Shortly after winning the Democratic primary in June, Jean Hay Bright noted on her campaign web site that, judging by a Rasmussen Reports election poll, support for Republican Senator Olympia Snowe was "already three points down from the last election." In other words, in mid-June Snowe could attract support from only 66% of all likely voters, though she had won office in 2000 with 69% of all actual voters.

Despite that presumably auspicious statistic, Hay Bright has been unable to chip away at the incumbent's advantage. Snowe now leads 68% to 20%; (see crosstabs) last month she led 69% to 22%. In other words, it's been a pretty lopsided and stable race.

Hay Bright has room for advancement, given the third of voters who don't know her well enough to view her favorably or unfavorably. But 30% of Democrats don't know her either. Meanwhile, voters of all parties and persuasions are happy with Snowe (61% of voters in the state view her as politically moderate) and give her high favorable ratings.

When it comes to national security and the war in Iraq, a plurality of Maine voters (47%) trust congressional Democrats more than President Bush. Thirty-eight percent (38%) trust the President more. The Democrats also have an edge with Maine voters when it comes to the economy.

Forty percent (40%) think the U.S. and its allies are winning the war on terror; 28% say the terrorists are winning.

Maine voters don't have lot of enthusiasm about the condition of the economy (an issue that has been weighing down the Governor here), but a plurality of 41% are willing to say it's "fair." Only 5% say it's "excellent"; 27% say "good," 25% say "poor."

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