In a difficult year for Republicans, Alaska Senator Ted Stevens is providing GOP leaders with yet another headache.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds that Stevens is essentially even with Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich. Stevens currently attracts 46% of the vote while Begich earns 45%. Four percent (4%) say they’d vote for a third party option while 5% are not sure.

Any incumbent who polls below 50% is considered potentially vulnerable and that label certainly applies to Stevens.

Normally, a long-serving incumbent can count on unified support from his own party while picking up some support from the opposing party. However, Stevens is supported by just 71% of GOP voters while Begich attracts 78% of Democrats. Begich leads by 22 percentage points among unaffiliated voters.

Stevens is viewed favorably by 50% of the state’s voters while 47% have an unfavorable opinion. Begich earns favorable reviews from 56% while just 35% have an unfavorable opinion.

Among unaffiliated voters, Begich is viewed favorably by 66%, Stevens by 42%.

Officially, Begich is touring the state to explore the possibility of the longest-serving Republican ever in the U.S. Senate. Begich was six-years old when Stevens was first elected to his current job in 1968.

Six years ago, Stevens won re-election with 78% of the vote. Since then, however, he has been caught up in a federal corruption investigation. FBI agents served a search warrant on Stevens' Girdwood home. Two years ago, the state’s Junior Senator Lisa Murkowski narrowly held on to her seat and won with less than 50% of the vote.

While Stevens may face a challenging road to re-election and is clearly vulnerable, he will get some help from the state’s political gravity which heavily favors Republicans. Additionally, Stevens may be helped by the Republican Governor Sarah Palin who continues to earn rave reviews—73% of the state’s voters say she is doing a good or an excellent job. Just 7% say she is doing a poor job.

Several other Republican seats are at risk in 2008 including New Hampshire, New Mexico, Virginia and Colorado.

Nationally, John McCain is competitive with both potential Democratic opponents in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll.

Rasmussen Markets data immediately prior to release of this poll showed the Alaska Senate race to be a pure toss-up. Current prices show the GOP with a % chance to retain the seat and the Democrats with a % chance to pick up a seat in Alaska. Data in this paragraph is from a prediction market, not a poll. We invite you to participate in the Rasmussen Markets, it costs nothing to join.

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