OPINION:
Maybe the American voter is just weary. Maybe they’ve just seen the news too many times. But a hefty majority of registered voters wouldn’t react much if their local lawmaker had a fling with someone other than their spouse. As in 77 percent of them.
Oh, but there’s more. Another 58 percent would not be affected if they knew their member of Congress was caught buying cocaine.
Yes, there’s a poll about this, revealing certain aspects of voter behavior and beliefs in this day and age. Some analysts might consider such indifference a good thing, indicating that Americans save their concerns for more important things, like policy, security of their own families and friends.
Some might interpret the findings as an indicator that the nation is in decline.
Here are the numbers:
77 percent of likely voters in battleground states and districts this year would not be “moved at all” if they knew their member of Congress was caught in an extramarital affair.
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69 percent disapprove of Republican in Congress, 64 percent disapprove of Democrats.
58 percent would not be affected if they knew their member of Congress was caught buying cocaine.
53 percent say their lawmaker should stand by their principles at all times, even if it sacrifices benefits for their district; 44 percent choose their district’s benefits over principles.
51 percent say they have a pessimistic outlook about the U.S.; 47 percent feel optimistic.
46 percent would vote for a Republican candidate if the election were today; 38 percent would vote for the Democratic candidate.
Source: A Politico poll of 867 likely voters in competitive House and Senate races conducted May 2-13.
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