Poll: Mitch McConnell Favorability Under Water at 18%

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) favorability is under water, a Politico/Morning Consult survey reveals.

The survey, taken February 12-15, among 1,987 registered voters, asked respondents to rate a number of prominent politicians, including the minority leader.

A majority have an unfavorable view of McConnell, 64 percent, compared to 18 percent who expressed a favorable view. His unfavorability rating is higher than House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA). Fifty-three percent gave the 80-year-old speaker an unfavorable rating compared to 37 percent who expressed favorable views. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) also fares better than McConnell, seeing 31 percent favorability and 42 unfavorability.

The survey’s margin of error is +/- 2 percent.

McConnell has remained at odds with both Trump and the base of his party following the presidential election and the legislative battles that followed, particularly over his resistance to offer $2,000 checks to the American people in the last coronavirus relief package.

McConnell has consistently walked the line in the days following Trump’s election loss, offering measured statements as he tries to navigate balancing the demands of establishment Republicans — many of whom seek to return to business as usual —  with those of the GOP base, which is comprised of millions of Republicans who continue to fiercely support former President Trump and his America First agenda.

While the Kentucky lawmaker voted to acquit former President Trump in the Democrats’ second, failed attempt to convict the former president, he delivered an inflammatory speech on Saturday, telling colleagues that there is “no question —  none — that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking” the events that occurred on January 6.

Trump, McConnell said, “cannot spend weeks thundering that shadowy forces are stealing our country and then feign surprise when people believe him and do reckless things.”

“He did not do his job. He didn’t take steps so federal law could be faithfully executed and order restored,” he added, asserting that the January 6 mob “had been fed wild falsehoods by the most powerful man on earth.”

“Because he was angry he lost an election. Former President Trump’s actions preceding the riot were a disgraceful dereliction of duty,” he continued.

“There is no question, none that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of that day. No question about it,” McConnell added.

His remarks drew ire from Trump’s allies, many of whom warned the party will not score victories without the former president.

“[M]itch McConnell was indispensable for President Trump in getting the judges on the court, getting a major tax cut through a very narrow Senate majority,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said during a Tuesday appearance on Hannity, offering a warning to the minority leader.

“But what I would say to Senator McConnell: I know that Trump can be a handful, but he is the most dominant figure in the Republican Party,” he said. “We don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of taking the majority without Donald Trump.”

Trump finally responded to McConnell this week, blasting him as “a dour, sullen, and unsmiling political hack.”

“The Republican Party can never again be respected or strong with political ‘leaders’ like Sen. Mitch McConnell at its helm,” he said, highlighting the concerns of millions of his supporters as McConnell attempts to return to “business as usual.”

“McConnell’s dedication to business as usual, status quo policies, together with his lack of political insight, wisdom, skill, and personality, has rapidly driven him from Majority Leader to Minority Leader, and it will only get worse,” he warned.

A YouGov/Economist poll affirmed Trump’s position as an unignorable force in the GOP, as Breitbart News reported:

Trump was +75 in the YouGov/Economist poll taken February 6-9, which found his favorability rating was 87 percent among GOP members, while just 12 percent viewed the 45th president unfavorably.

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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, arguably the most powerful Republican today, was viewed very unfavorably by GOP members.

The poll found just 36 percent of respondents said they viewed McConnell favorably, while 51 percent said they did not, giving him a -15 rating.

Similarly, a Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy survey released last week showed a majority of Kentuckians, 53 percent, disapproving of McConnell’s job performance.