New Rasmussen poll shows Udall burying Schaffer

Late last month Rasmussen released a poll showing Mark Udall with a 6 point lead on scandal-plagued and error-prone GOP Senate candidate Bob Schaffer. I noted at the time that Udall's lead had grown overall but most importantly had grown to 12% amongst all important "Independent" voters. A new poll out today shows that Schaffer has continued his free fall,

Democrat Mark Udall continues to build his lead over Republican Bob Schaffer in Colorado's Senate race. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the state found that the Democrat had a six six-point lead last month and has widened that lead to nine points today. It's Udall 49%, Schaffer 40%.

How about those Independents?

Among voters not affiliated with either major political party, Udall leads 51% to 30%

Yikes.

That's a 9 point swing against Sweatshop Schaffer in just the last 4 weeks. Both men enjoy support of 84% of their own registered partisans but a 21% gap amongst independents is burying Schaffer. It's early, a lot can happen yaddayadda but this is very bad news for a candidate whose party enjoys a built in registration advantage. He should be running close to neck and neck with Udall just based on party affiliation alone. Instead he finds himself being absolutely deserted by Independents and facing a 9 point deficit in early summer.