Poll: Sanford Leads Colbert by One Point

Which is a surge for him, and leaves the race a toss-up

A surging former Gov. Mark Sanford has erased Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch's lead in South Carolina's special congressional election, and the race is now a dead heat heading into Tuesday's election, according to a new poll.

The poll conducted by the Democratic firm Public Policy Polling shows Sanford leading Colbert Busch 47 percent to 46 percent. The survey has a 2.8-percentage-point margin of error.

The survey paints a dramatically different picture from one released by PPP two weeks ago, which showed Sanford trailing by a yawning 9-point gap. That poll was conducted just days after damaging reports surfaced that the former Republican governor is being sued by his ex-wife, Jenny Sanford for allegedly trespassing at her home in February.