Reid continues to trail his potential Republican opponents by double-digit margins, according to the Research 2000 poll. But Reid could peel off 20 percent of support from Republicans Danny Tarkanian or Sue Lowden if he won passage of the public option.

“It looks like there is a path to salvation for him if he not only fights for, but wins, the public option,” said Adam Green of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, which commissioned the poll with Credo Action and Democracy for America.