Poll: Boehner now less popular than Pelosi

Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) now ranks as the least-liked congressional leader, with just 31 percent of voters holding a positive opinion of the Republican leader and more than half — 51 percent — saying they view the Ohio congressman unfavorably.

That's the first time in several years that Boehner has slipped below House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in the Rasmussen survey. The Democratic leader held a 37 percent favorability rating in the poll.

The poll was released Friday, just hours after Boehner was unable to rally Republican support behind his "Plan B" proposal, intended to secure additional leverage in "fiscal cliff" negotiations with President Obama. And it comes just a day after President Obama's approval rating in the Gallup daily tracking poll hit 56 percent, the highest mark for the president since October 2009.

Boehner's slipping popularity likely comes from voters' wariness with Republicans as the deadline to reach a debt deal approaches.

In a Pew Research poll released earlier this month, 53 percent said they would blame the GOP if the crisis was not resolved, versus just 27 percent who said they would blame Democrats.

But Boehner has also lost favor with some conservatives after removing four Tea Party freshmen from their preferred committees for breaking with leadership on key votes. That's led to some Republicans suggesting that Boehner could be vulnerable in a vote to retain his gavel next month.

Earlier Friday, Rep. Nan Hayworth (R-N.Y.) said Friday that she has "every bit of faith" in Boehner despite having failed on the "Plan B" vote.

"He's really trying to do the best he can, under the circumstances, for the American people," Hayworth said on CNN's "Starting Point." "I have great confidence in the Speaker's ability to navigate very, very difficult waters in policy and politics."

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