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Harry Reid Trailing Potential 2010 Challengers

(AP)
Senate Majority Leader Leady Harry Reid could be in trouble in his 2010 reelection bid: A new Mason-Dixon poll finds that the Nevada senator is now trailing two possible Republican challengers as he seeks a fifth six-year term.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that the survey finds that Reid trails real estate developer Danny Tarkanian 48 percent to 43 percent in a hypothetical matchup. He fares even worse against former GOP party official Sue Lowden, who leads Reid 49 percent to 39 percent.

The poll finds that Reid's favorable rating stands at just 38 percent, while 50 percent of the state's voters have an unfavorable view.

Reid is trying to avoid the fate of former South Dakota Sen. Tom Daschle. In 2004, Daschle had been the Democratic leader in the Senate but narrowly lost his seat to John Thune.

Reid's powerful position means he should be able to raise a significant amount of money and potentially attract big-name endorsements for his reelection bid. But national Republicans see Reid as a target whose defeat would signal a dramatic GOP rebound following Democratic dominance in recent elections.

"Senator Reid has never put much stock in polls," Reid campaign manager Brandon Hall told the newspaper. "…As the election draws closer and voters are presented with a choice between moving our economy forward and the status quo, we are confident that Senator Reid's vision of moving forward will prevail."

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