In his bid for reelection Arizona Senator Jon Kyl (R) now leads real estate developer Jim Pederson (D) 52% to 35%. That's about the same spread that the Rasmussen Reports poll of the Senate race showed a month ago.

Kyl is viewed favorably by 59% of all voters, Pederson by 44%.

Struggling for a foothold, Pederson's campaign has said it will showcase Kyl's disagreement about immigration with another Republican, Senator John McCain. Kyl stresses enforcement and border control, whereas McCain advocates a broader approach that includes a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants ("amnesty").

However, our surveys on the issue show that an enforcement-first (or enforcement-only) policy is more popular with voters than the McCain approach. And Arizona voters generally trust Republicans more than Democrats when it comes to immigration, as well as on other issues we polled about.

Immigration is an especially hot topic in a border state like Arizona. The issue played a role in a much-noticed congressional special election in another border state, California, where Republican candidate Brian Bilbray's public criticism of McCain's approach provoked the Senator to cancel a planned fundraising appearance for him.

Despite the drama, it's unclear how much can be inferred about national trends from Bilbray's victory, given the fact that the district has generally voted Republican. (Meanwhile, in Arizona's
gubernatorial campaign, tough talk about sealing the border has yet to help the Republicans.)

President Bush isn't benefiting from the Republican leanings of the state. Only 46% approve of the overall job he's doing as the nation's chief executive; 52% disapprove; 40% Strongly Disapprove. On specific issues, at least 40% regard his performance as Poor on immigration, Iraq, and energy policy. The President fares a little better with voters when it comes to the economy and national security.

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