Steve Southerland Leads Gwen Graham in Internal Poll

U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Fla., is facing a serious challenge from Democrat Gwen Graham in November but his campaign released an internal poll on Monday showing the Republican with the lead.

Southerlands team unveiled a poll of likely voters from National Research showing Southerland taking 45 percent and Graham garnering 39 percent. Despite the sample containing 50 percent Democrats, 34 percent Republicans and 16 percent of voters from outside the two major parties, the poll shows North Florida voters are not happy with President Barack Obama and his signature health-care law. A majority of those surveyed -- 53 percent -- disapprove of Obama while 42 percent approve of him. The health care law gets the support of only 39 percent of those surveyed while 52 percent oppose it. In recent days, Southerlands campaign and its allies have pummeled Graham, trying to link her to Obamas health-care law.

The poll of 400 likely voters was taken from Oct. 1-2 and had a margin of error of +/- 4.9 percent.