Senator Harry Reid is slightly ahead of Sharon Angle; 48 to 46, with 6% of voters undecided.

Reid is more popular than Angle. 44% of Nevada voters approve of Reid’s work in the Capital, while only 36% of voters have a favorable opinion of his opponent.

Reid is more popular with Democrats than Angle is with Republicans. 80% of Democrats support Reid, in comparison to the 63% of Republicans that support Angle.

Angle’s embrace of Tea Party ideals may be working against the candidate. A fifth of Republicans have an unfavorable opinion of her. 19% think she is too conservative and 23% think she is an extremist. These voters’ opposition to Angle’s alignment with the Tea Party isn’t overcome by a desire to beat Reid. Only 23% of voters who have an unfavorable opinion of the Republican choose Angle over Reid.

“This could be mixed news. Angle’s alignment with the Tea Party may be harmful if all registered voters voted,” Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling said. “However the Tea Party is more energized and excited about voting than anyone else, they are more likely to show up to the polls. In an election this close her alliance with the Tea Party could be the reason she wins.”

PPP surveyed ­­­­­­630 Nevada voters from July 16-18. The survey’s margin of error is +/-3.9%.  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 Barack
Obama’s job performance? If you approve,
press 1. If you disapprove, press 2. If you’re
not sure, press 3.
Approve …………………………………………………. 44%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 52%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 4%

Q2 Do you support or oppose President Obama’s
health care plan, or do you not have an
opinion? If you support it, press 1. If you
oppose it, press 2. If you don’t have an opinion,
press 3.
Support ………………………………………………….. 41%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 52%
No Opinion……………………………………………… 7%

Q3 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator Harry
Reid’s job performance? If you approve, press
1. If you disapprove, press 2. If you’re not
sure, press 3.
Approve …………………………………………………. 44%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 53%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 3%

Q4 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Sharron Angle? If favorable, press 1. If
unfavorable, press 2. If you’re not sure, press
3.
Favorable……………………………………………….. 36%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 52%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 12%

Q5 The candidates for Senate this fall are
Democrat Harry Reid and Republican Sharron
Angle. If the election was today, who would
you vote for? If Harry Reid, press 1. If Sharron
Angle, press 2. If you’re undecided, press 3.
Reid ………………………………………………………. 48%
Angle …………………………………………………….. 46%
Undecided………………………………………………. 6%

Q6 Do you think that Sharron Angle is too liberal,
too conservative, or about right? If too liberal,
press 1. If too conservative, press 2. If about
right, press 3. If you’re not sure, press 4.
Too Liberal……………………………………………… 10%
Too Conservative…………………………………….. 38%
About Right……………………………………………… 38%
Not Sure…………………………………………………… 14%

Q7 Do you consider Sharron Angle’s political
views to be mainstream or extremist? If
mainstream, press 1. If extremist, press 2. If
you’re not sure, press 3.
Mainstream ……….. 39%
Extremist …………… 50%
Not Sure……………. 11%

Q8 Do you think Harry Reid or Sharron Angle
would be a more effective US Senator? If
Harry Reid, press 1. If Sharron Angle, press 2.
If you’re undecided, pres 3.
Reid ………………………………………………………. 48%
Angle …………………………………………………….. 42%
Undecided………………………………………………. 10%

Q9 Whose political beliefs do you think are more
similar to yours: Harry Reid’s or Sharron
Angle’s? If Harry Reid’s, press 1. If Sharron
Angle’s, press 2. If you’re not sure, press 3.
Reid………………….. 46%
Angle………………… 45%
Not Sure……………. 9%

Q10 Who did you vote for President last year? If
John McCain, press 1. If Barack Obama,
press 2. If someone else or you don’t
remember, press 3.
McCain…………………………………………………… 45%
Obama…………………………………………………… 49%
Someone Else/Don’t Remember………………… 5%

Q11 If you are a liberal, press 1. If a moderate,
press 2. If a conservative, press 3.
Liberal ……………………………………………………. 13%
Moderate………………………………………………… 47%
Conservative…………………………………………… 40%

Q12 If you are a woman, press 1, if a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 54%
Man……………………………………………………….. 46%

Q13 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 ……………………………………………….. 41%
Republican……………………………………………… 39%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 20%

Q14 If you are Hispanic, press 1. If white, press 2.
If African American, press 3. If other, press 4.
Hispanic…………………………………………………. 14%
White …………………………………………………….. 73%
African American …………………………………….. 8%
Other……………………………………………………… 5%

Q15 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………………………………………………….. 7%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 18%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 46%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 29%