Poll Finds Continuing Signs of Trouble for Reid Re-Election Bid

Former University of Nevada basketball star Danny Tarkanian, now a real estate businessman, leads Reid 48 percent to 42 percent with 10 percent undecided. Tarkanian polls higher among fellow Republicans than Reid does among Democrats, and leads Reid among independents by 50 percent to 37 percent with 13 percent undecided.

Sue Lowden, a former state GOP chairwoman who entered politics after a career as as television reporter and anchorwoman, leads Reid 51 percent to 41 percent with 8 percent undecided. She, too, does better among her fellow Republicans than Reid does among Democrats, and like Tarkanian, leads Reid among independents by 53 percent to 36 percent with 11 percent undecided.

Lowden and Tarkanian were the top choices of Nevada Republicans in a primary face-off, with Lowden polling 25 percent and Tarkanian 24 percent. The only other candidate in the field of nine to reach double-digits was Assemblywoman Sharron Angle at 13 percent.

Forty-nine percent of Nevadans see Reid unfavorably compared to 38 percent who regard him favorably and 13 percent who expressed no opinion. His favorable number was the same as it was in October and 1 point higher than in August.

It's hard to read much into the favorability numbers for the Republicans since 24 percent didn't recognize Lowden and another 30 percent expressed no opinion, while 19 percent didn't recognize Tarkanian and 37 percent expressed no opinion. That suggests there more be an anybody-but-Reid sentiment at work more than a preference for a Republican.