Obama's Toxic Rating Isn't Helping Rep. Boyd in North Florida, Panhandle

President Barack Obama's approval ratings in Florida are bad and getting worse.

Today's Sunshine State News Poll out of the 2nd Congressional District shows 59 percent of voters there disapprove of the job Obama is doing. And that's in a district with a Democratic majority.

Granted, the North Florida/Panhandle district is Dixiecrat country, where few Democrats can be confused with D.C. liberals. Still, Obama's numbers have deteriorated since 2008, when John McCain carried the region with 54 percent of the vote.

Today, 35 percent of Democrats in CD 2 give Obama a negative rating and 50 percent of independents do the same. Not surprisingly, 90 percent of Republicans give a thumbs down.

Tellingly, disapproval of Obama extends across all age groups (52 percent negative among 18- to 44-year-olds; 64 percent negative among 45- to 59-year-olds and 59 percent negative among those 60 and older).

With the party's titular head pulling toxic numbers like these, Democratic Rep. Allen Boyd is fighting for his political life this fall. Boyd, who garnered 60 percent or more of the vote in each of the last seven elections, is trailing Republican Steve Southerland 50-38 in today's poll.