Pollster Mallory Newall noted on Friday that Justice Brett Kavanaugh never had majority support for confirmation during his confirmation hearings, marking the first time a plurality had opposed a Supreme Court nominee since polling on the matter began.
“We found that a plurality of Americans opposed his confirmation,” Newall, research director at Ipsos Public Affairs, told Hill.TV’s Jamal Simmons on “What America’s Thinking.”
“What’s interesting is that’s really the first time that that’s happened with a Supreme Court nominee that has been under water to these levels,” she continued.
Newall was referring to Ipsos polling conducted in September, which found that 40 percent of respondents said the Senate should not approve Kavanaugh’s confirmation, compared to 31 percent who said it should.
Kavanaugh’s confirmation process was turned upside down after three women came forward to accuse him of sexual misconduct.
The Supreme Court nominee vehemently denied the allegations in testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, after his first accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, came before the panel.
Democrats have rallied around Ford in their opposition to Kavanaugh, while Republicans have defended President Trump’s high court pick.
A Washington Post/ABC News poll released Friday found that 51 percent said they disapproved of Kavanaugh’s Senate confirmation.
Over 80 percent of Republicans said they approved of his confirmation, while nearly as many Democrats said they disapproved of the confirmation.
— Julia Manchester
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