Reid Trails All His Top Potential Republican Opponents in Nevada

Sue Lowden, a former state GOP chairwoman who entered politics after a career as as television reporter and anchorwoman, leads Reid 49 percent to 43 percent with 6 percent preferring someone else and 3 percent undecided. (The margin of error for the poll is 4.5 points).

Former University of Nevada basketball star Danny Tarkanian, now a real estate businessman, leads Reid by the same margin as Lowden.

Assemblywoman Sharron Angle, who ran well behind Lowden and Tarkanian in a Mason-Dixon Republican primary poll a few weeks ago, leads Reid 47 percent to 43 percent with 7 percent preferring another candidate and 3 percent undecided.

Reid is seen unfavorably by 57 percent and favorably by 40 percent. About one in five voters say they are not sure how they regard the Republicans, a hint that the results of their match-ups with Reid are more about unhappiness with the four-term incumbent.

One factor driving voter displeasure may be Reid's close association with the health care reform package that he is trying to maneuver through the Senate. Fifty-four percent of voters oppose it while 44 percent favor it and, of those, 49 percent fall in the "strongly" oppose category. Two-thirds believe passage of health care reform legislation will increase the deficit and three-quarters think it is very or somewhat likely to result in a tax increase.