Dodd, Lieberman look vulnerable in poll

Both of Connecticut’s senators face potential uphill battles
in their next bids for re-election, a new poll suggests.

The Quinnipiac University Poll released on Tuesday found
that more respondents disapprove of Sens. Chris Dodd (D) and Joe Lieberman’s
(I) job performance than approve.

{mosads}Fifty-one percent of those polled said they probably or
definitely will not vote for Dodd in 2010, when he is up for re-election.
Fifty-four percent said they were not satisfied with Dodd’s explanation of his
receiving preferential rates on two Countrywide Financial mortgages.

This is the first time in a Quinnipiac Poll that more
respondents have disapproved of Dodd’s job performance than approved. In a Dec.
17 poll, 47 percent approved while 41 percent disapproved. Before that, more
than 50 percent of respondents approved of Dodd’s performance.

The numbers appear even worse for Lieberman, although he
isn’t up for re-election until 2012. Connecticut Attorney General Richard
Blumenthal (D), who The Hill reported last week is considering a challenge,
leads the senator in a hypothetical match up by a 58 percent to 30 percent
margin.

“Sen. Lieberman is entirely focused on getting things done for the people of Connecticut and not on poll numbers or an election that is several years away,” said Erika Masonhall, a spokeswoman for Lieberman.

“When the time comes, Senator Dodd will be ready with a vigorous, well-funded re-election campaign,” said Bryan DeAngelis, press secretary for Dodd. “Now is the time for leadership and that is why Senator Dodd is focused on helping Connecticut families get out of this economic crisis and hardship.”

In February, Dodd released financial records that indicated
he received two mortgage loans at VIP rates with Countrywide Financial. Dodd
has since said he didn’t know VIP indicated he received a better interest rate
and thought it only meant he received better service. He recently refinanced
the loans.

The mortgage problem appears to have affected Dodd’s poll
numbers. Fifty-four percent said they were not satisfied with Dodd’s
explanation of the matter and 56 percent said it makes them less likely to vote
for him in 2010.

Forty-two percent said that they had heard a lot about Dodd’s
mortgages with Countrywide Financial, and 31 percent said they have heard some.

“Sen. Dodd is vulnerable,” Dr. Douglas Schwartz,
Quinnipiac’s polling director, said in a statement. “His approval has sunk to a
new low. More voters disapprove than approve of the job he is doing for the
first time in 15 years of polling. The mortgage controversy has taken a toll on
his approval rating.  Most voters are not satisfied with Dodd’s explanation
and say they are less likely to vote for him next year because of it.”

A few candidates have emerged as possible challengers to
Dodd in 2010. Former Rep. Rob Simmons (R-Conn.), who narrowly lost a
re-election bid in 2006, is reportedly considering running. Tom Foley, a
Greenwich businessman, is also reportedly looking at the race, as is former
U.S. Attorney Kevin O’Connor.

In addition to trailing Blumenthal in a hypothetical
head-to-head matchup, Lieberman’s favorability numbers were significantly worse
than Blumenthal’s. Forty-nine percent view Lieberman unfavorably while 43 view
him favorably. In contrast, 71 percent view Blumenthal favorably compared to 13
percent that view him unfavorably.

Similarly, a plurality, 48 percent, disapprove of Lieberman’s
job performance while a significant majority, 79 percent, approve of
Blumenthal’s.

The poll was conducted Feb. 4 through Feb. 8 and surveyed
1,603 registered Connecticut voters. There was a margin of error of plus or
minus 2.5 percent in the poll.