A Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll survey released exclusively to The Hill on Tuesday shows that only 25 percent of American voters view Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell favorably, the lowest of any other congressional leader included in the poll.
The survey also showed that 44 percent of voters had an unfavorable view of McConnell, while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer fared a little better with 30 percent of voters having a favorable view of him. About 35 percent of voters had a favorable view of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy was not included in the survey.
The results of the poll also indicate that their approval ratings are below that of President Donald Trump which stands at 41 percent, similar to that of Vice President Mike Pence whose approval rating is 42 percent, The Hill informs.
According to the co-director of the survey, Mark Penn, the low ratings of all three congressional leaders suggest that the partial government shutdown has taken a political toll on them.
“None of the leaders in Congress have near the favorability of President Trump — McConnell has the lowest national numbers, but Pelosi and Schumer are also facing widespread opposition despite the pulpit and authority they now wield,” Penn said, adding that there’s “no sign anyone in Congress is winning the shutdown.”
Such low numbers come at a time when McConnell prepares for reelection next year, while Democrats who retook control of the House in 2018 are showing bullishness about their chances of recapturing the Senate as well.
It is unclear for now how aggressively Democrats plan to target the majority leader’s seat in 2020, although McConnell’s prospects of reelection are not very high.
“A pack of bloodhounds couldn’t find a voter who likes Senator McConnell. He’s driven America into the longest government shutdown in history, pushed a health care agenda that slashes coverage for pre-existing conditions and he wants to cut Medicare and Social Security so he can give his rich, powerful friends another tax break,” said David Bergstein, a spokesperson for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
He added that McConnell’s vulnerability in 2020 also comes from the fact that he has focused too much on “money and power,” forgetting in the process to work in the interest of the people.
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