He may never be president. But Bernie Sanders is America’s most popular senator.
The least popular? Kentucky’s Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican leader.
They top the list of most popular and least popular senators in their home states, measured by Morning Consult, a nonpartisan media and survey technology company. It surveyed 62,288 registered voters across the nation since January.
It found potential trouble for vulnerable Republicans this fall. The party now has 54 of the Senate’s 100 seats, but 24 GOP seats are up and at least six are regarded as potential pickups for Democrats. Ten Democratic seats are in play, but only one, Nevada, is seen as a possible GOP gain.
The shaky Republican incumbents all hail from states President Barack Obama won four years ago. The poll shows four are among the senators with the lowest approval ratings.
They include: Sens. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., 46 percent; Rob Portman, R-Ohio, 44 percent; Ron Johnson, R-Wis., 43 percent; and Mark Kirk, R-Ill., 39 percent. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., had 54 percent approval.
Democrats need a net gain of five Senate seats in November – four if they win the White House – to win control of the Senate
The most public face of the Republican Senate today is McConnell, now in his sixth term. He’s the person whose mastery of the Senate rules and ability to control his caucus are viewed by foes as the chief roadblock to any progress in the stalled Senate. McConnell blames Democratic obstinance for the inertia.
Kentucky voters are divided. Forty-nine percent disapprove of McConnell’s performance, while 40 percent approval.
“Mitch McConnell remains the most disliked senator in America among his own constituents,” Morning Consult’s analysis said.
McConnell, though, has been regarded as having political trouble back home in the past. He was supposed to have a tight re-election race in 2014, but wound up trouncing Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes.
Sanders, on the other hand, has an approval rating of 80 percent among his Vermont constituents, a better showing than any of his 99 other colleagues. Only 17 percent disapprove.
“The presidential race has had very little impact on Bernie Sanders,” an analysis said. Sanders, an independent seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, to his second Senate term in 2012 with 71 percent of the vote.
His bid for the Democratic presidential nomination appears to be all but over, as front-runner Hillary Clinton has inched close to winning a majority of convention delegates.
None of Sanders’ former rivals, though, can match his home state popularity. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who lost Florida’s March 15 primary to GOP front-runner Donald Trump and suspended his campaign, saw his favorable rating sink 5 percentage points since November to 45 percent. Rubio’s unfavorability increased 8 points.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, did better. His favorable number was up 3 to 55 percent, while his unfavorable rating dipped by 2 to 30 percent.
Cruz easily won Texas’ March 1 primary. Now second in the Republican presidential race, the first-term senator does not face re-election to the Senate until 2018.
Of all senators who ran for president, his unfavorabililty took the biggest hit
Morning Consult analysis of Sen. Marco Rubio’s status among Florida voters
Others topping the unfavorable list tend to be senators most in the news because of their celebrity or leadership positions.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., also was seen unfavorably by 42 percent, but was viewed positively by 49 percent. McCain, the Republicans’ 2008 presidential nominee, is seeking a sixth term this year and is favored to win. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, the most senior Republican senator and Senate President Pro Tempore, was seen disapprovingly by 41 percent but got 49 percent approval.
Those with the best constituent support are largely concentrated in four states, Vermont, Minnesota, Delaware and Maine.
After Sanders, Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, is next on the popularity chart, viewed favorably by 79 percent and negatively by 13 percent. Collins, known as one of the Senate’s most independent voices, was elected overwhelmingly to a fourth term in 2014.
Close behind in the popularity race was colleague Sen. Angus King, a Maine independent, and Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.
The only outliers in the top 10 favorable ratings: Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., regarded as a calming Senate voice, and Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., a stunch conservative who chairs the influential Senate Republican Policy Committee.
David Lightman: 202-383-6101, @lightmandavid
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