Jennifer Jacobs

jejacobs@dmreg.com

Democrat Jack Hatch is within seven points of Republican Gov. Terry Branstad, according to internal polling by the Hatch campaign.

A statewide poll of 602 likely general election voters taken May 13-15 shows Branstad at 47 percent and Hatch at 40 percent, says a summary obtained today by The Des Moines Register.

"The single-digit margin and Branstad's inability to break a 50 percent winning vote threshold against a less well-known opponent strongly suggest that voters are ready for change," says a Hatch campaign memo written last week by pollsters Jef Pollock and James Delorey of Global Strategy Group.

The party registration of likely voters who participated in the survey was 41 percent Republican, 35 percent Democratic and 25 percent independent.

Hatch, a real estate developer and state senator from Des Moines, is still an unknown figure across the state - only 32 percent were familiar enough with him to weigh in on their feelings toward him, compared to 69 percent who said they were familiar with Branstad, who is seeking his sixth term as governor.

A majority of likely voters, 51 percent, have a favorable opinion of Branstad, while 42 percent have an unfavorable view, the survey found.

But Branstad's job approval is in negative territory, 41 percent positive and 56 percent negative. Among independents, 62 percent give Branstad negative marks for his work as governor, the pollsters say.

Voters are divided on whether Branstad "cares about people like you" (48 percent think he does, 45 percent don't), and whether he takes responsibility for what happens in Iowa government (47 percent think he does, 46 percent think he doesn't).

The margin of error for the poll is plus or minus 4 percent.

Election day is Nov. 4.