Ben Nelson Sees Approval Rating Drop Below Fifty-Percent

Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) “has taken a major hit in public opinion as a direct result of his support for health care reform legislation, an Omaha World-Herald poll found,” according to Congressional Quarterly.

According to the statewide survey of 500 registered Nebraska voters conducted Jan. 8-12, Nelson’s job approval rating has sunk to 42 percent, with 48 percent disapproving. That stood in stark contrast to Sen. Mike Johanns’ (R-Neb.) 63 percent approval rating; Johanns has consistently opposed the Democrats’ health care agenda.

Overall, 60 percent of Nebraskans oppose the health care reform bills that passed the House and Senate late last year. The poll found that voters’ attitudes regarding Nelson’s support for the Senate bill broke along party lines, with three-quarters of Republicans opposing his vote, while only 22 percent of Democrats felt similarly.

(credit image – reuters)