A new poll shows that the
The SurveyUSA poll, released Wednesday, finds approval of the job Domenici is doing at 57 percent and disapproval at 35 percent – the lowest totals since at least May 2005. The survey, which has a margin of error of four percent, was conducted March 12.
The previous poll, conducted Feb. 12, found Domenici’s approval rating at 64 percent, with disapproval at 27 percent. In between the polls, former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias accused Domenici and Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., of trying to pressure him to speed indictments in a public corruption probe in time to sway voters in the November 2006 election. That has led to a Senate ethics investigation of Domenici’s actions.
Domenici admits calling about the investigation, but says he didn’t apply pressure.
The public appears to be skeptical. In the past 22 months, Domenici’s approval in the poll hasn’t been below 60 percent.
In fact, Domenici has always been popular. This is the first major scandal of the 74-year-old senator’s career.
The numbers aren’t devastating and will rebound, to some degree, as long as the scandal doesn’t get any worse for Domenici. But scandals are hard to predict, and congressional Democrats continue to dig in their quest to find the truth about whether the firings of Iglesias and seven others were politically motivated and to capitalize on the blunders of the Bush Administration.
Only time will tell.