Scandal Having No Effect on Democratic Voters, Poll Finds

Democratic leaders worry aloud that fallout from the Monica S. Lewinsky scandal could cause their party’s voters to stay home in November, but a new poll shows no sign of erosion.

“Right now, we don’t see any less interest in Democratic voters with regard to turnout,” said Andrew Kohut, director of the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, which released its poll Thursday. That’s “even though the public is more critical of Bill Clinton personally than it has been,” he said.

Several congressional Democrats voiced renewed concerns about President Clinton in recent days, with House Minority Leader Richard A. Gephardt talking about the possibility of impeachment.

According to the Pew poll, 61% say the controversy over Clinton’s relationship with the former White House intern will not affect their vote in November.

The Pew poll suggested Democrats and Republicans are closely matched in this fall’s congressional elections, with Republicans still having a slight edge among likely voters.

The president’s job approval rating was steady at 62%, and a majority of those surveyed would have an unfavorable view of any member of Congress who voted for impeachment hearings.

But the poll had some potential trouble signs as well. A majority said the controversy is severe enough that it interferes with Clinton’s ability to run the country. And 43% said he does not have the respect he needs from officials in Washington and world leaders to lead the country.

The phone survey of 1,001 adults, taken from Friday through Monday, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.