Baucus approval rating slides in MSUB poll

[ccharles000]

U.S. Sen. Max Baucus’ approval rating dropped significantly this year over two years ago in a Montana State University Billings poll released Monday.

Just 44 percent of those polled approved of the job that the Montana Democrat is doing. Forty percent disapproved of the Montana Democrat’s job performance.

That’s a big difference from 2007, when more than 64 percent approved of his job performance.

That change, in part, may be the result of Baucus’ position as chairman of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee that puts him in the middle of the debate over health-care reform.

“It’s controversial and not yet decided,” said Craig Wilson, MSU Billings political science professor.

The land-line telephone poll of 414 people across the state was conducted by students in political science and sociology classes taught by Wilson and Dan Lennon, a sociology assistant professor.

The poll had a plus-or-minus margin of error of 5 percent.

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., fared better, with 56 percent of those polled saying he was doing a good job and 25 percent disapproving.

In 2007, 57 percent of those polled approved of Tester’s job performance.

http://billingsgazette.com/news/local/article_18a3dd5c-d30b-11de-b6ec-001cc4c002e0.html

[havocmom]

1. good news, Billings is pretty conservative

But I doubt the numbers bother Max. I really don't see him running again after last year's re-election. This term is really his money dance.