A new Survey USA poll shows that 48 percent of Minnesotans approve of U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, nosing out the 46 percent who disapprove. SUSA didn't measure up Coleman against others running for his seat this fall.

The 600-adult poll is interesting in the details: for example, even though independents turn thumbs-down on Coleman 52 percent to 37 percent, the GOP senator finishes in the black because 31 percent of self-identified Democrats like what he's doing. If that doesn't explain Coleman's "bipartisan" strategy, nothing does.

The weirdest finding: 22 percent of liberals approve of Coleman's job performance, despite his pro-Bush voting record and role as lead GOP attack dog at the 2004 Democratic convention that nominated John Kerry.

In the same poll, DFL U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar has a 62-32 favorable/unfavorable rating. Will she put some of that popularity on the line if the more controversial Al Franken becomes the DFL nominee?

The survey shows Democrats with a 41 percent to 30 percent lead over the GOP in party identification. The poll is relatively old — taken May 16-18 — with a 4.1 percentage point margin of sampling error. Hat tip to MPR's Polinaut for directing us to it.