Two polls from nonpartisan polling outfit Rasmussen Reports show very good news for Republicans in New Mexico.

Rasmussen Reports shows that Republican presidential candidate John McCain is ahead 49 percent to 47 percent over Barack Obama, the Democratic candidate. The Senate race has also closed, though Democrat Tom Udall still leads over Republican Steve Pearce 51 percent to 44 percent.

This is the first time McCain has led in a Rasmussen poll in New Mexico and the closest the Senate race has been in any poll by any pollster.

The polls both have a margin of error of +/- 4 percent, and Rasmussen says the lead by McCain “is not statistically significant.”

The polls were conducted on Sept. 8, after the Republican convention bounce as well as after McCain and Palin were in Albuquerque for a rally on Saturday night before leaving the Duke City on Sunday afternoon.

Oddly enough, Obama still leads McCain in favorability rankings in the poll.

Currently, Obama is viewed favorably by 55% of New Mexico voters, down a point from a month ago. That figure includes 40% with a Very Favorable opinion of Obama.

McCain gets a favorable rating from 52%. That’s down from 56% a month ago, but the number with a Very Favorable opinion of him is up eight percentage points to 30%.

Pearce has closed the gap largely because of independent voters. “Pearce now leads 50% to 38% among those voters,” Rasmussen wrote. “Last month, Udall had a 48% to 39% lead.”