Mass. Poll: Brown 49, Warren 43

A new poll of the Massachusetts Senate race shows Republican Scott Brown opening up a six-point lead over Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren. Forty-nine percent of respondents support Brown, the incumbent running for reelection, while 43 percent support Warren. Nine percent are undecided.

The poll also found that independent voters in Massachusetts may be splitting their tickets between the parties in November, with 52 percent supporting Barack Obama in the presidential race and only 41 percent supporting MItt Romney. Romney was governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007.

Here's more on the poll:

"Senator Brown is winning decisively among independents but Warren still has a chance to come back. The data suggest that for Warren to close the gap it may be time for her to change her emphasis, from the cost of education to job creation," said Spencer Kimball, Political Consultant and President of Kimball Political Consulting. "Romney, on the other hand, needs to repair his image in the Commonwealth where 54 percent of likely voters have an unfavorable opinion of him. However, his choice of Paul Ryan may help him with defining the deficit as the most important issue for voters and help his support among a strong Irish Catholic voting bloc in the bay state."

Independent voters are splitting their voting choices between President Obama and Senator Brown; 56% of Independents favor the Senator and 44% intend to vote for the President.  Warren also needs to shore up her base of Democrat support with 21% of Democrats saying they would vote for Brown.