Ron Paul Competitive vs Obama

Ron Paul is seen as a long-shot to win the Republican nomination, but could he beat Obama in 2012? A recent Rasmussen poll suggests that he could.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2012/election_2012_presidential_election/obama_41_ron_paul_37

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters shows Paul picking up 37% of the vote, while the president earns 41%. The Texas congressman joins Mitt Romney, Michelle Bachmann, and Rick Perry as candidates within hailing distance of the president at this time.

Against Dr. Paul, Obama earns a lower percentage of the vote than he does against any other candidate. And Paul earns roughly the same percentage of the vote as do Perry, Christie, Bachmann, and Palin.

So, Dr. Paul may be a long shot for the Republican nomination, but he is competitive in the general election.