Poll: Tancredo, Hickenlooper Tied in Colo. Gov's Race

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and former GOP Rep. Tom Tancredo are in a virtual dead heat headed into the 2014 election, according to a poll from Quinnipiac University.

Democrat Hickenlooper has only a slight 1 percentage point edge in his bid for re-election, leading Tancredo, the top potential GOP contender, by 42 percent to 41 percent.

According to the survey of 1,065 registered voters, the governor also is running neck-and-neck with Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler, another potential Republican challenger. Gessler barely trails with 40 percent support to Hickenlooper's 42 percent.

The poll, taken June 5-10, also shows a potential third Republican candidate, state Sen. Greg Brophy, within striking distance of Hickenlooper. The legislator trails the governor 37 percent to 43 percent.

Republicans also can take heart from other numbers in the survey. For example, respondents were almost evenly split over the question of whether Hickenlooper deserves to be re-elected, with 45 percent saying yes and 44 percent saying no.

His approval rating also was below 50 percent, with 47 percent of respondents saying they like the job he's doing and 43 percent taking the opposite view. In April, Hickenlooper's approval rating stood at 53 percent, according to a Public Policy Polling survey.