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 Braley and Ernst have been locked in a tight race that has seen an
influx of outside money and appearances from prominent national
figures on both sides of the aisle.
Republicans, who need to pick up six seats to take control of the
Senate from Democrats, see the seat being vacated by retiring
Democratic Senator Tom Harkin as one they could move to their
column.
Ernst, a Tea Party-backed Iraq war veteran who grew up on a farm,
has a slight edge over Braley, an attorney and an eight-year veteran
of the U.S. Congress in favorability ratings, the poll showed. Ernst
has 50 percent favorability and unfavorability ratings, compared to
Braley's 48 percent favorability and 52 percent unfavorability.
"There's not a lot of elections where I say it's genuinely too close
to call, but because of the lack of incumbency and because of the
closeness of the polls, I genuinely find it too close to call," said
Ipsos pollster Julia Clark.
 More than one-third of respondents said they had already voted,
taking advantage of early voting provisions ahead of Election Day on
Nov. 4. The Braley-Ernst race is one of about 10 Senate races around
the country that polls are showing as closely matched.
Overall, Iowa voters seem happy with the current state of affairs:
Iowa governor Terry Branstad leads his challenger, Democrat Jack
Hatch, by a 57 percent to 34 percent margin.
And more than 60 percent of voters said Iowa is headed in the right
direction, compared to just 28 percent who believe the country as a
whole is moving in the right direction.
Voters in the state have a dim view of President Barack Obama,
broadly reflecting a wider national picture: just 41 percent of
Iowans approve of his handling of his job, compared to 58 percent
who disapprove.
ROMNEY, CLINTON LEAD 2016 FIELDS
As happens at this stage in every presidential election cycle,
likely 2016 White House aspirants have already descended in droves
upon Iowa, which holds the first-in-the-nation caucus in
presidential election years.
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Unsuccessful 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney is the most popular
choice for 2016 among Iowa Republicans and independents, with 17
percent support, even though he says he does not plan to run again.
He is closely followed by his former vice-presidential nominee,
Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, at 13 percent, and New Jersey governor
Chris Christie, with 12 percent.
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and former Florida governor Jeb Bush
each got 10 percent, and five other Republicans got at least 5
percent, reflecting the likely fractured nature of the Republican
primary season.
On the Democratic side, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton
remains the prohibitive favorite, garnering 60 percent of support
from Democrats and independents, compared to 17 percent for her
closest potential challenger, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
Clinton says she will decide whether or not to run in early 2015.
Vice President Joe Biden was next, with just 4 percent of the vote.
The online poll of 1,129 likely voters in Iowa, conducted between
October 23 and 29, had a confidence interval - similar to a margin
of error - of 3.3 points.
(Reporting by Gabriel Debenedetti; Editing by Frances Kerry)
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