INSIDERS POLL

Special Issue: Insiders Poll Results

Saturday, Dec. 12, 2009


Q: Which senator do you most admire?

Democrats

Congressional Insiders

1. Richard Durbin 24%
2. Edward Kennedy 12%
3. Carl Levin 9%
4. Sherrod Brown 6%
4. Russell Feingold 6%
4. John Kerry 6%
4. Barbara Mikulski 6%

Total votes: 33. Other top vote-getters: Robert Byrd, Tom Harkin, Daniel Inouye, Amy Klobuchar, Patrick Leahy, Bernie Sanders, Charles Schumer, Olympia Snowe, Mark Warner, Jim Webb, 3%.

Political Insiders

1. Richard Durbin 11%
1. Harry Reid 11%
3. Tom Harkin 7%
3. John Kerry 7%
3. Charles Schumer 7%

Total votes: 85. Other top vote-getters: Christopher Dodd, Carl Levin, no one, Mark Warner, Jim Webb, 4%; Thomas Carper, Russell Feingold, Dianne Feinstein, Edward Kennedy, Blanche Lincoln, John McCain, Claire McCaskill, Mark Udall, 2%.

Republicans

Congressional Insiders

1. John Thune 21%
1. Tom Coburn 21%
3. Jim DeMint 8%
3. Joe Lieberman 8%
3. Richard Lugar 8%

Total votes: 24. Other top vote-getters: Lamar Alexander, Richard Burr, Thad Cochran, Bob Corker, Lindsey Graham, Johnny Isakson, John McCain, Jeff Sessions, 4%.

Political Insiders

1. John Thune 15%
2. Joe Lieberman 13%
3. Tom Coburn 8%
3. Richard Lugar 8%

Total votes: 88. Other top vote-getters: Lamar Alexander, Jon Kyl, Mitch McConnell, 7%; Bob Corker, John McCain, 6%; John Cornyn, Lindsey Graham, 5%; Jim DeMint, 3%; Charles Grassley, 2%.

Q: Which House member do you most admire?

Democrats

Congressional Insiders

1. Nancy Pelosi   21%
1. Steny Hoyer    21%
3. John Dingell    9%
4. Keith Ellison   6%
4. Barney Frank    6%
4. John Lewis      6%
4. Henry Waxman    6%

Total votes: 33. Other top vote-getters: Earl Blumenauer, Lloyd Doggett, Jim McGovern, George Miller, David Obey, Heath Shuler, Vic Snyder, John Spratt, 3%.

Political Insiders

1. Nancy Pelosi  27%
2. John Lewis    11%
3. Steny Hoyer    7%
4. Henry Waxman   6%

Total votes: 84. Other top vote-getters: John Dingell, James Clyburn, Barney Frank, 5%; Edward Markey, Jim McGovern, 4%; Melissa Bean, Jim Cooper, Rosa DeLauro, Thomas Perriello, 2%.

Republicans

Congressional Insiders

1. Sam Johnson  26%
2. Eric Cantor  13%
3. John Boehner  9%
3. Ike Skelton   9%

Total votes: 23. Other top vote-getters: Dave Camp, David Dreier, Jeb Hensarling, Peter King, Tom Price, David Price, Paul Ryan, Pat Tiberi, Frank Wolf, Don Young, 4%.

Political Insiders

1. Eric Cantor   25%
2. Paul Ryan     13%
3. John Boehner  11%
4. No one         6%

Total votes: 87. Other top vote-getters: Sam Johnson, Mike Pence, 3%; Michele Bachmann, Dave Camp, Jeb Hensarling, Kevin McCarthy, Tom McClintock, 2%.

Q: Which current member of Congress has the brightest political future?

Democrats

Congressional Insiders

1. Debbie Wasserman Schultz 16%
2. Mark Warner 13%
3. Bruce Braley 9%
4. Al Franken 6%
4. Chris Van Hollen 6%

Total votes: 32. Other top vote-getters: Xavier Becerra, James Clyburn, Joseph Crowley, Richard Durbin, Lindsey Graham, Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, Rush Holt, John Kerry, Ron Kind, John Larson, Kendrick Meek, Patrick Murphy, Scott Murphy, Glenn Nye, Thomas Perriello, Adam Putnam, 3%.

Political Insiders

1. Mark Warner 13%
2. Debbie Wasserman Schultz 8%
3. Chris Van Hollen 7%
4. Bruce Braley 6%

Total votes: 83. Other top vote-getters: Artur Davis, 5%; Eric Cantor, Richard Durbin, Claire McCaskill, Patrick Murphy, no one, Charles Schumer, Sheldon Whitehouse, 4%; Sherrod Brown, Donna Edwards, Chris Murphy, 2%.

Republicans

Congressional Insiders

1. Kevin McCarthy 25%
2. Paul Ryan 21%
3. Eric Cantor 17%
4. Adam Putnam 8%
4. John Thune 8%

Total votes: 24. Other top vote-getters: Charles Boustany, Michael Castle, Jack Kingston, Mike Pence, Tom Price, 4%.

Political Insiders

1. John Thune 32%
2. Eric Cantor 20%
3. Paul Ryan 15%
4. Kevin McCarthy 5%
4. Mike Pence 5%

Total votes: 85. Other top vote-getters: John Cornyn, Aaron Schock, 2%.

Q: Which Cabinet secretary has most impressed you this year?

Democrats

Congressional Insiders

1. Hillary Clinton 39%
2. Ray LaHood 9%
3. Steven Chu 6%
3. Arne Duncan 6%
3. Eric Holder 6%
3. Tom Vilsack 6%

Total votes: 33. Other top vote-getters: Shaun Donovan, Robert Gates, Timothy Geithner, Lisa Jackson, Janet Napolitano, no one, Ken Salazar, Eric Shinseki, Hilda Solis, 3%.

Political Insiders

1. Hillary Clinton 52%
2. Robert Gates 12%
3. Arne Duncan 8%
4. Janet Napolitano 6%

Total votes: 84. Other top vote-getters: Steven Chu, Eric Holder, Kathleen Sebelius, Tom Vilsack, 4%; Timothy Geithner, 2%.

Republicans

Congressional Insiders

1. Hillary Clinton 22%
1. Robert Gates 22%
3. Arne Duncan 13%
3. No one 13%

Total votes: 23. Other top vote-getters: Ray LaHood, Ken Salazar, Eric Shinseki, 9%; Rahm Emanuel, 4%.

Political Insiders

1. Robert Gates 39%
2. Hillary Clinton 21%
3. Ray LaHood 9%
4. Arne Duncan 8%

Total votes: 87. Other top vote-getters: No one, 7%; Eric Holder, 3%; Gary Locke, Kathleen Sebelius, 2%.

Q: Which political figure has most impressed you this year?

Democrats

Congressional Insiders

1. Barack Obama    31%
2. Nancy Pelosi    16%
3. Hillary Clinton  6%
3. Steny Hoyer      6%
3. Edward Kennedy   6%

Total votes: 32. Other top vote-getters: Joe Biden, Joseph Cao, Bill Clinton, Barney Frank, Rush Limbaugh, Edward Markey, George Miller, Gavin Newsom, no one, Martin O'Malley, Bill Owens, 3%.

Political Insiders

1. Barack Obama    25%
2. Nancy Pelosi    11%
3. Hillary Clinton  9%
4. Joe Biden        6%
4. Rahm Emanuel     6%

Total votes: 79. Other top vote-getters: Bill Clinton, Sarah Palin, 5%; Harry Reid, 4%; Michelle Obama, 3%.

Congressional Insiders

1. Bob McDonnell  13%
2. John Boehner    9%
2. Mitch McConnell 9%
2. Sarah Palin     9%

Total votes: 23. Other top vote-getters: Glenn Beck, Ben Bernanke, Eric Cantor, Dick Cheney, Liz Cheney, Chris Christie, Hillary Clinton, Mitch Daniels, Joe Lieberman, Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Ayn Rand, Michelle Rhee, Bart Stupak, 4%.

Political Insiders

1. Bob McDonnell 22%
2. Sarah Palin   11%
3. Mitt Romney    9%
4. Haley Barbour  8%

Total votes: 87. Other top vote-getters: George W. Bush, Mitch McConnell, 3%; Dick Cheney, Hillary Clinton, John Cornyn, Robert Gates, Judd Gregg, Joe Lieberman, Tim Pawlenty, Marco Rubio, Paul Ryan, 2%.

Q: Who is your party's best political strategist?

Democrats

Congressional Insiders

1. Rahm Emanuel 29%
2. Nancy Pelosi 16%
3. Steny Hoyer 10%
3. Charles Schumer 10%
3. Chris Van Hollen 10%

Total votes: 31. Other top vote-getters: No one, 6%; David Axelrod, James Carville, David Plouffe, John Podesta, Jim Webb, Anthony Weiner, 3%.

Political Insiders

1. David Axelrod 25%
2. Rahm Emanuel 19%
3. David Plouffe 8%
4. Bill Clinton 5%

Total votes: 83. Other top vote-getters: Paul Begala, James Carville, J.B. Poersch, Doug Sosnik, 4%; Geoff Garin, John Podesta, Charles Schumer, 2%.

Republicans

Congressional Insiders

1. Haley Barbour 17%
2. Karl Rove 13%
3. Eric Cantor 8%
3. Tom Cole 8%
3. Pete Sessions 8%
3. No one 8%

Total votes: 24. Other top vote-getters: John Boehner, Glen Bolger, Steven LaTourette, Frank Luntz, Kevin McCarthy, Tom Price, John Shadegg, John Thune, Dave Winston, 4%.

Political Insiders

1. Karl Rove 26%
2. Haley Barbour 24%
3. Ed Gillespie 12%
4. Mike Murphy 7%

Total votes: 84. Other top vote-getters: No one, 6%; Mitch McConnell, 4%; Terry Nelson, 2%.

Q: Who is the most creative thinker in your party?

Democrats

Congressional Insiders

1. Barney Frank 13%
2. Bill Clinton 10%
3. Robert Andrews 6%
3. Richard Durbin 6%
3. Barack Obama 6%

Total votes: 31. Other top vote-getters: Authors of the Innovation Agenda, Mark Begich, Earl Blumenauer, Joe Courtney, Rosa DeLauro, Donna Edwards, Rahm Emanuel, Sam Farr, Alan Grayson, no one, Peter Orszag, David Plouffe, Robert Reich, John Tanner, Third Way, John Tierney, Chris Van Hollen, Anthony Weiner, 3%.

Political Insiders

1. Bill Clinton 12%
2. Rahm Emanuel 8%
3. David Axelrod 7%
3. Barack Obama 7%
3. Charles Schumer 7%

Total votes: 74. Other top vote-getters: John Podesta, 5%; Andy Stern, 4%; Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, David Plouffe, Bruce Reed, Third Way, 3%.

Republicans

Congressional Insiders

1. Newt Gingrich 41%
2. Paul Ryan 14%
3. Dave Camp 9%
3. Darrell Issa 9%
3. Thaddeus McCotter 9%

Total votes: 22. Other top vote-getters: Lamar Alexander, Charles Boustany, Charles Krauthammer, Tom Price, 5%.

Political Insiders

1. Newt Gingrich 53%
2. No one 5%
2. Karl Rove 5%
4. Alex Castellanos 4%
4. Mike Murphy 4%

Q: Which voice in your party would you most like to mute?

Democrats

Congressional Insiders

1. Joe Lieberman 22%
2. Dennis Kucinich 19%
3. Sheila Jackson Lee 13%
3. No one 13%

Total votes: 32. Other top vote-getters: Bart Stupak, 6%; Max Baucus, Blue Dogs, Far Left, Alan Grayson, MoveOn.org, Nancy Pelosi, John Spratt, Maxine Waters, Lynn Woolsey, 3%.

Political Insiders

1. Joe Lieberman 23%
2. Nancy Pelosi 15%
3. Dennis Kucinich 6%
4. Joe Biden 4%
4. Howard Dean 4%
4. Alan Grayson 4%
4. Markos Moulitsas 4%
4. Ben Nelson 4%
4. No one 4%

Total votes: 84. Other top vote-getters: Michael Moore, Harry Reid, Al Sharpton, Arlen Specter, Bart Stupak, 2%.

Republicans

Congressional Insiders

1. No one 16%
2. Michele Bachmann 11%
2. Glenn Beck 11%
2. Steve King 11%
2. Sarah Palin 11%
2. Tom Price 11%

Total votes: 19. Other top vote-getters: Far Right, Jeff Flake, Chuck Hagel, moderate Republican leaders, Ron Paul, Karl Rove, 5%.

Political Insiders

1. Sarah Palin 28%
2. Michael Steele 12%
3. Rush Limbaugh 6%
3. Tom Tancredo 6%

Total votes: 85. Other top vote-getters: Dick Cheney, Far Right, Newt Gingrich, Lindsey Graham, no one, Olympia Snowe, 4%; Michele Bachmann, Glenn Beck, Mike Huckabee, 2%.

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