" Nevada Senate: Reid Runs Second To Four GOP Opponents
Friday, February 05, 2010
Harry Reid may soon have one more Republican opponent in Nevada’s race for the U.S. Senate, and his numbers remain in troublesome territory for an incumbent. Reid, like a number of Democratic Senate incumbents, appears to be suffering from voter unhappiness over the national health care plan and the continuing bad state of the economy.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of likely voters in the state finds Reid earning 39% to 41% of the vote against any of four GOP challengers. Still, that’s an improvement from last month when he picked up just 36% against his top two opponents. But Reid had 43% support against those two Republicans in December.
His Republican opponents, meanwhile, are not doing as well this month, down slightly from the 50% high they’ve hit in the previous surveys. This continues to suggest that the race is still about Reid and not about them.
Any incumbent who is earning less than 50% at this juncture is considered vulnerable. Reid, who is seeking a fifth term, received 61% of the final vote in 2004.
Businessman Danny Tarkanian now leads Reid 47% to 39%. Sue Lowden, ex-chairman of the Nevada Republican Party, holds a 45% to 39% lead on the Senate majority leader, while former Assemblywoman Sharron Angle earns 44% of the vote to Reid’s 40%.
Nevada Lieutenant Governor Brian Krolicki, another Republican who is now reportedly considering entering the race, barely edges Reid 44% to 41%. A judge in December dismissed an indictment against Krolicki alleging that he mishandled money while serving as state treasurer. Krolicki charged that the indictment was politically motivated.
In all four matchups, those who prefer another candidate or are undecided are in single digits.
Male voters prefer the Republicans by double-digit margins in all four potential contests, while female voters trend slightly toward Reid. Voters not affiliated with either party break strongly toward the Republicans, particularly when Tarkanian is the choice.
Nevada Republicans will pick their Senate candidate in a June 8 primary. (Emphasis added)