National Democratic strategists are eyeing Alaska as a state ripe for a major pickup in 2008 — and a new poll of the state's voters suggests that Dems have some reason to be optimistic about making a big gain there.

National Dems have been working overtime to recruit Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich to run for Congress in 2008 — either against powerhouse Senator Ted Stevens or against Representative Don Young. While snatching Stevens' Senate seat obviously would be a bigger coup, knocking off Young would be a more than decent prize, too.

Now a new poll suggests that both GOP targets may be a good deal more vulnerable than initially thought.

Details after the jump.

The new survey, from the Alaska firm Hays Research, finds that Stevens, who at nearly 40 years of Senate service is a veritable state institution, has slipped below the 50% approval rating mark into the danger zone. He has a 46%-36% approval, lowered in large part because of an ethics investigation against himself plus another targeting his son Ben, a state Senator.

Young, for his part, is not faring much better. Young has a statistically even rating, at 40% positive to 41% negative.

Meanwhile, the poll finds that Begich has an overall positive rating of 47% statewide, compared to only 18% overall negative — promising numbers for a potential challenger.

Another reason for optimism about Begich: While Alaska is a heavily Republican state, the Anchorage Mayoralty makes a good launching pad for a Democrat, as the city's total metro area contains over half the state's population.

Begich's candidacy would undoubtedly be helped by his deep roots in the state — and by Alaskans' memories of his father. Begich is the son of the late Congressman Nick Begich, who served for one term before his death in a 1972 plane crash.