Minnesota has a distinction in this presidential cycle, with two different candidates likely in the race for the Republican nomination. But as a new survey from Public Policy Polling (D) suggests, both former Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Rep. Michele Bachmann would probably lose their home state to President Obama were they the GOP nominee.

Obama leads Pawlenty by a solid 51%-43%, and leads Bachmann by a landslide margin of 56%-35%. Obama's approval rating in the state is 51%, with a disapproval of 44%. By comparison, Pawlenty's personal favorable rating is only 40%, with a 53% unfavorable rating, and Bachmann's personal rating is at 33%-59%.

Obama leads all the other Republicans who were tested, as well: 54%-36% against Newt Gingrich, 56%-36% against Sarah Palin, 51%-36% against Mitt Romney, and 51%-30% against Herman Cain.

I know presidential polls don't mean a lot at this stage of the game, but this one is too good to pass up.

Talking Points Memo

Raleigh, N.C. – PPP's newest poll of the Presidential race in Minnesota actually finds Barack Obama expanding his lead to 10 points over Mitt Romney at 53-43. Our last poll there in mid-September had found Obama's advantage to be 7 points at 51-44. A majority of the interviews for this poll were conducted Saturday and Sunday.

There's an overwhelming sense in Minnesota as elsewhere that Romney won last week's debate. 64% think he was the victor to only 19% who say Obama. But unlike in other places it hasn't led to a big improvement in Romney's image. Just 42% of voters have a favorable opinion of him to 53% with a negative one. That's actually slightly worse than a month ago when he was at 43/51.

Obama has a solid 53/45 approval rating. Voters trust him more than Romney both on the economy (50/44) and on foreign policy (54/41). Obama has a 49/41 lead with independents, has the advantage with both women (56/41) and men (50/45), and has at least a small lead within all four age groups.

“Mitt Romney’s received a bounce nationally after his debate victory last week but not in Minnesota,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “Barack Obama continues to lead by a healthy margin there.”