With a top tier challenger in Democratic Congressman Tom Allen, some considered Maine Senator Susan Collins to be vulnerable this year. And though the race may be close in the end, the early polling shows Senator Collins maintaining a solid twenty-point lead.

A new poll from the Maine polling firm Critical Insights (Oct 12-30, 408 LV, MoE +/- 5.0%) shows Collins leading Allen 54-34 with 12% undecided. This is almost identical to the 56-33 lead Collins sported over Allen in a Research 2000 poll conducted during the same period.

The Critical Insights poll also showed that nine out ten voters are unable to name any of the Congressional candidates running to replace Allen in Maine's 1st District, and also that Governor John Baldacci's job rating has slide into negative territory for the first time, with 47% disapproving of how he's handling his job as Governor versus only 44% approving.