Poll: Grassley viewed less favorably

A new poll says Iowa voters see U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley less favorably than they did two years ago.

The survey, commissioned by the Constitutional Responsibility Project and the League of Conservation Voters, said 42 percent of Iowans see Iowa's Republican senator favorably, a drop of 18 points from two years ago. Thirty percent now see Grassley in a unfavorable light, the poll said.

The two groups have been critical of Grassley and other Republicans for failing to move forward with the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Merrick Garland. The groups unveiled the poll results on a conference call with reporters on Monday.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., told reporters the Republican-controlled Congress has failed to act on a number of fronts, including the Garland nomination.

The poll was conducted by Hart Research Associates from April 22-24 and sampled the opinions of 501 Iowans.

Geoff Garin, president of Hart Research, said the Garland matter has affected Iowans' views toward Grassley. He noted a Hart Research poll two years ago said 60 percent of Iowans saw the senator favorably, while 19 percent saw him in an unfavorable light.

'Those ratings have fallen precipitously,” Garin said.

Grassley's camp has dismissed the idea that Supreme Court controversy has diminished the longtime senator's re-election bid this year.

His campaign pointed last week to a Morning Consult poll that said 55 percent of Iowans say they have a favorable impression, while 29 percent had an unfavorable opinion.

In an email, Beth Levine, a Grassley spokeswoman responded: 'Selective leaks from a partisan group with a partisan agenda make you wonder about what else they learned. The White House and its paid political activists are trying to manufacture interest where it's clearly not a defining issue. And, frankly, if polling actually made a difference to this White House, then Obamacare would be repealed by now.”

Congress is on recess now, and the White House is seeking to put more pressure on Republicans to bring Garland's nomination up for a vote.

President Barack Obama was granting interviews with local television reporters at the White House on Monday, including one from Des Moines.