According to Massachusetts Voters Senator Brown Won the First U.S. Senate Debate

BOSTON, Sept. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Fifty percent (50%) of voters who watched tonight's U.S. Senate debate between Senator Scott Brown and Elizabeth Warren said the Senator won, with 40% saying that Warren won the debate (6% thought it was a tie and 4% were undecided) according to a Kimball Political Consulting survey of "likely voters" in Massachusetts.

The poll also shows that 55% of likely voters actually watched the debate leading to speculation by the pollster  Spencer Kimball,  that "the effect of tonight's debate will be played out over the course of several days as pundits and both campaigns try to frame the results for the voters".

Results of the ballot test show Senator Scott Brown with a 1 point lead over Democrat Elizabeth Warren (48 percent to 47 percent) with 5 percent undecided. The figure is well within the survey's 3.25 percent margin of error. However, those who watched the debate were more likely to support Brown (52% to 45%).

Both Senator Brown and Elizabeth Warren continue to have very high favorability rating at over 50% each (58% and 51%). 

According to the poll the most important issue facing likely voters in Massachusetts is jobs at 38 percent followed closely by the deficit at 23 percent and healthcare at 20%.

The statewide survey of 868 Massachusetts likely voters was conducted immediately following the debate hosted by WBZ TV and Radio on September 20, 2012, between 8-8:30pm using automated telephone interviews of landlines and cellular phones. The margin of error is +/- 3.25 percent at a 95 percent level of confidence. Frequencies and full cross-tabulation data are available on the www.kimballpc.com website and a full analysis will be available by noon on Friday (9/21).

http://www.kimballpoliticalconsulting.com/KPC_Methodology_Survey_Results.pdf

SOURCE Kimball Political Consulting