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Eric Black Ink

Klobuchar has highest approval rating

By Eric Black | 01/03/11

Happy New Year and welcome back.

While MinnPost was on holiday hiatus, Public Policy Polling (PPP) released an overview/lookback at all of the approval ratings it compiled for U.S. senators during the second half of 2010. Minnesota's Amy Klobuchar, with an approval rating of 59 percent, had the highest number on the list. Her disapproval rating of 29 percent gave her a +30, also the highest on the list, and by a significant margin over all the other senators rated. Klobuchar is up for reelection in 2012, which I believe we can now call "next year," (although the election is almost two years away. Still not much buzz about any Republican preparing to take a shot.

59 senators, including a few who won't be back this year, were covered by the PPP polls.

MN's junior senator, Al Franken, with an approval/disapproval of 45/42 or +3, had the 31st highest of the 59, just below the middle of the pack. Franken is up for reelection in 2014.

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Comments (13)

Submitted by Brian Simon on January 3, 2011 - 10:12am.

"Minnesota's Amy Klobuchar, with an approval rating of 59 percent, had the highest number on the list. Her disapproval rating of 29 percent gave her a +30, also the highest on the list"

She's basically unassailable at this point. The Repubs don't have a candidate that can threaten her, particularly in a POTUS election year, which will have a more Dem friendly turnout.

Submitted by Paul Brandon on January 3, 2011 - 10:49am.

Is this good news or bad news?
Means that she's been good at avoiding taking stands on controversial issues.

Submitted by B Maginnis on January 3, 2011 - 3:24pm.

Here in frozen Omaha, name recognition = "approval".

That's the only explanation.

Submitted by Eric Henly on January 3, 2011 - 3:31pm.

Run Michele, Run!!! If perpetually deluded Bachmann would run against Klobuchar, it would not only guarantee a Klobuchar win but also free up MN-06 to a saner, more reality-based congresscritter!

Submitted by Ron Gotzman on January 3, 2011 - 3:31pm.

Mr. Black,

Please get out of "campaign mode" and be willing to remind the voters of Amy K's failed campaign promises.

Submitted by chuck holtman on January 3, 2011 - 4:42pm.

Though much more incrementally centrist than these times of crisis demand, Senator Franken has been the model of a principled, thoughtful representative of the common good. Senator Klobuchar, meanwhile, has done nothing but follow the polestar of avoiding offense to any interest that could complicate her reelection. It is an indictment of the populace that her approach is the measurably more esteemed.

Submitted by B Maginnis on January 3, 2011 - 5:54pm.

Like I sez, da peoples regime knows dat name and approves!

Submitted by Dan Hintz on January 3, 2011 - 9:39pm.

"On April 9, 2010, Ron Gotzman says:

With all the broken campaign promises of Senator Amy K., she would be a perfect fit on the liberal side of the Supreme Court."

"On September 8, 2010, Ron Gotzman says:

It is great that Senator Amy K has a place to sit and relax and reflect on all the campaign promises she has failed to keep."

"On December 3, 2010, Ron Gotzman says:

If Amy K. runs on her “success” in keeping her campaign promises, any Republican would win."

It looks like there are a couple dozen other similar comments. Since you seem to be particularly focused on the topic, Mr. Gotzman, maybe you can fill us in on Amy Klobuchar's "failed campaign promises."

Submitted by Ron Gotzman on January 4, 2011 - 8:32am.

OK Dan,

Now what did Amy K promise??

Submitted by Bernice Vetsch on January 4, 2011 - 10:05am.

If people paid more attention to Franken's principled - and sometimes lonely - stands on issues like the concentration of media ownership and internet neutrality, he would and should be rated at about 95 percent.

How refreshing to have a senator who puts the common good over the wishes of huge corporations like Comcast for ever-more power and control.

Submitted by Dan Hintz on January 4, 2011 - 10:43am.

She promised to visit every county in Minnesota every year she is in office. Did she break that one?

http://klobuchar.senate.gov/inthenews_detail.cfm?id=270560&

Submitted by Dave Kopesky on January 4, 2011 - 11:03am.

Eric Henly while I agree with your logic - I hate to see the risk that Bachmann might take a Senate seat. Bachmann's house seat is safe Republican territory so I hope she stays right where she is and on the outs with the House leadership. Imagine a 2012 with Palin for President and Bachmann for U.S. Senate - ugh.

Submitted by Rebecca Hoover on January 21, 2012 - 3:55pm.

I am very disappointed in Amy Klobuchar. She surely did not do one thing to help create universal health care access in the USA. Amy is an all time do-nothing. About the only thing she does is photo-ops and trivia. Never has there been a camera for which Amy is reluctant to pose or a trivia issue for which Amy would not throw down the gauntlet.

Amy's record is quite poor. In addition to her lack of any productive activity in the health care area and her failure to advocate for much needed access measures, Amy has been environmentally unfriendly with her support of so-called "clean coal" and ethanol. Now, we've also seen her support of the PIPA legislative. (Watch her weasel out of that embarrassment.)