If Senator Jim Inhofe finds himself in trouble, the Republican Party should probably just pack it up and head home for the remainder of 2008. But the Oklahoma Senator, seeking his third full term next year, is doing alright, according to a new poll conducted for his opponent. Still, the poll shows even voters in ruby-red Oklahoma are looking for a new direction.

The Benenson Strategy Group poll, conducted 12/8-12 for State Sen. Andrew Rice, surveyed 900 likely voters for a margin of error of +/- 3%, testing both Inhofe and Rice.

General Election Matchup
Inhofe 49
Rice 35

Inhofe 46
Generic Dem 38

Just 48% of Oklahoma voters rate Inhofe's job performance as excellent or good, the poll shows, while 45% say it is fair or poor. And only 27% say the U.S. is headed in the right direction, compared with 58% who say the country is going the wrong way.

Inhofe, first elected to the Senate upon the retirement of Democratic Senator David Boren, is a top Republican on the Armed Services and Environment and Public Works Committees. He has won re-election by solid margins, with 57% in both 1996 and 2002.