A new survey by Public Policy Polling (D) finds that Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) continues to have lackluster approval ratings — but that his prospects for re-election are simultaneously pretty good, a sign that the political climate is not good for Democrats in this 2010 race.
Burr’s approval rating is only 36%, with 35% disapproval and a whopping 29% undecided — as we’ve noted before, it’s not that Burr is unpopular, but that he hasn’t actually made a real impression with the voters during his term. In a way, this makes him a good barometer of the overall political climate in his state.
At the same time, Burr leads a generic Democrat by 45%-34%, and holds double-digit leads over six different named Democrats.
Burr leads Iraq War veteran and former state Sen. Cal Cunningham by 46%-27%. He leads Rep. Bob Etheridge by 44%-33%. He’s ahead of Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy 45%-29%. He leads business lawyer Kenneth Lewis, a declared candidate, by 44%-30%. He’s ahead of Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, also a declared candidate, by 44%-32%. And he leads former Lt. Gov. Dennis Wicker 44%-30%.
From the pollster’s analysis: “Richard Burr is in a much better position for reelection than he was four months ago even though there’s been little improvement in his approval rating. The winds are blowing in a Republican direction and carrying him right along. We are seeing this trend nationwide. People don’t like incumbent Republicans or Democrats, but they like their potential challengers even less.”
