BOSTON (AP) — A new poll has good news for former Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown if he decides to run for governor.

The UMass Lowell-Boston Herald poll found nearly 59 percent of Massachusetts voters say they are very or somewhat likely to vote for Brown in next year’s gubernatorial contest next year.

Brown, who lost his re-election bid last year, opted out of this year’s special U.S. Senate election, but hasn’t said what his political plans are for the future.

The poll also found nearly 48 percent of voters strongly or somewhat support Gov. Deval Patrick’s tax plan compared with nearly 46 percent who strongly or somewhat oppose the plan.

That’s within the polls’ margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. About 6 percent were unsure.

The telephone poll of 600 Massachusetts voters took place from March 2-5.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.