Rasmussen Poll: Coburn Over Henry

Rasmussen polled a hypothetical matchup in the U.S. Senate race here in Oklahoma, pitting Sen. Tom Coburn (R) against term-limited Governor Brad Henry (D).

Rasmussen Reports 2010 Oklahoma Senate General Election Poll (link)

Tom Coburn (R) - 52%
Brad Henry (D) - 40%
Some other candidate - 2%
Not sure - 5%

Favorable/Unfavorable

Tom Coburn - 63%/31% (+32%)
Brad Henry - 63%/33% (+30%)

Job Approval (approve/disapprove)

Gov. Brad Henry - 64%/34% (+30%)
Pres. Barack Obama - 38%/62% (-24%)

Poll of 500 Likely Voters, February 24, 2010, with a MoE 4.5%

Henry has ruled out a run for Senate, leaving Oklahoma Democrats without any likely candidate. As of right now, there are no announced opponents for Coburn.

For Brad Henry, the state's most visible and popular Democrat, to fall this short against Coburn speaks to the depths to which the Oklahoma Democrat Party has fallen.

Not only did they lose the state house in 2004 (for the only second time since statehood), and the state senate in 2008 (for the first time in history), but they have fallen below 50% in voter registration for the first time ever. Republicans now make up just over 40% of registered voters, an all-time high. Just 40 years ago, voter registration was slightly over 70% Democrat and around 25% Republican.

Just more evidence that the conservative movement is turning Oklahoma the 'reddest of the red', thanks in part to the work of people like President Ronald Reagan, President Barack Obama, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Senator Harry Reid, all for convincing Democrats that they were actually Republican, and to OKGOP Chairman Gary Jones, for his adept leadership of the Republican Party in Oklahoma.