New poll reveals the most and least popular US senators

A new Morning Consult poll has identified the most and least popular U.S. senators currently.

Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, an Independent, tops the list with the highest approval rating of 75 percent.

Meanwhile, in second and third place are the two Democratic lawmakers from Hawaii; Senators Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono scored 69 and 67 percent approval ratings, respectively.

Most and least popular senators: July 2017

Rounding out the top five are North Dakota Senator John Hoeven, the highest ranking Republican in the list, and Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy, a Democrat.

Unfortunately for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell from Kentucky, he had the highest disapproval among his peers at 48 percent; just 41 percent had a positive response. Right behind him were his two Republican colleagues from Arizona—Senators John McCain at 47 percent disapproval and Jeff Flake who scored two points better.

In spots, four and five were Democrats Jon Tester of Montana and Robert Menendez of New Jersey.

According to Morning Consult, the list was determined by asking 141,400 registered U.S. voters about their most prominent state and local officials in addition to President Trump.

SEE ALSO: Poll: Melania Trump is more popular than Hillary Clinton

While the survey doesn't seem to ask why participants responded the way they did, there may be indicators to explain some of the outcomes; for example, the Washington Post published an op-ed last year titled, 'Bernie is Vermont. And that's why Vermont loves Bernie.'

In it, Vermont-based writer Robin MacArthur said, "I can't remember a political landscape without Bernie in it, sticking up for our farmers, working class, veterans, women, environment, minorities and disadvantaged poor. It's made him beloved here, among radicals, non-radicals and pretty much everyone in between..."

On the flip side, the GOP effort to overhaul Obamacare is likely hurting Senator Mitch McConnell whose constituents in Kentucky have benefited significantly from the law.

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