Voter support for Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has slumped, according to a poll published hours after he named a date for the federal election.
Mr Rudd claimed underdog status on Sunday as he announced Australians would go to the polls on September 7 and according to the latest Newspoll, he could be right.
The poll, conducted this weekend and published in part by News Limited late on Sunday, shows that although Mr Rudd is still more popular than Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, his support as preferred prime minister is at its lowest.
Voter satisfaction with Mr Rudd dropped four percentage points in the past two weeks from 42 per cent to 38 per cent and dissatisfaction jumped six points from 41 per cent to 47 per cent.
The survey found voter support for Labor had fallen one percentage point in the last fortnight to 37 per cent, compared to the coalition's 44 per cent.
On a two-party preferred basis, the coalition has kept its lead of 52 per cent to Labor's 48 per cent.
Support for the Greens is down one point to nine per cent, compared to 11.8 per cent at the last election.
