A new one-day Rasmussen Reports poll studying Sen. Lamar Alexander’s (R) re-election chances showed the Senator handily beating the two best-known Democratic candidates who have stepped forward for this year’s race.

The automated Rasmussen survey of 500 likely voters conducted on April 3 showed Alexander leading former Knox County Clerk Mike Padgett 58 percent to 31 percent. Alexander also led former state Democratic Party Chairman Bob Tuke 59 percent to 30 percent, according to the poll, which had a 4-point margin of error.

The Rasmussen survey correlated closely with polling numbers released by Alexander’s campaign in March.

According to the poll, if Alexander has any weakness it is with young voters.

Alexander led Tuke by just 1 point among voters aged 18 to 29 and 8 points against Padgett in the same demographic. But Alexander led by more than 20 points against both candidates in every other age category.

— John McArdle