DemDaily: The Country’s Most (and Least) Popular Senators
September 30, 2025
Now five weeks out from the November 2025 elections, a look at the country's ten most -- and least -- popular United States Senators provides some insight into the mood of the electorate in certain states, including in four seats up in 2026.
Most Popular
The country's most popular US Senator, with a 65% approval rating, is Vermont Democrat Peter Welch, claiming the top spot for the first time in Morning Consult's Quarterly Survey, which has been conducted since 2017.
His fellow Vermonter and champ for the last two quarters, Senator Bernie Sanders, an Independent who caucuses with the Democrats, is a close second -- due to a slightly higher disapproval rating (28% vs. 22%).
| The ratings are based on a three-month, quarterly roll-up of responses from Morning Consult's daily US tracking survey among registered voters in each of the 50 states. Senators from states with small populations and strong partisan leans are heavily represented in the top 10. Margins of error (MOE) vary, from as low as +/-6% in less populous states such as Wyoming to +/-1% in more populous states such as California. |
Other Democrats among the highly-rated by their constituents include Hawaii's Brian Schatz, also a former #1 title holder, and Connecticut's Chris Murphy, consistently among the most well-liked.
Delaware's Chris Coons (#5) -- first elected in a 2010 special election to fill the remaining term of Joe Biden who resigned to assume the Vice Presidency -- is up for reelection in 2026, and has yet to draw a primary or general election opponent. Similarly, in deep blue Massachusetts, Ed Markey (#9), elected in 2013 to serve out the remainder of John Kerry's term after the incumbent was appointed US Secretary of State, is also currently unchallenged for reelection next year.
Wyoming Senator John Barrasso, frequently ranked among the most popular senators, is the 2nd Quarter's favorite Republican with a 61% approval rating.
South Dakota GOP Senators Mike Rounds and John Thune, the Senate Majority Leader, came in at #7 and #8, and three-term North Dakota Senator John Hoeven (R), wraps up the quarter's top ten with a 59% approval.
Most Unpopular
On the other end of the spectrum, Republicans dominate the most unpopular list, holding the top nine of ten slots.
Former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who is retiring in 2026 after seven terms, remains America’s least popular Senator for the 18th consecutive quarter -- with roughly 3 in 5 Kentucky voters (59%) expressing disapproval of his job performance.
Five-term Maine Senator Susan Collins (#2), who is up in 2026 and is the Senate's most vulnerable Republican incumbent, is tracking record-low numbers at 38% approval/54% disapproval.
The only other senators with net negative approval ratings are Ron Johnson (R-WI), whose current term expires in 2029, and Joni Ernst (R-IA), who is retiring in 2026. South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham (#7), also a regular on the dislike list, is heavily favored to win reelection to a fifth term in 2026.
The remaining four Republicans -- Ted Cruz (TX), Deb Fischer (NE), Charles Grassley (IA), and Tim Sheehy (MT) are all hovering in the 42% disapproval range.
The lone Democrat, Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin (#10), a progressive in one of the country's most critical battleground states, was reelected to a third term in 2024 by less than 1%.
DemList will keep you informed.
DemList
Connecting You to The Party
Connecting You to Each Other
Kimberly Scott
Publisher
Please Support Our Work!
SignUp for the Daily updates on policy, politics and the players.
