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Online, dated poll has Kirk losing approval

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Illinois
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* They don’t really explain their methodology, except to say that it’s an online poll of registered voters, and their results go back to May (which is ancient history in polling terms), but Morning Consult claims that US Sen. Mark Kirk’s approval rating is now just 35 percent, with a disapproval rating of 38 percent. Another 27 percent didn’t know enough about the six-year incumbent to have an opinion. And Kirk’s trendline is not good at all…

Vulnerable Republican senators have spent much of 2016 under siege from their Democratic opponents and super PACs, but Morning Consult surveys show only two GOP incumbents — Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and Mark Kirk of Illinois — who are definitively trending in the wrong direction in terms of how their constituents view their job performance. […]

Kirk checks in with the second largest drop in support among constituents. Voters in the Land of Lincoln over the past few months approve of Kirk’s performance at a 35 percent to 38 percent margin. That’s a net loss of 9 points from earlier this year, when almost four out of 10 of voters (39 percent) approved of his work in the Senate, compared with 33 percent who did not.

Discuss.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Sep 13, 16 @ 9:23 am

Comments

It’s not just the crazy things he’s said over the years. After alienating the Trump voters, he was left with moderates. Then he voiced his support for the turnaround agenda, alienating moderates. I’m not sure who his voters are, and I don’t think Kirk knows who his target voters are either.

Comment by AC Tuesday, Sep 13, 16 @ 9:30 am
He’s been tumbling in my estimation, but “meh” on that particular poll.

Comment by Skeptic Tuesday, Sep 13, 16 @ 9:30 am
I think everyone, like you Rich, are getting tired of the constant he said she said in this race. My father is a long time republican and he has totally soured on this race and specifically Kirk.

Comment by Spliff Tuesday, Sep 13, 16 @ 9:34 am
This poll was in the field so long it includes the opinion of people who lived here before Illinois applied for statehood.

Comment by The Captain Tuesday, Sep 13, 16 @ 9:43 am
Still won’t vote for Kirk. Have to think about Tammy.

Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Sep 13, 16 @ 9:55 am
Just saw an article that was basically Richs mantra about suburban moms, but they expanded it to suburban educated voters; the context was how they tended to trend GOP in the past, but this year it looked like they may break the other direction. not sure if that is part of this.

Comment by Ghost Tuesday, Sep 13, 16 @ 10:19 am
This Summer Kirk has tried to sound a lot like a Democrat when he thought it would help him. There are some Republicans who have noticed and on some issues such as gun control they don’t see him as one of their own. I think this seat flips to the Democrats.

Comment by The Dude Abides Tuesday, Sep 13, 16 @ 10:23 am
Can’t we get two new candidate’s? Like the presidential race, both leave a lot to be desired.

Comment by sloman2001 Tuesday, Sep 13, 16 @ 10:39 am
All statistics such as polls ultimately rest on the sampling universe and how the sample was drawn. In this case the sample of voters is drawn entirely from online registered voters. People who are not online registered voters (probably the majority of older voters who actually DO vote) are automatically excluded from the poll. So the poll is really not sampling all registered voters, only those who are online. Kirk may actually be sinking like a stone, but you can’t tell that from this poll.

Comment by Dutch3001 Tuesday, Sep 13, 16 @ 10:40 am
Taking that poll lightly since it was done in May and it’s an online audience which generally favors heavily towards younger people.

Comment by The Muse Tuesday, Sep 13, 16 @ 11:06 am
Our two senate candidates are exactly like the top presidential candidates- WEAK and undeserving of being elected

Comment by Sue Tuesday, Sep 13, 16 @ 3:33 pm