Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s (D-CA) approval rating is experiencing a rapid decline, mirroring the state of her health.
According to a recent survey conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California, the 89-year-old lawmaker, who recently battled with a series of serious ailments including shingles, finds herself losing favor among Californians as there are increasing calls for her resignation.
‘Declined Dramatically’: Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s Approval Plunges — Again https://t.co/ow8yrlGNsK pic.twitter.com/ZUc3xW5TTN
— Daily Wire News (@DailyWireNews) June 10, 2023
As revealed by the survey, Feinstein’s handling of her job has witnessed a sharp drop in approval among likely voters in Orange and San Diego Counties. The survey shows that her approval rating now stands at a mere 30%, marking a significant 10% decrease from March 2022 when it stood at 41%.
The report indicates a 7% decline since October 2022, when 37% of adults and likely voters in the mentioned counties approved of Feinstein.
The Democratic leader’s declining support is not limited to Orange and San Diego counties. In the Central Valley, Inland Empire, and San Francisco Bay Area, the senator receives an abysmal 28% approval rating.
Even in Los Angeles, where she traditionally had stronger support, only 36% of likely voters approve of her. This rating represents an alarming 11-point decline since March 2022.
Feinstein’s health struggles began earlier this year when she was struck by a severe outbreak of shingles, which extended to her face and neck, causing vision and balance impairments as well as facial paralysis.
To make matters worse, she also contracted encephalitis, resulting in brain inflammation that can lead to long-term memory or language problems, sleep disorders, confusion, mood disturbances, and difficulties with mobility. As a result of these health issues, she was absent from duty for over two months.
Upon her return to the Senate in mid-May, Feinstein appeared in a wheelchair with the left side of her face frozen and one eye nearly shut, per The New York Times. According to the news outlet, the California Senator seemed disoriented as she navigated the Senate’s marble corridors, audibly complaining about something lodged in her eye while being guided by an aide.
Since her return to Congress, multiple polls have highlighted Californians’ growing weariness of Feinstein. In a recent statewide survey conducted by UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies, more than two-thirds of voters deemed her unfit to serve in the Senate.
The survey revealed that 67% of registered voters in California believe her latest illness, which has left her reliant on a wheelchair, has rendered her incapable of fulfilling her duties effectively.
With a substantial majority of voters expressing doubts about her fitness for office, the future of Feinstein’s political career remains uncertain, leaving both supporters and critics eagerly awaiting her next move. However, if her previous reaction to the concerns regarding her fitness to serve is anything to go by, resignation is not in her plans for the near future.
