Mass. Senate: Brown, Markey a dead heat

A potential Massachusetts Senate race between Republican Scott Brown and Democrat Ed Markey is a virtual tie. That’s the result of a Public Policy Polling survey that shows Brown with 48 percent and Markey with 45 percent.

The poll also showed Markey, of Malden,  as a big favorite over primary challenger Stephen Lynch, of Boston, by a 52-19 margin.

The special election slated for June is to fill the seat vacated by John Kerry, who has been confirmed as President Obama’s new secretary of state.

One roadblock for Brown, besides the traditional Democratic tilt of Massachusetts in national races: 69 percent of the undecided voter sample cast ballots fore Democrat Elizabeth Warren, who defeated Brown last November.

Another interesting finding is that Republican voters, by a 48 to 38 percent margin, prefer that Brown wair until 2014 and run for governor instead of  waging a campaign for senator.