In the state's highest profile race, Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck (R-Colorado) leads Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colorado) 48 to 43 percent with eight percent going to another candidate and one percent undecided. Of the polling sample, Buck leads among self-described independents, 53 to 34 percent.

He also leads decidedly among male voters, 52 to 37 percent, and among younger voters ages 18 to 34, 54 to 33 percent.

Two areas of strength for Bennet reinforce the current advertising theme for his campaign. Commercials that have been airing questioning Buck's positions on abortion and birth control have led to Bennet leading among Colorado women, 49 to 44 percent, and commercials challenging Buck on Social Security have the incumbent ahead 48 to 43 percent among voters 65 and older.

In the governor's race, a familiar theme emerged from the survey; that being, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper (D-Colorado) leads, but a majority of voters support the other two major candidates in the race. Hickenlooper has 46 percent, while American Constitution Party candidate Tom Tancredo has 34 percent and Republican Dan Maes has 15 percent.

In this race as well, Colorado independents, who in the last few elections have broken overwhelmingly toward Democratic candidates, are steering away from the party in power. Tancredo leads among those voters with 45 percent, while Hickenlooper gathers 38 percent and Maes 10 percent.

Tancredo leads Maes among self-described Republican voters, 46 to 32 percent.

The other statewide races show Republican candidates ahead but in the battle for Attorney General, State Treasurer and Secretary of State; a third of all voters remain undecided.

Incumbent John Suthers (R-Colorado) leads his challenger, Boulder County District Attorney Stan Garnett (D-Colorado), 43 to 25 percent. In the Treasurer's race, challenger Walker Stapleton (R-Colorado) is ahead of incumbent Cary Kennedy (D-Colorado), 38 to 27 percent. The candidates seeking to become the next Secretary of State is very close according to the poll with challenger Scott Gessler (R-Colorado) receiving 28 percent and incumbent Bernie Buescher (D-Colorado) earning 25 percent.

In all of those races, a larger number of independent voters are saying they support Republican candidates instead of Democratic ones.

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