Forty-seven percent of Democrats say Barack Obama should face a primary challenge in 2012. Additionally, a majority of Americans in general say Obama deserves to be defeated in the next presidential election.

The AP-KN poll has tracked a group of people and their views since the beginning of the 2008 presidential campaign. Among all 2008 voters, 51 percent say he deserves to be defeated in November 2012 while 47 percent support his re-election – essentially a tie.

Among Democrats, 47 percent say Obama should be challenged for the 2012 nomination and 51 percent say he should not be opposed. Those favoring a contest include most who backed Hillary Rodham Clinton’s unsuccessful faceoff against Obama for the 2008 nomination. The poll did not ask if Democrats would support particular challengers.

Of course, the next presidential election is two years away. So there’s plenty of time for these numbers to change. But obviously having about half of your own party wanting the chance to replace you isn’t the best news a president can get.