Hamline University political analyst David Schultz says the race for governor is probably closer than the latest Minnesota Poll suggests because a higher percentage of respondents than usual were from the metro area. But Schultz says even so, Republican Jeff Johnson probably needs to close the gap with Democratic rival Tim Walz in the next three to four weeks at most

Schultz says national money might go to other close races, such as those in neighboring Wisconsin.
The poll shows Walz with a nine-point lead over Johnson at 45 to 36 percent, with about one-in-six voters still undecided. Walz holds his biggest leads in the central metro area and on his home turf in southern Minnesota. Johnson leads Walz in the Twin Cities suburbs and northern Minnesota