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While he hasn't publicly indicated an interest in the seat, former Gov. Charlie Baker holds a significant lead over Sen. Elizabeth Warren in a hypothetical matchup, according to newly released poll results.
The Fiscal Alliance Foundation poll, which sampled 750 Massachusetts voters last week, showed Baker with 49 percent to 34 percent support for Warren, who has already announced her campaign to seek a new six-year term in 2024.
Among those surveyed, 49 percent approved of Warren, while 44 percent disapproved and 7 percent were unsure.
"Senator Warren has significantly higher unfavorable numbers than her fellow Democrats statewide and that seems to be creating an opening for Baker, who always enjoyed large amounts of cross-party appeal," said the alliance's Paul Craney.
Craney said the poll showed Republicans coalescing behind Baker in a way that Democrats do not around Warren, and that Baker leads with independent or unenrolled voters by a two to one margin.
Baker is now working as president of the NCAA.
The survey also found voters split on reviving rent control and supportive of the tax cap law that sent $3 billion in rebates back to taxpayers in 2022.
Asked whether they would support allowing Boston Mayor Michelle Wu to reintroduce rent control in the capital city, 40 percent of respondents said they supported the idea, while 38 percent said they opposed it. Twenty percent were undecided.
On the tax cap law, known as Chapter 62F, 64 percent said they support the law "as written," while 17 percent said they like the law but would like "to see it change," and 7 percent said they outright oppose the tax cap statute. Eleven percent weren't sure.
The poll surveyed 382 independent or third-party voters, 279 Democrats, and 89 Republicans, and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percent. - Michael P. Norton and Sam Doran/SHNS
