More Oregonians disapprove of Republican U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith’s job performance than approve of it, a new poll finds.

The SurveyUSA poll asked 600 adults: “Do you approve or disapprove of the job Gordon Smith is doing as United States Senator?” Forty-five percent approved, 47 percent disapproved and eight percent were not sure.

Smith is running against state House Speaker Jeff Merkley in one of the nation's most competitive senate races.

Oregon's Democratic senator, Ron Wyden, fared a little bit better. Sixty-one percent of respondents approved, 29 percent disapproved and nine percent were not sure. Wyden is up for reelection in 2010.

The polls, taken by SurveyUSA and sponsored by KATU-TV Portland, surveyed 600 Oregonian adults. The Smith poll had a margin of error of +/-4.1 percent, and the Wyden poll had a margin of error of +/- 4 percent.