First-term Republican Sen. Richard M. Burr scores under 50 percent in match-ups against potential Democratic challengers in 2010, but he still leads both by double-digit margins, according to a Public Policy Polling survey conducted Feb. 13-15.

Burr leads Jim Neal, who ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination against Kay Hagan in 2008, by 44 percent to 30 percent with 26 percent undecided and former State Senator Cal Cunningham by 46 percent to 27 percent with 27 percent undecided. Burr’s favorable to unfavorable ratio is 41 percent to 34 percent with 24 percent unsure. But the extent to which Neal and Cunningham have name recognition problems is underlined by the fact that 59 percent of voters are unsure about Neal and 67 percent about Cunningham.

PPP’s Dean Debnam says that “although neither Cal Cunningham nor Jim Neal is likely to be on of the stronger candidates the Democrats could put up against Richard Burr, this poll continues to not be particularly good news for him. The fact that he’s polling under 50 percent against possible opponents who are basically unknown quantities does not bode well” if a better known figure like Attorney General Roy Cooper gets in the race. Cooper was the top statewide Democratic vote-getter in 2008.