Former Rep. Matt Gaetz is the least popular of President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks, according to a new poll.
Mr. Trump tapped the Florida Republican, who recently vacated his seat in Congress, to serve as attorney general, sparking immediate backlash from Democrats and some grumbling from fellow Republicans.
A Morning Consult poll released Tuesday showed that 41% disapprove of the Gaetz pick, compared to 34% who approve. The survey found that he is the sole nominee facing more opposition than support from voters.
Overall, voters approve of Mr. Trump’s preferred Cabinet selections by a margin of 54% to 38%. President Biden received similar marks four years ago, when 60% approved of his nominations, and 28% disapproved.
Mr. Gaetz, 42, has been a diehard Trump supporter and a thorn in the side of both parties, which could come back to haunt him in his Senate confirmation hearings next year.
Mr. Gaetz led the rebellion in the House GOP conference, bringing down the curtain on former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, California Republican.
He also has been dogged by a House ethics probe that involved allegations that he had sex with a minor.
The Department of Justice, which Mr. Gaetz will lead if confirmed, investigated the allegations but opted against pursuing charges.
Still, the story will not die.
Joel Leppard, a Florida attorney representing two of the women who testified before the House Ethics Committee, has been telling news outlets that Mr. Gaetz paid his clients for sex. He also says one of his clients witnessed Mr. Gaetz having sex with a 17-year-old at a Florida house party and says Mr. Gaetz was unaware of her age.
The allegations have renewed the focus on whether the House Ethics Committee will release its findings. House Speaker Mike Johnson, Louisiana Republican, has opposed the idea. Meanwhile, some Senate Republicans have signaled the report should be part of Mr. Gaetz’s confirmation process.
Punchbowl News also reported Tuesday that Pennsylvania Rep. Susan Wild, the lead Democrat on the House Ethics Committee who lost her reelection race, wants the report released to the public before confirmation hearings.
The Morning Consult survey showed that the Gaetz nomination faces more pushback than Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., whom Mr. Trump wants to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Mr. Kennedy, the son of former Attorney General Robert Kennedy and nephew of former President John F. Kennedy, had the support of 44% of voters, compared to 39% who opposed him.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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