Healthcare and approval ratings

Nate Silver spots an interesting situation in Montana: While both Democratic senators support healthcare reform, Max Baucus's approval rating has nosedived as the debate has worn on, while Jon Tester's has remained level.

Silver's theory:

But whereas Tester has staked out his position very quietly, Baucus seemed to relish the attention he received as the head of the Senate Finance Committee, virtually taking it upon himself to strike a deal with the Senate's centrists, and frequently appearing in television and print media

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To repeat: Same state, same party, same position -- more or less -- on health care reform. But vastly different approaches: one senator seeking the spotlight, and the other shunning it. And vastly different trajectories of public opinion.

The less attention one calls to his or her support for healthcare, the safer they are. Then again, back in the summer, polling showed that Baucus had lost significant support among Democrats in his state. Is it possible his wavering on the public option has contributed to his decline as much as his time in the spotlight?