Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne is touting a new poll that shows him ahead in his re-election bid.  But the poll, showing he leads Democrat Felicia Rotellini 43 percent to 39 percent, is only slightly higher than the poll’s 3.7 percent margin of error. And it was taken several days before Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk released a report saying Horne intentionally violated campaign laws in his 2010 election.

Horne, though, doubts the results would have been much different, even if the survey were taken after Polk’s report,

“There was nothing new there,” Horne said. “It was basically the same thing that [Maricopa County Attorney Bill] Montgomery had come out with. And I don't think technical campaign violations move a lot of voters.”

But when Montgomery released a similar report last year, Horne got a judge to take the case away, with the investigation eventually ending up with Polk.  Horne is contesting her findings.

“If the administrative law judge rules my way, I'll have been vindicated, regardless of whether there are appeals,” Horne said.

Generally polls this far ahead of an election are little more than a snapshot of voter opinion, but politicians release the results in part to show they have a chance of winning, which is important for campaign fundraising.