Markey, Sullivan Leading New WBUR Senate Poll

Congressman Edward Markey and former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan are leading their respective Democratic and Republican primary fields for the upcoming U.S. Senate special election, according to

a new WBUR poll.

Markey, a Malden Democrat, has an 11-point edge (35 percent to 24 percent) over fellow Congressman Stephen Lynch of South Boston.

Sullivan, of Abington, leads the Republican candidates with 28 percent followed by Norfolk Rep. Dan Winslow at 10 percent and former U.S. Navy SEAL Gabriel Gomez of Cohasset with 8 percent.

Both races have a high number of undecided voters. According to the poll, 41 percent of likely Democratic voters have not made up their minds. That number is even bigger among likely GOP voters, where 46 percent are undecided.

Information collected in the poll reflects a lack of knowledge about the candidates in the field, especially for Republicans. While 19 percent of those polled said they had never heard of Lynch and 12 percent had no knowledge of Markey, those numbers were 35 percent for Sullivan, 46 percent for Gomez and 57 percent for Winslow.

The primary election is slated for April 30, with the general election to take place June 25.