A new poll conducted for a Democratic super PAC shows Seth Moulton, the Democrat who ousted Rep. John Tierney in a Sept. 9 primary, holding a 10-point lead over his Republican opponent in the general election in Massachusetts' 6th Congressional District.
Moulton leads Republican former state Sen. Richard Tisei 43 percent to 33 percent, according to a poll by the Democratic firm Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group, conducted for House Majority PAC. Third-party candidate Chris Stockwell received 11 percent in the poll, and 13 percent were undecided. The poll surveyed 400 likely voters from Sept. 24 to 27, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.
Partisan polls should be taken with a grain of salt, and several other polls conducted in late September have gotten mixed results. An Emerson College automated poll, conducted Sept. 26-29, showed Tisei leading within the margin of error, 41 percent to 39 percent. A survey by the Tarrance Group, a Republican pollster, conducted for Tisei's campaign, also showed the candidates virtually tied, with Tisei holding a 1-point lead. But a WBUR poll conducted Sept. 22-24 showed Moulton with an 8-point advantage, leading 47 percent to 39 percent. Two automated Democratic polls conducted earlier in September showed Moulton with leads of 8 points and 18 points.