One of the frustrating things about this cycle is the relative lack of polling data.  The downturn in the economy has seemingly affected news outlets' willingness to commission House race polling, and so we're left without much non-campaign polling data in House races.

So it was nice to get a non-campaign, non-Republican-affiliated poll in California's 11th District.  SurveyUSA shows David Harmer -- who ran a surprisingly strong challenge in the neighboring 10th District last November -- leading incumbent Democrat Jerry McNerney by a 48 percent to 42 percent margin.  Notably, this poll didn't seem to show younger voters leaning heavily toward the Republicans, a result that's at odds with previous polling.  The poll is consistent with an August poll by the Republican-leaning American Action Forum showing Harmer leading 45 percent to 44 percent.

McNerney was first elected in 2006 after environmental groups mounted a multi-million dollar campaign against incumbent Republican Richard Pombo.  His election was seen as something of a fluke, as he wasn't even supposed to win his primary.  In 2008 he was re-elected by a 55 percent to 45 percent margin, which wasn't a terribly convincing number given the tone of the year.  McNerney is in real danger of not being around for the 112th Congress.

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