Tom Bevan writes this morning on a Critical Insights poll showing Maine Republican Susan Collins leading by a wide margin in her re-election race against Rep. Tom Allen. The incumbent senator, who many thought among the most vulnerable up for re-election next year, holds a 54%-34% lead over her Democratic rival, virtually identical to the 56%-33% lead she held in a Research 2000 poll two weeks ago.

While Beltway Democrats remain confident that they recruited the best possible candidate to go after Collins, many Republicans, even those skeptical of their own party's chances next year, think their incumbent will breeze to re-election.

Critical Insights, a Maine-based firm, conducts quarterly polls testing various public officials' favorability rating -- Gov. John Baldacci's rating was a net negative, at 44% favorable and 47% unfavorable, for the first time in his five-year tenure -- and issues of import to Mainers. State residents cited taxation as their top concern, as is common for Critical Insight polls, but to a much smaller 18% plurality than last year, when 34% named it as their biggest concern. Unemployment, the economy and health care all came in just under taxation as priority issues for state residents.

The poll also found that 65% of the state's residents agree with the state's tourism motto, "The Way Life Should Be." Perhaps unsurprisingly, those most inclined to agree were those making more than $75,000 a year and people over the age of 55. Those most likely to disagree included the always cranky 18-34 year old demographic.