Utahns don’t like the job the majority Republicans are doing in Congress, but they dislike even more what Democrats are doing, a new UtahPolicy.com poll shows.
The Dan Jones & Associates poll was conducted BEFORE the controversial Senate hearings on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, where a female witness claimed he sexually assaulted her in high school; and before Kavanaugh’s emotional and partisan statement in his own defense.
So that divisive TV viewing isn’t reflected in these numbers.
Still, Jones finds across-the-board displeasure about Republicans and Democrats in Congress by all Utahns, with a heavy dose of partisanship when Republicans and Democrats are broken out.
Some of the numbers:
- Overall, Utahns disapprove of the job Republicans are doing in Congress, 56-42 percent with only 2 percent not having an opinion.
- They dislike the job congressional Democrats are doing, 69-28 percent with 3 percent “don’t know.”
One would expect Utah Republicans to like what Republicans are doing in Congress, and 68 percent do.
Same for Democrats and their party; 85 percent of Utah Democrats like what Democrats are doing in Congress.
But the more interesting numbers are party members who DON’T like what their own party is doing in Congress:
- 31 percent of Republicans disapprove of what Republicans are doing in Congress – almost one third.
- And 32 percent of Utah Democrats don’t like what congressional Democrats are doing – again, nearly one third.
- Political independents say a plague on both your houses: They dislike congressional Republicans, 72-27 percent. And they dislike congressional Democrats, 62-27 percent.
Active Utah Mormons have moved into an interesting place – they like Trump, and they like the GOP-controlled Congress.
While no other religious group in Utah feels the same – all the rest don’t like Trump, and they don’t like Congress.
Jones finds:
- “Very active” Mormons approve of Republicans in Congress, 59-40 percent. But they disapprove of congressional Democrats, 80-16 percent.
- Those who are “somewhat active” in the LDS Church switch sides – they don’t like what Republicans in Congress are doing, 57-42 percent. While they really dislike congressional Democrats, 71-29 percent.
- Former Mormons, who no longer follow the faith, dislike congressional Republicans, 75-24 percent, and dislike the Democrats, 53-42 percent (a smaller majority).
- Catholics in Utah are clearly a more progressive bunch, they dislike the Republicans in D.C., 72-25 percent, but they like the Democrats, 63-33 percent.
- 75 percent of Protestants dislike both congressional parties equally.
- While members of other religions dislike Republicans in the U.S. House and Senate, 82-19 percent, dislike the Democrats, 63-30 percent.
- And those with no religion are split on the Democrats, 49-49 percent, but really dislike the Republicans in Congress, 89-10 percent.
Finally, UtahPolicy.com has been looking at how our poll results breakout in the 4th Congressional District, where GOP Rep. Mia Love has a heavy challenge from Democrat Ben McAdams.
Bad news for both candidates here:
- 4th District voters dislike the majority Republicans in Congress (Love’s party), 66-32 percent.
- But the dislike the Democrats even a bit more, 69-30 percent.
Jones polled 809 voters from Aug. 22-31. The survey has a statewide margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percent.