UPDATE: Begich & Murkowski Down in Polling – Begich Office Responds
UPDATE: A Sen. Begich Office spokesperson got back to TheMudflats with this statement on the PPP polling:
“Leading up to the Senate vote, the vast majority of Alaskans who contacted our office were asking Senator Begich to protect Alaskans’ 2nd amendment rights. Hearing their concerns and staying consistent with his long-held position, Senator Begich told Alaskans from the start that while there are things we can do to keep our communities safe, the Manchin-Toomey proposal was not the best approach.”
[Below was posted earlier Monday the 29th]
While no Alaskan polling firm has come out with data on the effect of Senators Begich and Murkowski’s controversial gun vote this month Public Policy Polling (PPP) has done some of their own calls – and it’s a net negative for both Senators.
Here’s the data from the PPP press release:
-When we polled Alaska in February Lisa Murkowski was one of the most popular Senators in the country with a 54% approval rating and only 33% of voters disapproving of her. She’s seen a precipitous decline in the wake of her background checks vote though. Her approval is down a net 16 points from that +21 standing to +5 with 46% of voters approving and 41% now disapproving of her. Murkowski has lost most of her appeal to Democrats in the wake of her vote, with her numbers with them going from 59/25 to 44/44. And the vote hasn’t increased her credibility with Republican either- she was at 51/38 with them in February and she’s at 50/39 now.
Mark Begich is down following his no vote as well. He was at 49/39 in February and now he’s at 41/37. His popularity has declined with Democrats (from 76/17 to 59/24) and with independents (from 54/32 to 43/35), and there has been no corresponding improvement with Republicans. He had a 24% approval rating with them two months ago and he has a 24% approval rating with them now.
60% of Alaska voters support background checks to just 35% opposed, including a 62/33 spread with independents. 39% of voters say they’re less likely to vote for each of Begich and Murkowski in their next elections based on this vote, while only 22% and 26% say they’re more likely to vote for Begich and Murkowski respectively because of this.
Check out our last story on Begich’s gun mis-fire WATCH: Colbert Calls Begich a Hero
and our analysis of the 2014 Senate race Alaska Eyes 2014
(At the time of posting this article no one in the Begich Press office could be reached either in Anchorage or in DC)
When Begich voted no, I wondered if I should have been more vocal towards him to vote Yea. I didn’t, so I wonder how many other like minded folks didn’t contact him sufficiently. I’ll be more vocal to him next time.
His response does show the importance of contacting our elected officials. First, it could change their mind. Second, it can at least take away the excuse of saying: This is how my constituents wanted me to vote.
In this case, I think Mark would have voted the same way absent a huge outpouring in favor of a Yes vote. He has always been one of those who opposes reasonable restrictions on the second amendment. I’m not saying he would never vote yes on a restriction, but it is an uphill battle to get him to do so.
Let’s not be to hard on Mark Begich: the alternatives, thus far, are Treadwell & Miller.
My Senator went to Washington, and all I got was a bulletproof backpack!
Sen Begich’s argument that sufficient checks already exist in gun laws to protect the citizenry and those should simply be enforced may be true. However, leadership would dictate the Senator offer legislation that cancels the unenforced (and unenforceable) laws and replaces them with enforceable law. To vote on the side of the NRA severely lessens his credibility as an independent and/or a Democrat. It seems to me Sen. Begich is straining the limits of credibility on this, as well as other much more significant Alaska concerns. n
Now he is running ads on Youtube, reminding us of his asshat maneuvers, He doesn’t get it.
So if the NRA says “guns don’t kill people, people kill people” shouldn’t they be in favor of keeping guns out of the hands of the wrong people? Shouldn’t they want to keep guns out of the hands of convicted felons? Why are they opposed to background checks?
Why did Murkowski vote against expanded background checks?
Why did Begich vote against expanded background checks?
Do they want more people to die?
Do they want more people to die?
Do they want more people to die?
Quick Mark and Lisa! Post happy pics on your FB pages and tell us how “gr8” Alaska is! Commune with feel-good issues! Ignore the big ones!