Sen. Collins ranks as least-popular senator in new poll

A new poll ranks U.S. Sen. Susan Collins as the least popular senator.

The poll, released Thursday by the Morning Consult, found a 42 percent approval rate for Collins and 52 percent disapproval rate among Maine voters surveyed.

The fourth quarter ranking represents a 10 percent drop in Collins’ net approval rating.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., ranked as the second-least popular senator, with 50 percent of Kentucky voters disapproving of his performance.

The rankings are based on a survey given to 494,899 registered voters nationwide between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31. Participants could answer whether they strongly approve, somewhat approve, somewhat disapprove, strongly disapprove, or don’t know/ have no opinion on their U.S. senator.

Collins is up for re-election and faces what is expected to be the most expensive campaign of her career. She has recently come under scrutiny for her vote to support Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and has faced pressure from both sides as President Trump’s impeachment trial unfolds.

Collins’ colleague Sen. Angus King, a Maine independent, ranks as the fifth-most-popular senator, with an approval rating of 58 percent in the poll.