Freshman Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.) has work to do within her own party, according to a new poll of voters in her suburban Las Vegas district.

The survey, conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research for the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Nov. 30 through Dec. 2, found that Titus is tied with Republican challenger Joe Heck.

The poll is based on a small sample of 300 people, with a 6-point margin of error.

Titus and Heck, a Henderson physician who switched from the gubernatorial race to the Congressional field in October, each received 40 percent of the vote in the hypothetical matchup, while 20 percent of the electorate remained undecided.

While Heck received the support of 80 percent of GOP voters, Titus garnered the backing of just 68 percent of Democratic voters, with 9 percent supporting Heck and 23 percent undecided.

Titus led Heck among independents, 46 to 37 percent.

Heck faces little-known real estate investor Rob Lauer in the GOP primary. In the new poll, Titus topped Lauer 48 percent to 32 percent, with 20 percent undecided.

Titus is a top Republican target after narrowly upsetting then-Rep. Jon Porter (R) in 2008, thanks in part to a huge surge in Democratic voters, something she may not be able to count on in 2010. Republicans thought they had a top-tier recruit in community banker John Guedry, who declared his candidacy in August only to drop out in late September, citing family issues. Republican officials quickly persuaded Heck, who had been trailing in GOP primary polls of the gubernatorial race, to switch over to the 3rd district contest.