Paul Ryan's popularity among Republicans has dropped significantly since he became Speaker
Last week, House Speaker Paul Ryan may have successfully resolved the problem that threatened the government for years – potential government shutdowns – as the Republican Congress and the Democratic President agreed on a year-end government tax and spending package. But Ryan may have paid a price for that success – and with his own GOP partisans. The latest Economist/YouGov Poll finds Ryan’s favorable rating from Republicans below 50% for the first time since he assumed the Speakership in late October.
Favorable ratings of Ryan from Republicans have dropped 24 points since early November.
Ryan is much more likely to be seen as a compromiser than as someone who sticks to principles – and seen even more as a compromiser by Republicans than by other Americans.
When Ryan became Speaker, 60% of Republicans viewed him as more likely to compromise. That percentage has now jumped to 71%.
Of course, even though his popularity has declined in the last two months, Ryan remains more popular than his predecessor John Boehner at the end of his term. Just after Boehner ceded the Speakership to Ryan, only 35% of Republicans had a favorable opinion of him, while half were unfavorable.
See the Economist/YouGov results
Economist/YouGov poll archives can be found here.
