Rep. Jerry Moran ran well ahead of Rep. Todd Tiahrt in a hypothetical Senate primary matchup, according a recent poll conducted for Moran’s campaign.

Moran has announced he is running for the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Sam Brownback (R), who plans to run for governor in 2010. Tiahrt will likely also run for Brownback’s seat, setting up a contested primary between the two longtime Members.

Moran’s survey showed him leading Tiahrt 41 percent to 25 percent, with 34 percent undecided, according to a polling memo released Wednesday.

The two Congressmen are about equally well-known in Kansas: Moran had 73 percent name recognition, while Tiahrt had 71 percent name recognition among GOP primary voters. The memo also argued that Moran’s higher numbers in the state’s 2nd district give him a boost statewide.

Moran’s pollster, Glen Bolger of Public Opinion Strategies, conducted the survey of 500 likely Republican voters Jan. 13-14. The poll had a margin of error of 4.4 points.

Democrats are hoping that term-limited Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) runs for the seat in 2010, although she has yet to disclose her plans. If Sebelius doesn’t run, Republicans will be heavily favored to keep Brownback’s seat regardless of who emerges from the primary — Democrats have not won a Senate election in Kansas since the 1930s.