The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that a poll sponsored by supporters of Nevada Republican party chairwoman Sue Lowden shows that she leads Harry Reid 48 to 42 in a matchup:
Pollster Todd Vitale said the most telling numbers might be the ones related to Reid.
In three Reid-related categories -- image, approval and whether they would vote to re-elect -- respondents gave the senator a thumbs down. Just 39 percent viewed Reid favorably, and 34 percent said they would vote to re-elect him.
"All of those are very, very telling pieces of information," said Vitale, who has been a pollster for 15 years. "I've never seen an incumbent with numbers this bad who hadn't had some scandal."
I don't know anything about Sue Lowden (she hasn't even thrown her hat in the ring yet), but it would seem that if a popular elected Republican doesn't jump in the race, it would make more sense to run a successful businessman (or woman) than someone whose business has been partisan politics. A generic scandal-free Republican should beat Reid.
Update: On second thought, after learning that Lowden is a former Miss New Jersey and Miss America runner-up, it's imperative that she runs. Something about attractive Republican women drives the left bonkers.
Miss New Jersey 1973 and second runner-up in the Miss America pageant, Lowden has what many beauty queens distinctly lack: brains. After touring with Bob Hope and the USO in places like Vietnam and earning a Master's degree from Farleigh Dickinson University, she went on to spend 10 years as a reporter and anchorwoman for KLAS-TV Channel 8. She and her husband Paul for a time owned the Sahara hotel-casino, and over the years, Lowden has been consistently recognized for her work with the Muscular Dystrophy Association. From 1992 to 1996, she served as a Nevada State Senator, and continues to serve as Executive Vice President of Archon Corporation, a gaming company.