How Vulnerable Is Vitter?

By CQ-Roll Call Staff | July 21, 2009 4:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

David Vitter (CQ/Scott J. Ferrell)

Louisiana's first term Republican Sen. David Vitter gets mixed marks when it comes to how vulnerable he will be in 2010 with a minority of voters saying he should get a second term but he leads when pitted against a generic Democratic opponent and one real one, according to a Public Policy Polling survey conducted July 17-19.

Vitter, of course, is the senator who was embarrassed last year when it was revealed his phone number was found in the records of the escort service run by the woman known as the "D.C. Madam."

Vitter's favorable-to-unfavorable ratio is 44 percent to 39 percent with 18 percent undecided and his job approval rating is positive by a 44 percent to 36 percent margin with 20 percent undecided.

Forty-seven percent say it is time to give his job to someone else compared to 38 percent who say he deserves another term. But among Just Republicans, 56 percent say he deserves another term, a figure that might discourage a primary challenge.

Against a generic Democratic opponent, Vitter leads 44 percent to 33 percent with 18 percent undecided. When matched against Democratic Rep. Charlie Melancon, Vitter leads 44 percent to 32 percent with 24 percent undecided.

"David Vitter's polling in the mid-40s is a very similar position to where Mary Landrieu was a couple years ago at this time," said PPP's Dean Debnam. "Republicans were never able to translate that into a serious challenge, so it will be interesting to see if Democrats are better able to capitalize on Vitter's vulnerability."

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Comments

Vitter has completely refused to answer any questions about his involvement with prostitutes so far. I assume he'll have to debate his opponent when the next election comes around, so hopefully he'll finally have to address it via a debate question.

Posted by: billp | July 21, 2009 6:44 PM

This state has, throughout its history, elected philanderers and womanizers. Me thinks that during a debate, voters will be more interested in Melancon's support of Obama's radical agenda than Vitter's dalliances with whores. Even if Vitter is a hypocrite. When the unemployment rate is north of 10%, maybe even far north (think Wasilla, AK), most LA voters aren't gonna give a rats ass about this tempest in a teapot, I assure you.

Posted by: NObama | July 21, 2009 11:34 PM