Rasmussen Poll: 47% Hold Unfavorable View of Kagan

Rasmussen Reports has a new poll out today which shows that 47% of American voters have a unfavorable view of Solicitor General, and Supreme Court nominee, Elena Kagan.  The poll of 1000 registered voters, which has a margin of error of +/- 3%, had the following to say about her favorable/unfavorable rating:

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 41% of U.S. voters now hold a favorable opinion of Kagan but 47% view her unfavorably, up from 43% a week ago and 39% just after President Obama announced her nomination.

These findings include 15% with a Very Favorable opinion and 23% who regard her Very Unfavorably. This, too, marks a shift from the first survey when Kagan’s Very Favorables were 18% and Very Unfavorables were 17%.

By comparison, the president’s first Supreme Court nominee, Sonia Sotomayor, maintained favorables around 50% through the first three surveys following her selection, with unfavorables falling to 40%.

This can be interpreted as showing that the American people are looking for more information of the next potential Supreme Court Justice.  And it appears that as they learn more about here the more questions they have and for the time being, the less favorable she becomes. Also telling in this survey is the proof that the attempt by administration allies, and some detractors, to claim that she is anything but a liberal.  Shortly after her nomination, some had floated the idea that she wasn't as liberal as some would have liked, or as Republicans were making her out to be.  Also interesting is how closely respondents are following Kagan's nomination:

Forty-eight percent (48%) view Kagan as ideologically liberal, while 30% say she is a moderate. Only four percent (4%) see her as conservative, but 18% more are not sure. This marks little change from a week ago.

Seventy-one percent (71%) say they are following news reports about the Supreme Curt nominee at least somewhat closely. Twenty-eight percent (28%) are not following closely, if at all.

The entire poll, including poll questions and top line results, can be viewed here.  It will be interesting to see how public opinion is changed in the coming weeks when her confirmation hearings begin and she begins to answer questions from the Judiciary Committee.