The battle of the polls has begun in the 5th Congressional District Republican contest, and the challengers’ polls show both trailing the incumbent.Bentley Rayburn issued a statement to supporters Thursday saying he’s closer to Rep. Doug Lamborn than Jeff Crank.Crank’s campaign also issued poll results showing Crank 18 points ahead of Rayburn.Lamborn’s campaign hasn’t conducted any polls.Rayburn’s poll was done by Wilson Research Strategies, Washington, D.C.It quizzed 400 voters, 32 percent of whom chose Rayburn, while 42 percent chose Lamborn. The same poll showed Lamborn winning in a Lamborn-Crank matchup, 46 percent to 27 percent.Rayburn campaign manager Michael Hesse denied allegations from Crank’s campaign that it was a “push poll.” That’s when pollsters manipulate outcomes by feeding negative information about challengers and positive information about the candidate sponsoring the poll.”We pushed positive and negative messages on all the candidates, ourselves included, and they were equal as far as negative things that have been said about us and things that were said about Crank and Lamborn in the last election,” Hesse said.The purpose of the poll, he said, was to guide the campaign, which it did.In an advisory to supporters, Rayburn’s campaign said Lamborn “has virtually no attraction to unaffiliated and moderate voters …”Crank’s poll, done by CC Advertising, Herndon, Va., shows Crank taking 31 percent, Lamborn 40 percent and Rayburn 12 percent.Crank’s campaign manager Alan Philp said the poll asked 1,698 voters if they had a choice among the three, would they vote for Crank, Lamborn or Rayburn. Crank was listed first, because he will be listed at the top of the Aug. 12 primary ballot.Lamborn’s campaign spokeswoman Kristin Hainen, responding to the polls, said Lamborn’s camp is pleased to be showing a sizeable lead.

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