Poll: Carmona pulls into tie with Flake in Arizona's Senate race

Even as President Obama fades in his head-to-head match-up with Mitt Romney in Arizona, Democrat Richard Carmona is gaining steam in his U.S. Senate race against Rep. Jeff Flake.

The candidates are tied, each pulling 38 percent of the vote, according to a survey released Wednesday by the League of Conservation Voters — which announced Wednesday they were supporting Carmona — and conducted by Democratic polling firm Public Policy Polling. Of those surveyed, a quarter said they remained undecided.

That's a big jump for Carmona from a PPP poll in May that showed Flake with a 48-25 percent lead over his Democratic challenger.

Carmona will also be buoyed by the LCV's endorsement; the environmental group has been an aggressive spender in recent campaigns.

Flake is also likely suffering as a result of his tough primary against Mesa businessman Wil Cardon, who has spent millions in recent weeks on attack ads in the GOP battle. More voters had an unfavorable (37 percent) view of Flake than a favorable one (30 percent). Flake will need to fend off Cardon in the Aug. 28 primary

In an interview with the Arizona Daily Star, Carmona said the poll was evidence that his campaign was connecting with voters.

“Every time I get out and talk to people and meet larger groups and people who have an interest in the campaign, the needle moves in my favor,” Carmona said. “It’s another indication that we are doing very well, and we are going to continue to work very hard.”

But even as Carmona's fortunes improved, the man at the top of the Democratic ticket continued to struggle in Arizona. The PPP poll showed likely voters breaking 52-41 percent for presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney over the president.

In April, a series of polls showed Obama trailing Romney by amounts low enough to be within the surveys' margins of error. But since then, Romney's lead has expanded to a double-digit advantage.

---