These poll numbers were released earlier today by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."
In addition to becoming competitive in his bid for reelection in Nevada , Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is now nearly tied with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi when it comes to unpopularity among voters nationwide.
A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters across the country finds that 56% have at least a somewhat unfavorable opinion of Reid, while 59% feel the same way about Pelosi.
The good news for Reid that these figures include 47% with a Very Unfavorable opinion of Pelosi, while just 38% hold a Very Unfavorable opinion of him.
Twenty-six percent (26%) have a favorable opinion of the Nevada Democrat, but that includes just five percent (5%) with a Very Favorable view. Thirty-four percent (34%) regard the San Francisco congresswoman favorably, with 13% Very Favorable toward her.
Still, 19% don't know enough about Reid to venture any kind of opinion about him, while only seven percent (7%) have no opinion of Pelosi.
Neither Democratic congressional leader has been particularly popular since the current session of Congress began early last year, but Pelosi has been the better-known and least popular of the duo for most of that time. Pelosi's unfavorables have ranged from 52% to 64% in that time period, while Reid's generally remained in the 40s last year but have been consistently in the 50s since then.
But then the majority of voters nationwide believe the Democratic congressional agenda is extreme, while a plurality describes the Republican agenda as mainstream.
Speaking of the Republicans, just over one-third of U.S. voters view their congressional leaders unfavorably, but they remain unknowns to another third.
The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on August 17-18, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC . See methodology .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is viewed favorably by 28% of voters and unfavorably by 38%. This includes just four percent (4%) with a Very Favorable opinion of him and 17% who regard him Very Unfavorably. But 34% have no opinion of the Kentucky senator.
Twenty-four percent (24%) have a favorable opinion of House Minority Leader John Boehner, while 39% view him unfavorably. Included in these findings are six percent (6%) with a Very Favorable view and 19% with a Very Unfavorable one. However again, 37% don't know enough about the Ohio congressman to have any kind of opinion of him.
Since the first of last year, McConnell's unfavorables have ranged from a low of 28% to a high of 38%. Boehner in those same surveys has earned unfavorables ranging from 31% to 42%.
Democratic voters like their congressional leaders a lot more than GOP voters like their party's leaders, though. Voters not affiliated with either party tend to dislike Reid and Pelosi strongly and have mixed feelings about the Republican leaders. But a high number of unaffiliateds also have no opinions about Boehner and McConnell.
Most Democratic voters think their representatives in Congress have done a good job of representing Democratic values over the past several years, while even more Republican voters continue to feel that GOP members have lost touch with the party base throughout the nation.
Only 37% of voters think their local congressional representative deserves reelection, and 62% say it would be better for the country if most incumbents in Congress were defeated this November.
Sixty percent (60%) of voters say most members of Congress don't care what their constituents think .
Nearly two-out-of-three voters (65%) remain at least somewhat angry at the current policies of the federal government , including 40% who are Very Angry. Fifty-nine percent (59%) also continue to feel that neither Republican nor Democratic political leaders have a good understanding of what is needed today.
Republicans continue to lead Democrats on the Generic Congressional Ballot and are trusted more by voters on most key issues .
Most voters in the country now believe President Obama and the average Democrat in Congress are more liberal, politically speaking, than they are . Just 26% think Obama shares the same political views they have, and only 23% believe that of Democrats in Congress. But then only 26% think the average Republican in Congress has about the same views politically as they do.