Sen. Mary Landrieu’s (D., La.) approval rating fell by more than ten points over the last six months to 47 percent in a poll released Thursday. The Times-Picayune reports:
"Senator Landrieu's job performance has deteriorated since this spring," the poll's press release stated. "If (she) faced re-election in the next few months, her outlook for re-election would be highly unlikely."
In a hypothetical Senate race held today, Landrieu would lead Cassidy by seven points, according to the poll. But the data questioned whether she would be able to clinch the 50 percent necessary to win outright. With Tea Party-endorsed Republican Rob Maness receiving just under 10 percent in the poll, Cassidy could conceivably win in a runoff if he could claim all or most of Maness' support for himself. […]
Landrieu spokesman Adam Sullivan said his camp has always known the race would be close, "but Sen. Landrieu will -- as she has time and time again -- win because the people of Louisiana know that they can count on her leadership to build a prosperous future."
But state Republican Party chair Roger Villere said Landrieu "went nuclear" in the poll, proving voters believe she "is more concerned about President Obama's priorities than those of the people she is supposed to represent."