Two Republicans in competitive elections are among the least popular in the country, a new Morning Consult survey found.
Two Republican senators who are facing competitive reelection bids in this year's midterm received a warning sign about their approval rating in a poll published on Monday. Senator Susan Collins of Maine and Dan Sullivan of Alaska are the second and third least popular senators in Morning Consult’s latest poll of senators’ approval rating.
Both are expected to face competitive races from Democrats who are increasingly optimistic about their chances in flipping their seat. However, polls still suggest the outcome in those races will be close in November. Newsweek reached out to spokespersons for Collins and Sullivan for comment via email. Why It Matters Historically, the party of the president loses seats in the midterms, giving Democrats optimism about their chances at gaining seats in November—particularly as Republican President Donald Trump’s approval rating has declined since his return to office last January. However, Democrats face a challenging map to Senate control and will need to win more conservative states like Alaska. Maine, which is generally more Democratic, is also a top target for the party. What to Know The Morning Consult poll on Monday showed that a majority of voters in Maine disapprove of Collins’ job performance—54 percent gave her negative marks, compared to 41 percent who said they approved of her job performance. Meanwhile, 47 percent of respondents said they disapproved of Sullivan’s performance, compared to 39 percent who approved of him. Only Senator Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, fared worse with 63 percent of respondents saying they disapproved of him. McConnell is retiring from the Senate at the end of his current term, which ends in January 2027. The poll is based on a three-month roll-up of responses from daily tracking surveys. Its margin of error varies state-by-state. Both races are expected to be competitive. The Cook Political Report classifies Maine’s race as a toss-up, while Alaska’s is viewed as “Leans Republican.“ Senator Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, attends a Senate committee hearing in Washington, D.C. on December 9, 2025. Susan Collins’ Chances of Winning Reelection in Maine Maine’s Senate race is expected to be among the closest of the midterms. Former Vice President Kamala Harris won the state by about seven points, making it a top target for Democrats. Collins, however, is a centrist Republican who has won in tough environments before, including six years earlier in 2020. It’s not clear who she will face. Governor Janet Mills and Graham Platner, a favorite among progressives, are vying for the Democratic nomination. Collins has not formally launched her campaign but has signaled intent to run again. Polls show a tight race. A Pan Atlantic Research survey from late last year showed Collins and Mills tied in a hypothetical matchup, each receiving 43 percent of the vote. Platner held a single-digit lead against Collins. It surveyed 820 likely voters from November 29-December 7, 2025. A Maine People’s Resource Center, which surveyed 783 Mainers from October 26-29, 2025, gave Platner a lead over Collins but gave Collins a lead over Mills . Dan Sullivan’s Chances of Winning Reelection in Alaska Alaska is generally more of a conservative state, backing Trump by 13 points in November 2024. But polls show a closer-than-expected race due to the candidacy of former Representative Mary Peltola, the only Democrat who has won federal office from Alaska in recent years. She represented the state’s at-large Congressional district from 2022 to 2025. An Alaska Survey Research Poll found Peltola leading by two points . It surveyed 1,988 likely voters from January 8-11, 2026. A Data for Progress poll from last year showed her with a single point lead . It surveyed 823 likely voters from October 17-23, 2025. Democrats’ Challenging Senate Map Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, meaning Democrats must flip three seats for a tie and four for an outright majority. Maine and North Carolina, a state Trump won by about three points, are Democrats’ top targets. In North Carolina, Republican Senator Thom Tillis is retiring. Former Governor Roy Cooper, a Democrat, and Republican Michael Whatley are running to replace him. Democrats are also defending two seats in Trump-won states—those in Georgia, where Senator Jon Ossoff is running again, and Michigan, where Senator Gary Peters is opting to retire. If Democrats win each of those races, they would still be in the minority. That means they must turn to more conservative territory like Alaska to win. Democrats are also eyeing double-digit Trump states like Iowa, Ohio and Texas as potential flip opportunities, but all would require an overperformance. What People Are Saying Morning Consult’s polling memo reads: “Roughly 2 in 5 of Maine voters approve of Republican Sen. Susan Collins’ job performance ahead of her re-election race next year. That rating, along with her 54% disapproval rating, mark improvements from respective low and high points in our tracking that dates back to the first quarter of 2017.” Nick Puglia, National Republican Senatorial Committee press secretary, previously told Newsweek: “Joe Biden and liberals like Jon Ossoff caused historic inflation and opened our borders to millions of illegals. They want to force women to share bathrooms with men, raise taxes, and protect criminal illegals from deportations. Democrat policies are out of touch with the American people.” CNN data analyst Harry Enten wrote to X on January 20: “The GOP has a depression problem heading into the midterms. Their motivation to vote in 2026 is down 17 pts from 2024. Dem enthusiasm is actually up vs. 2024. The result? The Dem lead on the generic ballot rises from 5 pts overall to 16 pts among those extremely motivated.“ What Happens Next Polls will be closely watched ahead of the midterms, as Democrats hope to reclaim a majority in the House of Representatives and the Senate. Both of these races are expected to be among the most competitive of the election cycle.
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