Polls show Collins with comfortable lead

Recent polls show U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican, to have about a 20 percent edge over U.S. Rep. Tom Allen, a Democrat, in the high-profile Senate race.

In addition, voter approval levels of Collins are at nearly 50 percent, while overall approval of the Republican Party has dwindled.

• According to an October study by SurveyUSA of 679 registered Maine voters, Collins leads the race 55 to 38 percent.
• According to a Research 2000 poll conducted in October, commissioned for the leftist blog The Daily Kos, 56 percent favored Collins and 33 percent favored Allen. There were 600 likely voters surveyed.
• According to the October Critical Insights Poll of 408 likely voters, 54 percent favored Collins and 34 percent favored Allen, reported by the Associated Press.
• According to the SurveyUSA study, approval ratings of Collins are: 48 percent view her favorably, 25 percent view her unfavorably and 25 percent were neutral. Approval ratings of Allen are: 34 percent view him favorably, 29 percent view him unfavorably and 26 percent are neutral.
• According to the Daily Kos poll, approval of Collins was: 22 percent - very favorable, 36 percent - favorable, 24 percent - unfavorable, 9 percent - very unfavorable, and 9 percent had no opinion.

Steve Abbott, Collins' Chief of Staff, said the two-term Senator plans to appeal to the centrist and independent Mainers in her bid for reelection next year.

It's the independent voters that are going to be the ticket-splitters, Abbott said. Though Collins has strong Republican support, she plans to campaign in a non-partisan fashion.

"The real appeal to Mainers is to have someone to do what's best for them," Abbott said.

Despite the negative press on the Republican administration, Abbott said Collins is doing well because of this attitude - she doesn't always vote with the administration. She did vote with the administration to confirm Michael Mukasey as U.S. Attorney General, but she also voted to override President Bush's vetoes on both the State Children's Health Insurance Program and the recent water bill.

Abbott said he doesn't doubt the campaign will be tough, but, "I think we're in as good of a position as we can expect to be," he said.

Allen's campaign staff expects a tough campaign, but they're fighting hard.

Allen has always been on the side of Mainers, because of his resistance to the Iraq War and many of President Bush's policies, said spokeswoman Carol Andrews.

Despite her high ratings, Allen believes Collins to be vulnerable.

"A lot of Republicans and independent voters feel left behind," Andrews said. "We're going to be talking to all voters."