Carson takes lead in Oklahoma Senate race

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OKLAHOMA CITY, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- Democrat Rep. Brad Carson has taken a 5-point lead over Republican Tom Coburn in the race for the U.S. Senate in Oklahoma, the latest poll reveals.

Carson's lead is larger than the margin of error for the first time in any of the polls conducted so far by KWTV in Oklahoma City and the Oklahoman, the newspaper reported.

Carson and Coburn are battling for the seat of Sen. Don Nickles, R-Okla., who is retiring from the Senate.

The latest poll was conducted by Virginia-based Wilson Research Strategies for KWTV. The sample was 500 registered Oklahoma voters who are likely to vote Nov. 2. The voters were surveyed by phone from Friday through Sunday.

Coburn had a 9-point lead over Carson just last month in the same series of polls.

"I think our message is getting out," Carson spokesman Brad Luna said.

A Coburn campaign spokesman said they expect to regain the lead before the election.

"When voter's have an opportunity to compare Carson's liberal record with Corburn's conservative record, we'll prevail," Coburn spokesman John Hart said.