McCaskill (D) and Bond (r) approval - September '09 - SurveyUSA

by: Michael Bersin

Thu Oct 01, 2009 at 18:53:21 PM CDT

The poll was sponsored by KCTV in Kansas City.

Do you approve or disapprove of the job Claire McCaskill is doing as United States Senator?

All
50% - approve
43% - disapprove
7% - not sure

Democrats [37% of sample]
76% - approve
22% - disapprove
2% - not sure

republicans [25% of sample]
28% - approve
64% - disapprove
9% - not sure

Independents [29% of sample]
42% - approve
50% - disapprove
8% - not sure

Compared to August Claire McCaskill's overall approval numbers, when compared to President Obama and Kit Bond, are relatively stable.

Senator McCaskill's disapproval numbers among Democrats have increased when compared to August. The August disapproval numbers among "Independents" have decreased significantly, with the approval number from this group improving slightly.

The percentage of self-identified liberals who are "not sure" when it comes to approval of the job Claire McCaskill is doing has increased significantly:

Do you approve or disapprove of the job Claire McCaskill is doing as United States Senator?

Ideology

Conservative [32% of sample]
28% - approve
70% - disapprove
2% - not sure

Moderate [39% of sample]
63% - approve
33% - disapprove
4% - not sure

Liberal [16% of sample]
65% - approve
24% - disapprove
11% - not sure

The September numbers for Kit Bond aren't very good:

Do you approve or disapprove of the job Kit Bond is doing as United States Senator?

All
45% - approve
45% - disapprove
10% - not sure

Democrats [37% of sample]
35% - approve
58% - disapprove
8% - not sure

republicans [25% of sample]
63% - approve
29% - disapprove
7% - not sure

Independents [29% of sample]
47% - approve
41% - disapprove
11% - not sure

What I wrote last month:

...Well, well, well. It's a rarity when Senator "sit on the fence and bring home the bacon" Bond (r) has a lower approval number (barely) than Claire McCaskill. There's been some slippage in the numbers for Bond among republicans and Democrats.

Kit Bond has more fence sitters. The decline in the "not sure" (the undecidieds) in Claire McCaskill's approval numbers may be an indication of polarization. It is possible, as she has been subjected to public verbal assault by irrational teabaggers at her town halls, that the Democratic base is tending to reflexively defend her. And some republicans and especially "Independents" are going the other way (yes, some republicans are going into the approval column, too). Time will tell.

Well, well, well. It's a trend, not an outlier.