Click image for enlargement. Graphic by Mike Johnson.

CARSON CITY -- Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto has surged to a 10 percentage point lead over Republican Don Chairez in the race for attorney general, according to a poll commissioned by the Review-Journal.

Races for three other state constitutional seats are tighter affairs, with the secretary of state and controller races a toss-up.

Cortez Masto drew 40 percent of the vote, compared with 30 percent for Chairez in the first-ever statewide race featuring candidates of Hispanic ancestry. Another 22 percent said they were undecided, while 4 percent favor the none of these candidates option. Four percent said they supported Independent American Chris Johnson, who died in August and will not be on the Nov. 7 ballot.

In the race for secretary of state, Democrat Ross Miller drew 39 percent, compared with 38 percent for Republican Danny Tarkanian.

And Republican Mark DeStefano and Democrat Kate Marshall each drew 35 percent in the race for state treasurer. In the state controller's race, Republican Steve Martin holds a 36 percent to 30 percent lead over Democrat Kim Wallin.

"Anything can happen in those races," said Brad Coker, managing partner for Mason-Dixon Polling & Research of Washington, D.C. "The undecided vote is big. The Miller and Tarkanian race is fascinating. It's neck-and-neck between two big names."

On behalf of the Review-Journal, reviewjournal.com and KVBC-TV, Channel 3, 625 registered voters across Nevada were polled Oct. 26 through Monday. The margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.

In a previous Review-Journal poll conducted in mid-September by the same polling firm, Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, Chairez held a 3 percentage point lead over Cortez Masto.

A Reno Gazette-Journal poll, conducted four days before Coker's poll, found Chairez leading Cortez Masto by 5 percentage points. Coker dismissed that poll's results, noting his past record of correctly calling races in Nevada.

Even Chairez was not surprised by Cortez Masto's lead in the Review-Journal poll, noting she has raised nearly $1.5 million in contributions compared to his $172,000.

"Our opponent has outspent us 10-to-1," Chairez said. "I am not surprised she would be ahead at this time. Money always beats the lack of money. We haven't said a single negative thing about our opponent."

He added it has been difficult to collect contributions because major companies "are afraid to give you money" when the other candidate has a sizeable lead.

While pleased with the poll results, Cortez Masto said she will continue to campaign vigorously through Election Day.

"I am not taking anything for granted," Cortez Masto said. "I have gotten out and talked with people. I also listened and learned. I will continue to work hard."

Cortez Masto added she has the support of business, labor and law enforcement leaders.

Tarkanian and Miller said the poll results are not surprising.

"Both my opponent and I have said it will go down to the wire," Tarkanian said. "I feel very good about my position."

"We knew it would be a close race," Miller added. "We need to keep working through Election Day."

Miller has raised $783,000 in campaign contributions, compared with $686,000 for Tarkanian.

DeStefano said his race with Marshall may end up in a photo finish.

"If I win by 1,000 or 2,000 votes it will be because I met thousands of people," he said. "Certainly I have outspent her (Marshall), but what really matters is hard work. I have been running since December 2004."

DeStefano had raised nearly $1.1 million compared with the $355,000 raised by Marshall through Oct. 26. DeStefano said he matched every dollar he raised with a dollar of his own money.

"I feel energized by the poll," Marshall said. "We are getting our message out. In the primary my opponent outspent me 2-to-1 and I beat him 3-to-1. History has been good to me."

Martin expressed confidence he will beat Wallin because he expects Republicans to come out and vote in larger numbers than Democrats.

"Things are working out for us," said Martin, appointed state controller in July following the death of Controller Kathy Augustine.

Martin does not think the scandalous allegations brought against Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Gibbons will hurt the rest of the Republican ticket.

"I am hearing from people that they are getting tired of it," Martin said.

Wallin said her own polls show her with an 8 percentage point lead over Martin.

"At this point I don't want to believe the polls. They are all over the place. It makes no sense."

Martin and Wallin both had raised $141,000 in contributions through Oct. 26, according to reports submitted to the secretary of state.