NEW POLL SHOWS COLEMAN’S JOB APPROVAL SINKING AS MINNESOTANS DEMAND NEW DIRECTION

08/17/2007

Coleman Welcomes Bush to State, but Poll Shows Minnesotans Rejecting Both


As Norm Coleman prepares to welcome George Bush to Minnesota for a fundraiser next Tuesday, a new poll taken for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee shows that the Republican Senator’s approval rating has sunk to 41 percent, with only 37 percent of Minnesotans saying they would vote to re-elect him while 49% would vote for someone else. President Bush, who Coleman once praised as the answer to the nation’s prayers, also fares poorly with Minnesota voters, with only 24% approving of the way he’s handling his job.

“Minnesotans are increasingly fed up with Norm Coleman’s unquestioning support for George Bush and his failed agenda,” said DSCC spokesman Matthew Miller. “President Bush may raise millions of dollars for Norm Coleman next week, but all he’s doing is reminding Minnesotans why they are ready for new leadership.”

Coleman’s standing with the Minnesota electorate has fallen across the board from a poll conducted in January, and previously unreleased, by the DSCC. His job approval has fallen by 7 points, while the number of people disapproving of his performance has risen by 8 points. The number of Minnesotans who believe the country is headed in the right direction has fallen from 30 percent in January to 21 percent today, with 71 percent now believing it is headed in the wrong direction, compared to 62 percent in January.

Both polls had a sample size of 600 and were conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research. The recent poll was conducted from July 26 to 31 and the earlier poll was conducted from January 9 to 14.

Poll Excerpts

If the election for U.S. Senate were held today, would you vote to reelect Norm Coleman or would you vote for someone new?

Now

Reelect Norm Coleman.......................................................37

Someone new....................................................................49

(Don't know/refused)..........................................................14



January

Reelect Norm Coleman.......................................................40

Someone new....................................................................46

(Don't know/refused)..........................................................14


I am going to read you the names of several people and individuals. I'd like you to rate the job performance of each as excellent, good, just fair or poor.

'................................................................................................Just.....................DK/.....Total..........Total'

'.........................................................................Exc..........Good Fair.......Poor.......Ref....Exc/Good...Fair/Poor'

Now

Norm Coleman as U.S. Senator..............................6..............35....35.........23..........1..........41..............58

George W. Bush as President.................................4..............20....23.........53..........0..........24..............75



Jan

Norm Coleman as U.S. Senator..............................12............36....35..........15..........1..........48.............50

George W. Bush as President.................................8..............23....22..........47..........0..........31.............68


I'd like to rate your feelings toward some people and organizations, with one hundred meaning a very warm, favorable feeling; zero meaning a very cold, unfavorable feeling; and fifty meaning not particularly warm or cold. You can use any number from zero to one hundred, the higher the number the more favorable your feelings are toward that person or organization. If you have no opinion or have never heard of that person or organization, please say so.


........................................................................................Warm........Cool'
Now

Norm Coleman................................................................... 41...............40


Jan

Norm Coleman................................................................... 41...............36





Generally speaking, do you think that things in this country are going in the right direction, or do you feel things have gotten pretty seriously off on the wrong track?

Now

Right direction.................................................................21

Wrong track....................................................................71

(Don't know/refused).........................................................8



Jan

Right direction.................................................................30

Wrong track....................................................................62

(Don't know/refused).........................................................8