 600 likely voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

By framing himself as a vocal opponent of a president who is unpopular in Louisiana, Vitter might be successfully focusing the public's attention away from his tarnished image after being identified as the patron of a prostitution ring several years ago, said Bernie Pinsonat of Southern Media.

"Obama is affecting the political landscape. He makes it a lot easier on Vitter," Pinsonat said. "It doesn't mean Vitter's a cinch, but it certainly allows a diversion from his past problems."

The poll asked 31 questions on a range of political and economic issues, including whether voters were pleased with the performance of the state's major politicians.

The poll suggested that Melancon has room to grow. About 36 percent of respondents gave him a good or excellent rating, while 41.5 percent said they were either not familiar with him or had no answer. Vitter received a 57 percent favorability rating, with only 5.5 percent of respondents saying they were not familiar with him or had no answer.

Melancon, who represents the 3rd Congressional District in southern Louisiana and the River Parishes, polled strongest in his home areas and appeared weakest in northern Louisiana, where he is less well-known. His campaign is targeting the female vote, which in the poll favored Vitter 44.2 percent to Melancon's 39.1 percent, with nearly 17 percent undecided....