Toomey, Portman Hurt By Supreme Court Stance

[Bradical79]

New Public Policy Polling surveys of Pennsylvania and Ohio find that both Pat Toomey and Rob Portman are suffering from very weak approval numbers as they seek reelection to the Senate. Furthermore voters in their states, by wide margins, want the vacancy on the Supreme Court to be filled this year. Their opposition to even considering a replacement for Antonin Scalia has the strong potential to put them in even worse standing with voters than they are already.

Key findings from the survey include:

-Only 29% of voters approve of the job Toomey is doing to 40% who disapprove, and just 30% approve of the job Portman is doing to 39% who disapprove. They’re both very much in the danger zone for reelection based on those low approval numbers. One thing complicating their path to reelection is how bad the overall brand of Senate Republicans is. Mitch McConnell has a 13/56 approval rating in Pennsylvania, and a 14/57 one in Ohio. His extreme unpopularity is going to be a weight on his party’s incumbents running across the country.

-Strong majorities of voters- 58/35 in Ohio and 57/40 in Pennsylvania- think that the vacant seat on the Supreme Court should be filled this year. What’s particularly noteworthy about those numbers- and concerning for Portman and Toomey- is how emphatic the support for approving a replacement is among independent voters. In Ohio they think a new Justice should be named this year 70/24 and in Pennsylvania it’s 60/37. Those independent voters are going to make the difference in these tight Senate races, and they have no tolerance for obstructionism on the vacancy.

-Voters are particularly angry about Senators taking the stance that they’re not going to approve anyone before even knowing who President Obama decides to put forward. By a 76/20 spread in Pennsylvania and a 74/18 one in Ohio, voters think the Senate should wait to see who is nominated to the Court before deciding whether or not to confirm that person. Toomey and Portman are out of line even with their own party base on that one- Republicans in Pennsylvania think 67/27 and in Ohio think 63/32 that the Senate should at least give President Obama’s choice a chance before deciding whether or not to confirm them.

http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2016/02/toomey-portman-hurt-by-supreme-court-stance.html

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

1. Buh-bye, Portman.

Ohio could use a solid 2 blue Senators. Our state level offices are a sea of red, as is our highly gerrymandered set of Reps.

[Vogon_Glory]

2. Low disapproval ratings in February may be nice, but

Low voter approval ratings in February may be nice, but voter anger channeled through the ballot box in October and November is much better.

Unfortunately all too many centrists and progressives have forgotten the use of the ballot box to punish as well as to reward politicians.

[meow2u3]

3. Good riddance, Toomey

Nice knowing ya. Now we're going to replace you with a Democrat who cares more about Pennsylvanians than corporate power brokers.

[MyOwnPeace]

4. Add his name......

to the list as another disgraceful Senator to represent Pennsylvania - fighting for first place on that list with Ricky "Sweater vest" Scumtorum.

[blue neen]

5. Called Sen. Toomey's office to voice my disapproval.

He's not working for his constituents---he's working for Mitch McConnell. Bad move on Toomey's part.

Bye, Pat! We never liked you anyhow. You haven't done anything for the people of Pennsylvania.

PPP polling is usually pretty accurate in Pennsylvania.

[Stallion]

6. Great Poll

we need the Presidency and the Senate-the House is hopeless until 2022 after redistricting

[Gothmog]

7. The GOP may lose control of the Senate due to this stupidity

[blue neen]

8. It's about time the Republicans pay for the years of obstruction.

The public is sick of it. It would be great to see them lose control of the Senate!