Mary Landrieu's fate as the Democratic senator of Louisiana will be decided on Saturday with the runoff U.S. Senate election. Polling data results are favoring her opponent, Rep. Bill Cassidy. R-La. 

Following the midterm elections on Nov. 4, Landrieu has labeled the last "Deep South" Democratic senator. After 18 years as Louisiana's senator, Republican challenger Cassidy has narrowed his odds to win and increase the GOP majority in the U.S. Senate to 54 seats.

The Dec. 6 runoff election is not necessarily new for Landrieu. She faced a runoff election in 2002 and reportedly expected to "widely" lose. Landrieu, however, received last minute momentum. Landrieu is also expected to receive most of the African-American vote if she seeks to improve her chances for victory. Experts have also projected Landrieu must receive 30 percent of the white vote to clinch the win.

Landrieu's campaign efforts have hit hurdles following Nov. 4. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee canceled efforts to continue its funding of Landrieu's campaign. According to the Washington Post, Landrieu said she was "extremely disappointed" with the DSCC's decision. Landrieu also failed to secure 60 votes for the Keystone XL pipeline's passage in the Senate, while Cassidy's equivalent bill passed the House of Representatives. Based on a Rasmussen Reports poll, 70 percent of registered Louisiana voters participating in the survey favored the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline while 15 percent "strongly" opposed the pipeline.

The latest Rasmussen Reports poll showed Cassidy with a double-digit lead against Landrieu. The poll, featuring likely Louisiana voters, had Cassidy with 56 percent to Landrieu's 40 percent. Four percent of voters are undecided. With 89 percent of survey respondents stating they will "definitely" vote in the runoff election, Cassidy's odds to win increased to 57 percent while Landrieu maintained at 40 percent.

"A Cassidy win is not unexpected," noted Rasmussen Reports, adding Landrieu has been "burdened" by Obama and his administration's policies that are viewed as unpopular in Louisiana.

The Rasmussen poll was conducted between Dec. 2 and Dec. 4 with 1,000 adults from Louisiana.

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