Caprio leads Chafee in new poll

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - New poll results give Rhode Island gubernatorial candidate Frank Caprio an edge over former Senator Lincoln Chafee.

The Rasmussen Reports poll shows Caprio, Rhode Island's General Treasurer, leading Chafee by six or seven percentage points, depending on who the Republican candidate would be in November's election.

• In-Depth: RI Governor's Race

Earlier this month, a Brown University Poll had Chafee and Caprio running neck and neck.

The new poll of likely voters shows 38 percent would vote for Caprio if Republican John Robitaille wins the GOP primary. Under that scenario, Chafee would receive 32 percent of the vote, Robitaille 20 percent with the remaining 10 percent either undecided or supporting other candidates.

Caprio's lead widens even more if Victor Moffitt were to win next month's Republican primary. The poll shows under those circumstances, Caprio would receive 40 percent of the vote compared to 33 percent for Chafee. Moffitt would receive 17 percent, and 9 percent are either undecided or support other candidates.