



Raleigh, N.C. –

Facing low approval ratings after a historically unproductive 112th

session and a series of last-minute

showdowns over fiscal matters, Congress is now less popular than root canals,

NFL replacement referees, head lice, the rock band Nickelback, colonoscopies,

carnies, traffic jams, cockroaches, Donald Trump, France, Genghis Khan,

used-car salesmen and Brussel sprouts.

When asked if they have a higher opinion of either Congress or a series of unpleasant

or disliked things, voters said they had a higher opinion of root canals (32

for Congress and 56 for the dental procedure), NFL replacement refs (29-56),

head lice (19-67), the rock band Nickelback (32-39), colonoscopies (31-58),

Washington DC political pundits (34-37), carnies (31-39), traffic jams (34-56),

cockroaches (43-45), Donald Trump (42-44), France (37-46), Genghis Khan

(37-41), used-car salesmen (32-57), and Brussels sprouts (23-69) than Congress.

Congress did manage to beat out telemarketers (45-35), John Edwards (45-29),

the Kardashians (49-36), lobbyists (48-30), North Korea (61-26), the ebola

virus (53-25), Lindsay Lohan (45-41), Fidel Castro (54-32), playground bullies

(43-38), meth labs (60-21), communism (57-23), and gonorrhea (53-28).

Congress’s overall favorability rating stands at just 9% favorable and 85%

unfavorable. Women (13-81) view Congress slightly more favorably than men

(6-89), as do Democrats (13-82) than Republicans (9-87), perhaps reflecting

Democrats’ higher level of satisfaction with the recent fiscal cliff deal. Among

ideological groups voters who describe themselves as “very liberal” have a

higher than single-digit approval rating, with 36% holding a favorable view and

56% unfavorable.

“We all know Congress is unpopular,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public

Policy Polling. “But the fact that voters like it even less than cockroaches,

lice, and Genghis Khan really shows how far its esteem has fallen with the

American public over the last few weeks.”

PPP surveyed 830 American

voters from January 3rd to 6th. The margin of error is

+/-3.4 percentage points. This poll was not paid for or authorized by any campaign or political

organization. PPP surveys are conducted through automated telephone interviews.

Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.

Q1 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion

of Congress?

Favorable……………………………………………….. 9%

Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 85%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 6%

Q2 What do you have a higher opinion of:

Congress or telemarketers?

Congress ……………………………………………….. 45%

Telemarketers …………………………………………. 35%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 19%

Q3 What do you have a higher opinion of:

Congress or John Edwards?

Congress ……………………………………………….. 45%

John Edwards …………………………………………. 29%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 26%

Q4 What do you have a higher opinion of:

Congress or root canals?

Congress ……………………………………………….. 32%

Root canals…………………………………………….. 56%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 12%

Q5 What do you have a higher opinion of:

Congress or NFL replacement refs?

Congress ……………………………………………….. 29%

NFL replacement refs ………………………………. 56%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 15%

Q6 What do you have a higher opinion of:

Congress or lice?

Congress ……………………………………………….. 19%

Lice ……………………………………………………….. 67%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 15%

Q7 What do you have a higher opinion of:

Congress or the Kardashians?

Congress ……………………………………………….. 49%

Kardashians……………………………………………. 36%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 16%

Q8 What do you have a higher opinion of:

Congress or Nickelback?

Congress ……………………………………………….. 32%

Nickelback ……………………………………………… 39%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 29%

Q9 What do you have a higher opinion of:

Congress or lobbyists?

Congress ……………………………………………….. 48%

Lobbyists………………………………………………… 30%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 22%

Q10 What do you have a higher opinion of:

Congress or North Korea?

Congress ……………………………………………….. 61%

North Korea ……………………………………………. 26%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 13%

Q11 What do you have a higher opinion of:

Congress or ebola?

Congress ……………………………………………….. 53%

Ebola …………………………………………………….. 25%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 21%

Q12 What do you have a higher opinion of:

Congress or Lindsey Lohan?

Congress ……………………………………………….. 45%

Lindsey Lohan ………………………………………… 41%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 14%

Q13 What do you have a higher opinion of:

Congress or colonoscopies?

Congress ……………………………………………….. 31%

Colonoscopies ………………………………………… 58%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 10%

Q14 What do you have a higher opinion of:

Congress or Fidel Castro?

Congress ……………………………………………….. 54%

Fidel Castro ……………………………………………. 32%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 14%

Q15 What do you have a higher opinion of:

Congress or Washington, D.C., political

pundits?

Congress ……………………………………………….. 34%

Washington, D.C., political pundits …………….. 37%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 29%

Q16 What do you have a higher opinion of:

Congress or carnies?

Congress ……………………………………………….. 31%

Carnies ………………………………………………….. 39%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 30%

Q17 What do you have a higher opinion of:

Congress or traffic jams?

Congress ……………………………………………….. 34%

Traffic jams …………………………………………….. 56%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 10%

Q18 What do you have a higher opinion of:

Congress or cockroaches?

Congress ……………………………………………….. 43%

Cockroaches…………………………………………… 45%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 12%

Q19 What do you have a higher opinion of:

Congress or playground bullies?

Congress ……………………………………………….. 43%

Playground bullies……………………………………. 38%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 20%

Q20 What do you have a higher opinion of:

Congress or Donald Trump?

Congress ……………………………………………….. 42%

Donald Trump …………………………………………. 44%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 14%

Q21 What do you have a higher opinion of:

Congress or meth labs?

Congress ……………………………………………….. 60%

Meth labs ……………………………………………….. 21%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 18%

Q22 What do you have a higher opinion of:

Congress or France?

Congress ……………………………………………….. 37%

France …………………………………………………… 46%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 18%

Q23 What do you have a higher opinion of:

Congress or Genghis Khan?

Congress ……………………………………………….. 37%

Genghis Khan…………………………………………. 41%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 22%

Q24 What do you have a higher opinion of:

Congress or communism?

Congress ……………………………………………….. 57%

Communism……………………………………………. 23%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 20%

Q25 What do you have a higher opinion of:

Congress or used car salesmen?

Congress ……………………………………………….. 32%

Used car salesmen ………………………………….. 57%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 11%

Q26 What do you have a higher opinion of:

Congress or gonorrhea?

Congress ……………………………………………….. 53%

Gonorrhea………………………………………………. 28%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 18%

Q27 What do you have a higher opinion of:

Congress or brussel sprouts?

Congress ……………………………………………….. 23%

Brussel sprouts ……………………………………….. 69%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 9%

Q28 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,

somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat

conservative, or very conservative?

Very liberal ……………………………………………… 13%

Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 18%

Moderate………………………………………………… 25%

Somewhat conservative……………………………. 19%

Very conservative ……………………………………. 25%

Q29 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.

Woman ………………………………………………….. 48%

Man……………………………………………………….. 52%

Q30 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a Republican,

press 2. If you are an independent or identify

with another party, press 3.

Democrat ……………………………………………….. 39%

Republican……………………………………………… 35%

Independent/Other…………………………………… 26%

Q31 If you are Hispanic, press 1. If white, press 2.

If African-American, press 3. If other, press 4.

Hispanic…………………………………………………. 14%

White …………………………………………………….. 66%

African-American …………………………………….. 13%

Other……………………………………………………… 6%

Q32 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to

45 years old, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If

you are older than 65, press 4.

18 to 29………………………………………………….. 19%

30 to 45………………………………………………….. 26%

46 to 65………………………………………………….. 36%

Older than 65………………………………………….. 20%