Lieberman Faces Lowest Approval Numbers Ever

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) may be facing his lowest approval ratings ever, according to a new Quinnipiac poll released Wednesday.

54 percent of Connecticut voters said they disapproved of the way Lieberman is handling his job, while 38 percent said they approved. The numbers are the lowest approval ratings Lieberman has faced since the poll started tracking his popularity.

“This is the highest disapproval rating in any Quinnipiac University poll in any state for a sitting U.S. senator–except for New Jersey’s Robert Torricelli, just before he resigned in 2002,” said Quinnipiac University Poll Director Douglas Schwartz.

Forty-two percent of those surveyed said Lieberman’s support for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) during the presidential election made them think less favorably of him; 43 percent of voters said it made no difference. 30 percent of those who supported Lieberman in his 2006 general election said they would now vote for someone other than Lieberman if the election were held again today.

Lieberman’s colleague, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), also faces tough approval numbers. 47 percent of Connecticut voters said they approved of the way Dodd is handling his job, while 41 percent they disapproved. A 50 percent approval rating is considered healthy for incumbent politicians.