Weigel

Meanwhile, Obama is Losing Nevada

One of the states that had the biggest red-to-blue swings in 2008 looks far less hospitable now .

Obama’s approval rating in Nevada is only 45% with 52% of voters disapproving of him. That represents an 11 point negative shift in his net approval since he posted a 50/46 spread on PPP’s first 2011 poll of the state. There are two problems contributing to Obama’s poor numbers. The first is that he is very unpopular with independents, only 33% of whom express favor for the job he’s doing to 65% who disapprove.

[Mitt Romney] leads Obama 46-43, buoyed by a 58-27 advantage with independent voters. He also picks up 13% of Democratic voters while allowing Obama to win just 6% of Republicans. It appears Romney would make a considerably more formidable opponent for Obama in Nevada than McCain did.

Romney is the only Republican who’s led Obama in polling of states he carried last time – first New Hampshire, now here. Of course, Nevada’s also the place where a far less popular politician, Harry Reid, handily won re-election by drawing a terrible Republican opponent. Hint, hint.