PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- With the election less than a week away, U.S. Rep. James Langevin and U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse have double-digit leads over their Republican opponents, according to a new poll released Tuesday night.
The poll was conducted for WPRI-TV by Fleming & Associates, from Oct. 24-27, and reflects the responses of 600 registered and likely voters statewide, and 301 in the 2nd Congressional District.
Democrat Langevin, seeking his seventh term, led Republican Michael Riley, 48-to-31 percent, with independent Abel Collins, getting 9.3 percent and the rest undecided or unwilling to answer.
Langevin declined comment on the poll, with spokesman Jonathon Dworkin saying: "Just not the time to comment on a poll the day after the storm.''
But Riley, who has spent more than $632,000 of his own money on his campaign, said he was "humbled by the poll results'' which suggest to him that "60,000 voters in the Second District are planning on voting for me.''
Meanwhile, Whitehouse led Republican Barry Hinckley, 55 percent to 33 percent, with the rest undecided or unwilling to answer.
Whitehouse campaign manager Tony Simon said: "Our campaign is encouraged by the strong outpouring of support we've received.'' But the Hinckley camp drew attention to his 41 percent tie with Whitehouse among independent voters.
"We are peaking at the right time following Barry's dismantling of Senator Whitehouse at the debate Tuesday and have just started advertising heavily,'' said spokesman Patrick Sweeney.