Rehberg narrowly leads Tester in latest poll

Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.) narrowly leads Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), according to a new independent poll from Mason-Dixon Research for a group of Montana newspapers.

Rehberg leads Tester by 48 to 45 percent, within the poll's margin of error. The two have been neck-and-neck in nearly every single public poll of the race, though Rehberg has held a slight edge in more of them than Tester has.

Both candidates are well-known after months of big spending by outside groups on the race, which might have damaged both of their reputations. Tester's approval rating is at 40 percent, with 36 percent disapproving, while Reherg has a 44 percent approval rating with 37 percent disapproving.

Rehberg's slight lead in the poll comes from a 9-point edge with independents, who tend to lean Republican in the state.

The poll of 625 likely voters was conducted from Sept. 19-17 and has a margin of error of 4 percentage points.

The Hill rates the race a "toss-up."

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