Raleigh, N.C. –  Washington voters give their junior senator, Maria Cantwell, relatively good marks for her job performance, and they favor her over two of her possible 2012 Republican opponents, one of them by double digits.

Cantwell would lead Congressman Dave Reichert, 47-41, and Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, 49-37.  The big difference is among independents, whose numbers are reversed, depending on the GOP nominee.  They favor Reichert over Cantwell, 44-39, but the incumbent over challenger McMorris Rodgers, 44-38.

Independents’ views on how Cantwell is doing in Washington exactly mirror their support for her against Reichert, with 39% approving and 44% disapproving.  But because 83% of the 36%-majority Democrats approve, and only 72% of the 29%-minority Republicans disapprove, her overall figure is 46-38, the 11^th best of the 50 senators PPP has polled so far in 2010.

Comparatively, Cantwell’s prospective opponents are personally less popular.  74% have no opinion of McMorris Rodgers; those who do break 11-15 against her.  Reichert is known to more than half of his state’s voters, yet they still give him the same four-point negative margin as McMorris Rodgers, 25-29.

Despite her very low statewide name recognition, McMorris Rodgers has the Republicans locked up in the hypothetical horse race almost to the same extent Reichert does.  Yet Cantwell bests both in that category, getting 89 or 90% of her party’s vote regardless of the opponent, to McMorris Rodgers’ 79% and Reichert’s 81% of the GOP.

“Dave Reichert could give Maria Cantwell a tough challenge, but if Cantwell is doing this well in the scathing 2010 climate, she should be favored for another term in two years,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling.

PPP surveyed 1,204 Washington voters from July 27^th to August 1^st.  The survey’s margin of error is +/-2.8%.  Other factors, such as refusal to be interviewed and weighting, may introduce additional error that is more difficult to quantify.

If you would like an interview regarding this release, please contact Dean Debnam at (888) 621-6988 or 919-880-4888.

Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.

Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator
Maria Cantwell’s job performance?
Approve…………….. 46%
Disapprove………… 38%
Not Sure……………. 15%

Q2 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Cathy McMorris Rodgers?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 11%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 15%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 74%

Q3 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Dave Reichert?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 25%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 29%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 46%

Q4 If the candidates for Senate in 2012 were
Democrat Maria Cantwell and Republican
Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who would you vote
for?
Maria Cantwell ………………………………………… 49%
Cathy McMorris Rodgers ………………………….. 37%
Undecided………………………………………………. 13%

Q5 If the candidates for Senate in 2012 were
Democrat Maria Cantwell and Republican
Dave Reichert, who would you vote for?
Maria Cantwell ………………………………………… 47%
Dave Reichert …………………………………………. 41%
Undecided………………………………………………. 12%

Q6 Who did you vote for President last year?
John McCain…………………………………………… 41%
Barack Obama………………………………………… 51%
Someone else/Don’t remember …………………. 8%

Q7 Would you describe yourself as a liberal,
moderate, or conservative?
Liberal ……………………………………………………. 24%
Moderate………………………………………………… 41%
Conservative…………………………………………… 35%

Q8 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 51%
Man……………………………………………………….. 49%

Q9 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If you are a
Republican, press 2. If you are an independent
or identify with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 36%
Republican……………………………………………… 29%
Independent/Other……………………………….. 35%

Q10 If you are white, press 1. If other, press 2.
White …………………………………………………….. 91%
Other……………………………………………………… 9%

Q11 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1 now. If
you are 30 to 45, press 2. If you are 46 to 65,
press 3. If older, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 6%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 25%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 45%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 24%