More than half of Nevadans are unhappy with Sen. Harry Reid, according to a new poll commissioned by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. It's the worst "unfavorable" rating he's received in the newspaper's surveys for this year's election, and it comes amid quiet speculation -- or perhaps wishful thinking by his opponents -- that it's time for the Nevada Democrat to retire rather than lose re-election.
In response, Reid told the Review-Journal Friday he wouldn't consider stepping aside as did Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut, whose announcement this week prompted rumors that the Senate majority leader might think about ending his political career now that he's the most vulnerable incumbent.
The breakdown for Nevada voters:
52 percent have an unfavorable opinion of Harry Reid with 33 percent viewing him favorably and 15 percent unsure.
That unfavorable rating has risen in the last month by 3 points as the December poll showed his unfavorable rating among Nevadans at 49 percent. His favorable rating in that same time frame has dropped by 5 points, the previous number being 38 percent.
Against GOP potential challengers, Reid trails behind Sue Lowden, former Nevada Republican Party chairwoman, by 10 percent with Lowden receiving 50 percent to Reid's 40 percent.
Reid trails Danny Tarkanian, a businessman and former UNLV basketball star, by 8 percent with Tarkanian receiving 49 percent to Reid's 41 percent.
Reid trails Sharron Angle, a former Reno assemblywoman, with Angle receiving 45 percent to Reid's 40 percent.
Interesting note they make about Angle is that 42 percent of Nevada boters do not know her, and 100 percent of Nevadans know the name Harry Reid.
In each of the three Reid-GOP matchups polled, for example, the senator would get only about one-quarter of the independent vote, according to the latest Mason-Dixon poll. The three potential Republican opponents would get more than half the independent voters' support if the race against Reid were held today: Lowden (59 percent), Tarkanian (56 percent) and Angle (53 percent).
I am glad Reid isn't retiring and giving up, it will be a good public showing for the people to boot him out and show the Democratic leaders exactly what they have wrought with their antics in Washington over the last year.
December 21, 2009, Rasmussen showed that among U.S. voters, Reid is viewed unfavorably by 54 percent, video can be found here.
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