Gov. Butch Otter’s lead over Democratic challenger Keith Allred has narrowed slightly, according to a new poll released Wednesday by Rasmussen Reports.

Otter led Allred 53 percent to 36 percent in a poll of 500 likely voters conducted on July 15, with other candidates receiving 4 percent, and 7 percent of respondents unsure.  That 17 percent gap between Otter and Allred is smaller than the 22 percent gap Rasmussen reported in a poll before the May primary election.  The survey has a 4.5 percent margin of error.

“Polls are snapshots in time, so we’re glad that we’re still on top,” said Debbie Field, Otter’s campaign director.  Field said that the poll results weren’t unexpected, and that Otter’s campaign is working to make sure he fares well in the only poll that matters, the election on Nov. 2.

“We’ve gained momentum on Otter,” said Shea Andersen, Allred’s spokesman.  “The direction is clear.”  Andersen said he expects Allred to continue gaining ground on Otter as the summer wears on and more people start to focus on the November election.  “If I’m a Republican incumbent governor with a libertarian reputation in the reddest of red states in the entire country and that’s my number?  That’s not a good trend.”

The poll said 57 percent of respondents strongly or somewhat approve of Otter’s work as governor.  Of the voters polled, 55 percent had a very favorable or somewhat favorable impression of Otter, while 39 percent had a similar impression of Allred.

Rasmussen also released a poll showing Sen. Mike Crapo holding a 64 percent to 27 percent lead over Democrat Tom Sullivan.  Crapo’s lead in the July poll is has shrunk from a 66 percent to 22 percent lead in May.

Read the full poll results at Rasmussen Reports.