After Health Vote, Democrats Like Snowe Better Than Republicans

Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe, the lone Republican on the Senate Finance Committee to vote for its health care reform legislation, now gets significantly higher job approval marks from Democrats than she does from members of her own party, according to a Public Policy Polling survey conducted Oct. 16-19

Equal numbers of Republicans -- 45 percent -- approve or disapprove of Snowe's performance with 10 percent undecided. Democrats applaud it 70 percent to 17 percent with 13 percent undecided as do independents by 51 percent to 33 percent with 16 percent undecided. Republicans oppose President Obama's health care plan by 71 percent to 12 percent while voters overall in the state are split with 41 percent favoring it, 40 percent opposing it and 19 percent undecided.

Snowe's general job performance wins approval from 56 percent of all voters while 31 percent disapprove and 13 percent are undecided.

Asked specifically whether they approve of Snowe's handling of the health care issue, Republicans say "no" by 52 percent to 33 percent with 15 percent undecided, Democrats approve by 64 percent to 20 percent with 17 percent undecided, and independents also approve by 44 percent to 37 percent with 20 percent undecided.

When all those voters are lumped together, they approve of Snowe's handling of the health care issue by 48 percent to 35 percent with 17 percent undecided.

But despite the partisan divide, voters say by 49 percent to 32 percent that she should not switch parties. Twenty percent are undecided.

"With less than half of Republicans approving of Olympia Snowe now it's going to be
interesting to see if she's challenged from the right come 2012," said PPP's Dean Debnam.

Her vote has stirred conservative ire with commentators on the right saying she was part of the "turncoat caucus" or calling her a RINO (Republican in Name Only).