Allen West, Patrick Murphy Tied In Poll 2 Weeks Ahead Of Election

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) is tied with Democrat Patrick Murphy less than two weeks ahead of the election, according to a poll released Wednesday.

The poll, conducted Oct. 16-17 by FrederickPolls, shows West and Murphy tied at 47 percent, with 6 percent still undecided. It does not indicate how many people were screened and has a 5.3 percent margin of error.

The Murphy campaign pounced on the findings as proof that Florida's 18th District has soured on West and his reputation for sparking controversy, despite the fact that the freshman lawmaker has vastly outspent Murphy.

"When an incumbent with near-universal name recognition can't get out of a tie or break 50 percent, he's in serious trouble," Murphy campaign spokeswoman Erin Moffet said in a statement. "It is clear that voters have had enough of West's extreme rhetoric and that Murphy has the support to win."

West campaign spokesman Tim Edison dismissed the credibility of the poll.

"Patrick Murphy and his allies have been touting concocted polls showing him tied or ahead for months. Given Patrick Murphy's disturbing pattern of dishonesty it’s difficult to take anything he says seriously," Edson said in a statement.

Polls have been all over the place for West and Murphy, with some showing West leading by as much as 9 points and others showing Murphy slightly ahead. The race has been one of the ugliest and most expensive in the country.