New Senate Approval ratings - Bernie soars to 87%, Kirk vulnerable at 35%

[Shadows]

Based on interviews with almost 72,000 registered voters since May, Morning Consult crunched how constituents feel about their home-state senators (see more on methodology here). Sanders maintains his spot at the top of the list for most popular senator, a distinction that appears long lasting. He was at 83 percent approval last year, and no other senator had a higher rating.

Bernie Sanders soars to a 87% approve opinion which is a big thing in a divisive election year. He is at net +75.

Susan Collins (R-Maine) is at 69% & No.2 with net +48%

John Thune (R-SD) is at 68% & No.3 with net +51%.


Mark Kirk is at 35% with net -3% in Illinois.
 
Mitch McConnell is at 38% with net -12%.

Other notable Candidates -

Chuck Schumer - 64% Approve, Net +41%
Jess Sessions - 55%, Net +27%
Marco Rubio - 46%, Net +5%
Rand Paul - 48%, Net +13%
Elizabeth Warren - 57%, Net +24%
Harry Reid - 44%, Net +1%
Jeff Merkley - 59%, Net +39%
Lindsey Graham - 45%, Net +5%
Ted Cruz - 52%, Net +23%
Tim Kaine - 46%, Net +28%

Dissapointed that Kelly Ayotte is at 58% with a +26% favorability. That is very strong. She will likely run several points better than Trump. If Trump is anywhere between 5-6% off Clinton in NH, Ayotte will definitely win.

Kirk looks vulnerable in Illinois. PA, OH, NH, IL has to be a target for the senate with Rubio looking strong vs Murphy!

https://morningconsult.com/senator-approval-rankings-september-2016/

[Kingpoleon]

Durbin's approval rating is only +3, while Kirk's approval is only -3. Considering that and the fact that this is Morning Consult, I wouldn't put too much stock in this poll.

[DavidB.]

Ron Johnson's approvals are also remarkably good at 45-33.

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

There definitely seems to be a trend where small state senators are more popular with their constituents than ones from larger states, presumably because their constituents know them better.

(That, and Flawless Beautiful Bernie being flawless and beautiful.)

It would be nice to see Tester and Heitkamp's approval numbers.  Maybe they're not so doomed after all.

EDIT: 61% for Tester and 57% for Heitkamp.  Wow.

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

Come to think of it, I wonder where Bernie sits with VT Republicans.

[Shadows]

Come to think of it, I wonder where Bernie sits with VT Republicans.

25% of the GOP vote in his last Senate. 2018, he will do way better. 87% means Republicans in VT like him.

I am not sure about the small state theory. Chuck Schumer is very popular in his state & I could go on if you look at the list big state senators are many times very VERY popular.

Kirk at -3% in Illinois looks vulnerable. This has a huge sample size of 72,000 Registered voters so there is no freaking logic in saying the poll is not good. It doesn't even have loaded questions

[Xing]

These polls seem to regularly overestimate the popularity of most Senators from both parties.

[Kingpoleon]

Kirk at -3% in Illinois looks vulnerable. This has a huge sample size of 72,000 Registered voters so there is no freaking logic in saying the poll is not good. It doesn't even have loaded questions.

Durbin is only +3% in Illinois, which is similarly suspect to me. He has won over 60% for every re election bid except 2014, when he won by over ten percent even as Rauner won by almost five. Surely Durbin being up only three percent is similarly suspect to you?

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Unless you're Lisa Madigan in IL or Jesse White incumbency doesn't help you. But Durbin has been around Paul Simon long enough who was also popular

[Shadows]

Kirk at -3% in Illinois looks vulnerable. This has a huge sample size of 72,000 Registered voters so there is no freaking logic in saying the poll is not good. It doesn't even have loaded questions.

Durbin is only +3% in Illinois, which is similarly suspect to me. He has won over 60% for every re election bid except 2014, when he won by over ten percent even as Rauner won by almost five. Surely Durbin being up only three percent is similarly suspect to you?

You have gotta be kidding me? I mean you are comparing this to election results. Come on there are so many aspects involved - The opposing candidate, general Dem/GOP mood, Presidency & ofcourse turnout. 2014 & 2010 were good GOP years due to horrible turnout especially among young people who vote Dem.

I don't think you can correlate this to Voting numbers. Mitch McConnel has -12% so do you think any Dem Candidate can beat him? I think this just shows how in 2016, the people perceive him. Clinton may have a -20% approval & still win the presidency!

[BuckeyeNut]

Everyone thinks congress is awful, but also loves their own Senator.

That's not even true anymore, though.

[Ebowed]

Other than the Vermont numbers, throw this in the trash.

[Kingpoleon]

Kirk at -3% in Illinois looks vulnerable. This has a huge sample size of 72,000 Registered voters so there is no freaking logic in saying the poll is not good. It doesn't even have loaded questions.

Durbin is only +3% in Illinois, which is similarly suspect to me. He has won over 60% for every re election bid except 2014, when he won by over ten percent even as Rauner won by almost five. Surely Durbin being up only three percent is similarly suspect to you?

You have gotta be kidding me? I mean you are comparing this to election results. Come on there are so many aspects involved - The opposing candidate, general Dem/GOP mood, Presidency & ofcourse turnout. 2014 & 2010 were good GOP years due to horrible turnout especially among young people who vote Dem.

I don't think you can correlate this to Voting numbers. Mitch McConnel has -12% so do you think any Dem Candidate can beat him? I think this just shows how in 2016, the people perceive him. Clinton may have a -20% approval & still win the presidency!

Oh, but Kirk's in trouble because of his approval rating? You can't just claim that approval rating only affects the results for slightly unpopular Republicans.

[Bismarck]

Why is Bernie so popular? Vermont truly is a scary place.

[SATW]

No way Manchin is at 54% Approve.

[Heisenberg]

No way Manchin is at 54% Approve.

After openly endorsing Hillary Clinton, who was caught on video saying she'll put many coal miners out of work, he is in trouble in 2018. He's one of the more decent Democrats, actually, but of course, I'd rather have a (non-Mooney) Republican in the seat, of course.

[Shadows]

Why is Bernie so popular? Vermont truly is a scary place.

The Country is a scary place. He is +20 in the whole country (that is pretty big) odd despite so much sh** piled on him & the "socialist" tag n ultra progressive politics!

[SATW]

No way Manchin is at 54% Approve.

After openly endorsing Hillary Clinton, who was caught on video saying she'll put many coal miners out of work, he is in trouble in 2018. He's one of the more decent Democrats, actually, but of course, I'd rather have a (non-Mooney) Republican in the seat, of course.

Agreed on all counts.

[Heisenberg]

No way Manchin is at 54% Approve.

After openly endorsing Hillary Clinton, who was caught on video saying she'll put many coal miners out of work, he is in trouble in 2018. He's one of the more decent Democrats, actually, but of course, I'd rather have a (non-Mooney) Republican in the seat, of course.

Why would you rather have him than Mooney in the seat? FTR I think that Mooney would be the only candidate who'd lose to Manchin so I could understand you preferring that he isn't the GOP candidate, but why would you prefer that Manchin beats him in the GE in said scenario?

He's not a real West Virginian, and he's an extreme Freedom Caucus guy who would give the Senate a second Ted Cruz obstructionist (I don't want the national GOP to move that far right, I like Republican Senators who are loyal to the leadership). Also, while Manchin is still a vote for a Democratic majority he is to the right of the other Democrats, and at least I do tolerate him. Mooney is just a phony, and opportunist.

[Maxwell]

I hope they nominate David McKinley, but Evan Jenkins wouldn't be bad either. Manchin should lose to either one.

Jenkins is probably the better pick for the GOP, as he's someone who could not only take the seat but then gain lots of seniority and become powerful for West Virginia.

[SATW]

" I feel like I mention this every few months, but McKinley is almost 70. He will almost certainly not run. Jenkins or Morrissey are the best candidates in WV

[Heisenberg]

" I feel like I mention this every few months, but McKinley is almost 70. He will almost certainly not run. Jenkins or Morrissey are the best candidates in WV

I agree. Not sure what the deal with McKinley is. Either of the two you mentioned can win.

[Eraserhead]

I hope that random dude still tries to primary Bernie. That'd be amusing.

[MasterJedi]

I hope that random dude still tries to primary Bernie. That'd be amusing.

Would love for it to be a millennial saying he sold out.