NV governor: Sandoval leads Reid by 22 points

Nevada voters favor Republican Brian Sandoval over Democrat Rory Reid 55 to 33 percent, according to a statewide poll by Rasmussen Reports.

The polling organization reports the race has barely shifted since February and whatever movement has occurred has been in favor of Sandoval.

"In the four surveys prior to that, Reid’s support has remained in the 33% to 35% range. Sandoval earned 45% in February but has captured 53% to 55% of the vote since then," Rasumussen wrote.

Sandoval has a large advantage with the 19 percent of respondents who consider themselves members of the Tea Party -- a loosely organized movement that supports conservative Republicans and puts a high priority on limiting the size and scope of government.

According to Rasmussen, 86 percent of the people in the Tea Party category chose Sandoval, with Reid and Sandoval running near even among the 66 percent of voters who say they are non-members.

That's despite the fact that until he announced his candidacy for governor in September Sandoval, formerly a federal judge, Nevada Attorney General and an Assemblyman from Reno, had made a name for himself as a political moderate.

The Rasmussen survey also looks at how Sandoval and Reid performed with male and female voters, voters who support and oppose the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and voters who support and oppose Arizona's controversial immigration law.