LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – New polling from Talk Business & Politics and Hendrix College shows the Republican candidates in three major Arkansas statewide races hold commanding leads with just over 50 days until Election Day.

The poll numbers released Sunday show that with Sen. John Boozman holds a 13-point lead over his closest opponent, Democrat Natalie James.

Boozman’s 43.5% and James’ 30.5% both far outpace the Libertarian, Kenneth Cates, who only picked up support in 5% of respondents. Another 21% of those polled were undecided.

The race for governor was a bit tighter, with an 11-point difference between Republican Sarah Huckabee Sanders at 51% and Democrat Chris Jones at 40%.

Ricky Dale Harington Jr. is struggling in the poll, only picking up 2% of the respondents. There were only 7% of those surveyed who said they were still undecided.

It should be noted that the poll was taken early in the week and ahead of the announcement by Sanders Friday that she had undergone successful thyroid cancer surgery. She was released from the hospital Saturday.

In the run to be the state’s next Attorney General, current Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin at 49% holds a 17=point lead over Democrat Jesse Gibson, who saw support from 32% of those polled. Another 19% said they were undecided.

Roby Brock, host of Capitol View on KARK 4 News and editor-in-chief of Talk Business & Politics, noted that even though it is less than eight weeks until the end of the election, there is still time for changes in these numbers.

“By no means do I expect these races to finish at the numbers this baseline poll shows,” Brock said. “As political spending kicks in a higher gear and undecideds make their choices, I expect to see every candidate’s numbers rise. For well-funded candidates, I expect a dramatic rise.”

The results in the poll on these Arkansas races show a possible shift in some independent voters, though Brock said it may take more than one year to see if this is a one-time change or something more long-term.

“The trend lines in this poll do suggest that Independents are not leaning as Republican as they have in the past, but I’d have to see this phenomenon happen over more than one election cycle to call it a pendulum swing,” he explained.

For more analysis on these polls, head to TalkBusiness.net.