The new Quinnipiac poll from Connecticut has some truly ghastly numbers for Chris Dodd in the wake of the AIG bonus scandal, with him trailing former Republican Congressman Rob Simmons by a whopping 50%-34% margin, running behind GOP state Sen. Sam Caliguiri by 41%-37%, and trailing possible GOP candidate Tom Foley, a businessman, by 43%-35%.
Only 33% of registered voters approve of Dodd’s performance as a Senator, with 58% disapproving. When asked whether they approve of Dodd’s performance as Senate Banking Committee chairman, only 21% of registered voters approve, and 69% disapprove. Only 32% agree that he is honest and trustworthy, with 54% saying he is not.
On the bonuses themselves, 39% say they blame Dodd “a lot,” and 35% blame him “some.” And when asked who deserves the most blame for the bonuses, Dodd is in a statistical tie for first with George W. Bush: Bush 28%, Dodd 27%, Tim Geithner 20%, and 7% Barack Obama.
A Democratic source tells TPM that Dodd will improve as he regains support among Democratic voters, and that people are going to have a lot of negative reactions this close to the AIG scandal. We’ll see what future polls have in store.
Late Update: NRSC spokeswoman Amber Wilkerson gave TPM this statement:
“With a number of surveys showing record low approval ratings for Senator Chris Dodd, he is obviously facing an uphill battle in his bid for reelection. Whether it’s his failed leadership as the Senate Banking Committee Chairman during an economic crisis, his sweetheart mortgage deal from Countrywide, his 10-acre ‘cottage’ in Ireland, or his decision to move his family to Iowa during the presidential campaign, Dodd certainly owes his constituents some explanations. Voters in Connecticut are looking for a change, and we’re confident that this will be a competitive race next year.”
