Susan Collins dethrones Mitch McConnell as most unpopular senator in US

In a dramatic drop that could signal trouble for her reelection bid in 2020, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) is now the most unpopular senator in America, according to Morning Consult’s tracking poll of Senate popularity.

More than half of her constituents, or 52%, now have an unfavorable view of Collins. That’s 2 points higher than Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who held the title of most unpopular senator in the country until Collins dethroned him.

Collins’ 52% unpopularity rating marks a 4-point increase since September 2019, the last time Morning Consult conducted its survey on senators’ popularity.

Her decline in popularity is even starker when you compare it to her approval rating from three years ago, when Morning Consult began tracking senators’ approval ratings.

Back in January 2017, 67% of Mainers approved of Collins, with just 27% disapproving.

Collins’ decline in popularity comes as she backed Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court, even after he was credibly accused of sexual assault.

It also comes as she has fallen in line with Republicans in Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, now saying she does not want to see new evidence that backs up the House’s charges against Trump.

Collins isn’t the only Republican up for reelection in 2020 whose approval rating has dropped.

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) is now the third most unpopular senator in the country, with 42% of her constituents disapproving of her job performance.

Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Martha McSally (R-AZ) are now tied for 6th most unpopular.

Gardner has come under fire for his embrace of Trump, as has McSally — an unelected senator who was appointed to her job after losing to Democrat Kyrsten Sinema in 2018.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.