Poll: Hagel better known, less liked

Chuck Hagel, President Obama's nominee to become Defense secretary, has seen his unfavorable rating spike after a bruising nomination battle on Capitol Hill.

According to a Pew Research survey released Wednesday, 22 percent have a favorable view of the former Republican Senator from Nebraska, 28 unfavorable, and 50 percent said they have no opinion.
 
In the same poll from last month, 18 percent said they had a favorable opinion of Hagel, 17 unfavorable and 65 said they had no opinion.
 
Senate Republicans last week voted to block Hagel’s nomination from proceeding to a final up-or-down vote. Republicans said it was too early to clear Hagel’s nomination, but that they would consider allowing an up-or-down vote after the Senate returns to business on Feb. 25.
 
Republicans blamed Democrats for rushing the vote and the White House for not providing additional information about Hagel’s compensation for paid speeches. Democrats say they have provided ample information and called the move an unprecedented filibuster of a Defense nominee during a time of war.
 
When broken down by party, only 15 percent of Republicans said they have a favorable view of Hagel, against 36 negative. Among independents, Hagel is at 21 negative and 30 positive, and among Democrats he’s at 31 positive and 23 negative.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), one of Hagel’s leading critics, said Hagel is still likely to be approved by the Senate even though he is the “most unimpressive” nominee he has ever seen.


The Pew survey of 1,003 adults was conducted between Feb. 14-17 and has a 3.7 percentage point margin of error.

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