Rasmussen's first look at the Missouri Senate race finds a dead heat in what will be one of 2010's marquee contests.

General Election Matchup
Blunt (R) 46
Carnahan (D) 46
Not Sure 5

Rep. Roy Blunt is viewed more favorably than Robin Carnahan, Missouri's secretary of state -- 57% to 52%. Carnahan's unfavorables are also higher, 44% to 33%.

In Missouri, a 2008 battleground that went narrowly for John McCain, President Obama's approval rating is 44 percent, with 56 percent disapproving. Thirty-eight percent favor his health care proposal, while 59 percent are opposed. Despite Obama's repeated arguments to the contrary, 57 percent say health care costs will rise if passed, 72 percent say it will add to the deficit, and 64 percent say it's very likely that taxes will raise as a result of the plan.

The survey of 500 likely voters was conducted on September 21, and had a margin of error of +/- 4.5 percent.

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