Hours after U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) cast the 60th and decisive vote to move forward with the Obama-Reid government takeover of health care, new polling data from Rasmussen finds a whopping 64 percent of North Dakotans oppose the unpopular legislation.

This number is consistent with previous surveys, as a November poll from Zogby found 62 percent of Dorgan’s constituents against the bill.

Today’s survey from Rasmussen notes that the unpopular health care bill could prove perilous for Dorgan’s 2010 re-election bid, writing “part of the challenge for Dorgan is the health care legislation working its way through Congress. Dorgan, along with every Democrat in the Senate, has voted to move the legislation forward and is expected to vote for final approval of the reform later this week.”

In a hypothetical head-to-head match-up, Dorgan trails his popular home state Governor John Hoeven (R-ND) by a whopping 22 points (58-36 percent).

“While Byron Dorgan continues to loyally support the Obama-Reid health care bill that he helped craft as a member of the Senate Democrat Leadership, today’s polling data indicates his constituents at home are disappointed with his decision to put the priorities of party leaders in Washington over the values of North Dakota,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Colin Reed.

“After nearly three decades inside the Beltway, Byron Dorgan has become a loyal rubberstamp for his liberal party leaders in Washington. Unfortunately for Beltway Byron, his fate will be decided by the voters of North Dakota – not Harry Reid or Barack Obama – in 2010,” Reed continued. “It’s long past time the people of North Dakota had a voice in Washington who represents their best interests, and next year they will have an opportunity to make their voices heard at the ballot box.”