Vermont has its hippie reputation (think Ben & Jerry's and "Socialist" Senator Bernie Sanders) and New Hampshire of course touts its libertarian values right on its "Live Free or Die" license plates.

But Mainers have always had a strong independent streak that makes the state a good bellweather for national politics. Thus the old phrase, "As Maine goes, so goes the nation," which has supposedly been circulating among the chattering classes since 1888.

So what does this mean for President Obama's reelection chances?

President Obama's favorability rating among Mainers stands at just 43 percent, which is much lower than the national average of 53 percent. Only 36% of Maine residents have a positive view of how the President is handling the economy and more than half disapprove. This is all according to polling data released this month by Critical Insights, a polling firm based in Portland.

Obama carried Maine in 2008 but his favorability rating in the Pine Tree State is now the lowest it has been during this presidency.

Across all voters, 41 percent would vote for Obama in 2012 and 40 percent would cast a ballot for likely GOP candidate Mitt Romney, according to a Quinnipiac University poll taken between Sept. 27-Oct. 3, 2011.

Maine, along with the rest of America, may be drifting to the right. State Republicans control the Governor's seat, the Senate and the House for the first time since 1964.