Latest NYT poll gives Kim Schrier three-point lead over Dino Rossi

The latest polling data from The New York Times shows Democrat Kim Schrier holding a slim three-point lead over Republican challenger, Dino Rossi.

RELATED: Initial polls released for 8th Congressional District

Schrier and Rossi are competing for the vacant seat in the 8th Congressional District, left open by recently-retired Republican Representative Dave Reichert. In what’s been a hotly contested race, The New York Times estimates that Schrier leads 48 percent to 45 percent.

For its poll, The New York Times made 32,395 calls to residents of the 8th Congressional District, and spoke to 477 people. It made sure to note the significant margin of error for a poll with such a small sample size.

“Our poll result is about what was expected,” said the Times. “But remember: It’s just one poll, and we talked to only 477 people. Each candidate’s total could easily be five points different if we polled everyone in the district. And having a small sample is only one possible source of error.”

The calls made were primarily to Issaquah, Auburn, Graham, and Wenatchee, conducted between Sept. 24-26.

While the 8th District has never elected a Democrat as its representative, it also has made a habit of voting for Democratic presidential candidates.

Additionally, of those polled, 50 percent said they disapprove of the job Donald Trump is doing as president; 43 percent approve of Trump’s presidency. Forty-six percent said they would prefer it if Democrats took control of the House of Representatives; 46 percent said they would prefer Republicans to retain control.

The last poll conducted by the Times had Schrier clinging to a one-point lead, at 46 percent to 45 percent, a stark contrast to a Crosscut poll conducted around the same time that gave Rossi a 10-point margin of victory.

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